Michter’s Is Releasing a New Toasted Barrel Finish Sour Mash Whiskey
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Love them or hate them, toasted barrel-finished whiskeys are here to stay. Michter’s was at the forefront of this trend in American whiskey when it released its first expression that was given that type of secondary maturation over a decade ago. This week, the distillery announced the release of the latest in the series: US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Sour Mash Whiskey.
“In 2014, our Michter’s team didn’t realize that we were putting the toasted, un-charred barrel finish category on the map when we released our bourbon finished in a second barrel that was toasted but not charred and named it Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon,” said Michter’s president Joseph J. Magliocco in a statement. Since the release of that bourbon, the distillery has finished rye whiskey in toasted barrels and, starting in 2019, its Sour Mash Whiskey. For those who are unfamiliar with the term, “sour mash” refers to a whiskey made using spent fermented grains from a previous distillation to maintain consistency, as opposed to sweet mash, which involves an entirely new fermentation and distillation. The sour mash process is actually commonly used in American whiskey, but the reason this 86-proof expression gets that name is because it does not qualify as a bourbon or rye (it lacks the minimum required 51 percent of corn or rye grain in the mashbill).
The Sour Mash Whiskey is initially matured in new charred oak barrels, and it’s then finished in toasted, un-charred barrels. So how does that affect the whiskey’s flavor? “At Michter’s, we value American whiskey making traditions, but we are always experimenting and looking for innovative ways to make great whiskeys,” said master of maturation Andrea Wilson. “The second toasted only barrel really complements the flavors of the Sour Mash and deepens the rich honey, burnt sugar, and citrus spice notes with smoky vanilla reminiscent of a cozy campfire.”
As mentioned before, Michter’s also has a toasted barrel bourbon and rye whiskey in the lineup, but nowadays there are many other brands and distilleries releasing this type of cask finish. Those include Elijah Craig, Barrell Bourbon, Jack Daniel’s, and MGP’s Penelope Bourbon—each giving a very different type of whiskey its own particular spin on the toasted barrel finish trend. Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Sour Mash (SRP $110) will be available starting this month at retailers around the U.S., and you can find the rest of the Michter’s lineup now at websites like ReserveBar.
