Hopefully, we are in for a treat today, Talking Bourbon has always been a fan of all things Michter’s, but surprisingly neither of have tasted their Sour Mash. Officially called Michter’s Small Batch Original Sour Mash. Sour Mash means a part of the previously fermented mash bill is used as a starter for the new batch, kind of like sourdough bread. The Original part refers to the fact that this was very popular in the 1980s and then the company went out of business. It came back in the 90s but they didn’t bring back the sour mash until 2012. Their website claims it is “staying true to the profile and palette of its predecessor.” Having not tasted it back then, we will have to take their word on that.
Michter’s Sour Mash is 86 proof, sells for around $45 for the 750ml bottle, has no age statement, is reasonably easy to find, and comes in the same shaped corked bottle as the other Michter’s expressions.
As stated above, we have liked everything we have tried from Michter’s, including the Rye, the Bourbon, and the American Whiskey. Let’s see if the Sour Mash can keep the streak going.
NOSE
Matt: Lots going on here with strong upfront aromas of caramel and fruit. I can’t quite decide if it is berries or apples I am picking up, maybe both. Behind that is a nutty bread-like scent. Ice calms all the scents down.
Todd: Nice soft, balanced nose with caramel, toffee, leather, and oak. Also, get the strong fruity scent that Matt got, but mine leans toward oranges. Secondary aromas include honey, hickory, and toasted nuts.
TASTE
Matt: Loads of great flavors that while they blend well together, you can still pick out the caramel, butterscotch, and leather. On the back end, I taste rye and a little bit of bread.
Todd: Very good with leather and toffee coming in first. Next up was oak, nuts, and corn. smooth neat.
FINISH
Matt: Medium long with some pepper.
Todd: Medium with rye, and pepper.
OVERALL
Matt: I like it, only has a semi-complex flavor profile but just fun to drink.
Todd: I agree, I enjoyed it. Reminds me of PC and console games I used to play that didn’t have great graphics, or a complex storyline, but were just fun to play anyways.
Nose 4.5 out of 5
Taste 8 out of 10
Finish 4.25 out of 5
Total score 16.75 out of 20 barrels.
Well, another hit from Michter’s. We both liked the Sour Mash. Interestingly, it is not called a Bourbon, just Whiskey. We could not confirm the mash bill but after tasting it, we wondered if maybe there was neither 50% corn nor rye, so it couldn’t be called a Bourbon or a rye. It certainly was sweet enough to have some corn but also had a spicey rye-like finish. Maybe 40, 40, and 20% barley, who knows?
If you like your Bourbon to lean toward traditional flavors like caramel, toffee, leather, and spice, this is for you. If you like an approachable Bourbon at a reasonable price, this is for you. And if you like drinking a Bourbon that is just fun and you don’t have to study it but just enjoy, Michter’s Sour Mash is for you.