Description
This one cannot legally be called bourbon or rye. Its grain bill fits neither category, so it is sold simply as sour mash whiskey — a designation almost nobody else uses, because almost nobody else makes something that falls outside the standard definitions.
"Sour mash" describes a technique, not a flavour: a portion of the previous fermentation is used to start the next, in the same way a sourdough starter works. Most American whiskey is made this way. Michter's puts it on the label because the grain bill left them nothing else to put there.
It was named Whisky of the Year for 2019 by The Whisky Exchange.
Start here if: you already know bourbon and rye and want the one that doesn't fit either box.
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Butterscotch, toasted grain, dried fruit
- Palate: Sits between bourbon sweetness and rye spice — neither dominates
- Finish: Long, soft, faintly nutty
How to Serve
Neat. This is the bottle in the range that makes least sense in a cocktail, because its whole character is the balance between two profiles, and a cocktail flattens that.
Product Details
- Style: Sour Mash Whiskey
- ABV: 43%
- Category: Neither bourbon nor rye — outside both definitions
- Origin: Kentucky, USA
- Bottle Size: 700ml
Questions
What does "sour mash" actually taste like?
Nothing specific. It is a production method used by most American distilleries. What makes this bottle distinctive is the grain bill, not the sour mash process.
Bourbon or Sour Mash — which should I buy?
Bourbon if you want the classic profile. Sour Mash if you have had plenty of bourbon and want something adjacent but unfamiliar.
Delivered nationwide across the Philippines. For sale to persons 18 years and above only. Drink responsibly.