Being a Michter’s fan is certainly rewarding, as its consistently high ratings have shown over the years. But fandom is not without its frustrations, because so many Michter’s whiskeys are limited expressions that get snapped up quickly and can be off the shelves for years at a time. For the very popular Michter’s US*1 Barrel Strength Rye, the last release was in early 2022, and now it returns after a two-year hiatus.
Priced at $110, this is a single barrel product, an area where Michter’s has excelled. The nature of single barrel expressions means that the ABV varies by barrel, but here it generally hovers at around 55.1%, slightly lower than the 55.8% in the 2022 release. Like other Michter’s whiskeys, the distillate entered the barrel at 103 proof, far lower than the permissible 125 proof. Michter’s has long been a proponent of lower entry proof, with founder Joseph Magliocco arguing that it creates a smoother, more complex whiskey. (Some readers may wonder why the bottled proof is higher than the barrel entry proof: that’s because ABV levels rise in Kentucky as a whiskey ages in the hot climate, whereas in cooler Scotland the ABV levels go down.)
While scarcity is a challenge that Michter’s lovers have faced for some time, the company has been very carefully boosting its production. In 2023 the company’s 87,000-square-foot distillery in Shively (Louisville) enjoyed its first full year of 24/7 production.
Before the 2022 appearance, Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye was released in 2021 and 2019. The latest version is available nationwide, but the limited supply means, as always, it will go quickly.
