Michter’s Is Dropping Its New Toasted Barrel Finish Rye Whiskey
Michter’s was just named “the World’s #1 Most Admired Whiskey” for a fourth year in a row by Drinks International, an accolade that actually doesn’t mean a whole lot to most people. But right after that news arrived, the distillery announced something that is way more impactful—the release of its annual US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Rye, and we have the details about the new whiskey to share.
First released in 2017, the Toasted Barrel Rye is thought to be made from a mashbill containing somewhere just above the legally required 51 percent rye grain, although Michter’s does not reveal the details. Over the past decade, it has been an almost annual release, although some years this expression did not come out. And there were some years where both this and the regular Barrel Strength Rye were not released, perhaps due to supply or redundancy or the whiskey just not being ready—it’s not entirely clear.
Michter’s was an innovator of the toasted barrel finish in American whiskey, in which bourbon or rye is placed into a secondary toasted oak barrel to mature after initially aging in new charred oak. “As our production team pursues our goal of striving to make the best American whiskey, we employ time-honored, traditional Kentucky methods, and we supplement them with our research and innovations,” said president Joseph J. Magliocco in a statement. “This is what led our team to create a new category when in 2014 we launched the first Toasted Barrel Bourbon finished in a second barrel that had been toasted, but not charred.” Nowadays that practice is pretty commonplace, with many brands and distilleries like Elijah Craig, Basil Hayden, and Barrell Craft Spirits releasing their own versions.
For the 2026 release, Michter’s barrel-strength rye, which is aged for at least four years (probably closer to six), is put into a new set of barrels that were air-dried and seasoned outside for two years and then given a custom toast, but no char. “The fully matured whiskey that we put into the second barrel for finishing and the particular toast level of that second barrel have to be just right to achieve the perfect balance,” said master distiller Dan McKee in a statement.
We did not get to try the whiskey yet, but master of maturation Andrea Wilson provided some tasting notes. “It brings a level of rich comfort with its dark and savory notes, but transitions to the inviting characters of a baked cinnamon roll with melted caramel icing,” she said. “It lingers with warm, rich gingerbread notes and a beautiful toastiness reminding us that memories are often made with a campfire, good friends, and a great pour.”
According to the brand, the average barrel proof for this release is 109.1 proof (54.55 percent ABV), so that might deviate depending on which bottle you find. Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Rye will be available starting this fall at specialty retailers around the country (SRP $120).
