It’s a cold day here in Indianapolis, so we are looking for a drink to warm us up. And that drink is Michter’s Single Barrel, US*1, Straight Rye Whiskey. Michter’s has been around for a long time and has gone through a few name changes. We are not sure what the US*1 means, but all their entry-level expressions have that on the label. Michter’s has some older bottles that do not. From their site, “The US★1 expressions, so named to honor Michter’s heritage harkening back to America’s first whiskey company, consist of some of the finest single barrel and truly small batch whiskeys available. Distilled to Master Distiller Dan McKee’s exacting specifications, no US★1 whiskey is ever released until Dan and the Michter’s tasting panel deems it ready.” So there you have it.
Michter’s Single Barrel Rye is an odd 84.8 proof, sells for $45, is pretty easy to find and comes in a basic looking corked bottle. There is no age statement, but per regulation must be at least 4 years old. There is also no mash bill info.
We are not going to lie; this will be a hard juice to judge with an open mind. We have always been big fans of all things Michter’s. The Sour Mash, American Whiskey, and Single Barrel Bourbon all have a place in our hearts, as does this rye. But it has been close to a year since we have tasted it so hopefully that will help.
NOSE
TB: A very nice, sweet, and spicy nose with a nutty vanilla aroma along with strong scents of rye, caramel, honey, apple, and pepper. Getting past those, we pick up leather, oak, cedar, and brown sugar. Ice gives it a somewhat fresh smell if that makes sense.
TASTE
TB: Sweet and approachable, neat, and unlike others we have tasted lately, the taste matches the smell. The rye is not as strong as the nose would have indicated, but other than that, we get the same oak, vanilla, caramel, spice, leather, and fruit. We also get some slight hints of corn, barley, and honey. Ice brings out even more vanilla and sweetness.
FINISH
TB: Medium long with some white pepper and sweetness.
OVERALL
TB: This is a very good rye at a very good price.
Nose 4.5 out of 5
Taste 7.75 out of 10
Finish 3.75 out of 5
Final score 16 out of 20 barrels.
Michter’s brings it again. We feel like they could raise the price, and we would still buy it. What is there not to like? A great nose followed by a very good taste and a good finish. All this at a great price. Now we know, in today’s high percentage alcohol, some will gripe about the 84 proof. Don’t let that persuade you into not trying this rye. Really, our only slight complaint would be that for a rye, it is really sweet, especially after adding ice.
All in all, we really liked Michter’s Single Barrel Rye, and we believe you will as well. So if you have access to a bottle, buy one, or two, you can thank us later.