Michter's US*1 American Whiskey

Michter’s Distillery has received numerous accolades due to its fantastic whiskey brands. For example, Michter was given the title “The Distiller of the Year” by Wine Enthusiasts. Also, Robb Report described Michter’s Distillery as the “Best of the Best.”

Michter’s American Whiskey is the best whiskey brand in the market today. Many whiskey lovers have continually praised it, and some frankly assert that they can’t miss having it in their home cabinets. Here is more information about Michter’s US*1 American Whiskey;

The History of Michter’s American Whiskey

The existence of Michter’s Distillery dates back to 1753, even before America gained independence. Two Swiss brothers started Michter's Distillery: John and Michael Shenk.

Amazingly, Michter has a remarkable legend surrounding its existence. It is alleged that President George Washington used to purchase whiskey from Michter’s Distillery during the fight for the nation’s independence. This whiskey was used to rejuvenate President Washington’s troops during the winter. Due to this legend, Michter’s whiskey has been coined as “The Whiskey That Warmed the American Revolution.”

John and Michael Shenk used to brew whiskey and sell it to the locals surrounding the distillery.  However, in 1919, Michter’s Distillery did not survive the prohibition, and it was closed down. Fortunately, it was reopened in 1934, and it started supplying whiskey to the entire United States.

At the beginning of the 21st century, Michter’s Distillers became bankrupt. Due to an unfortunate situation, it was acquired by Abraham Bomberger; who later sold it to Joe Magliocco.

Joe Magliocco is credited for resurrecting Michter’s whiskey line. Magliocco is famous for emphasizing quality over quantity, and due to this, Michter operates under a “Cost Be Damned” approach.

Pam Heilmann, Michter’s master distiller, is the one who rebranded Michter’s American Whiskey after it disappeared in the market for around three years. Currently, Michter’s American Whiskey is the favorite beverage of many people. According to Eric Gregory, the President of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, Michter’s American Whiskey is a force to reckon with in the whiskey market today.

How Is Michter’s American Whiskey Made?

As asserted earlier, Michter has been in the whiskey industry since the 18th century. Due to its vast experience, it has perfected its processes of manufacturing the ideal whiskey. Michter’s master distillers, Heilmann and Wilson, have contributed to the growth of this distillery due to their professional whiskey brewing expertise.

The first step in the manufacture of Michter’s American Whiskey is the preparation of mash. Essentially, the mash is a mixture of grains and water. Michter’s connoisseurs mostly use barley, wheat, and corn as their grains, which typically constitute at least 95 percent of the mash.

After the mash has been prepared, it will be fermented with the help of yeast. Typically, Michter’s connoisseurs use the sour mash process to ferment the new mash. In the sour mash process, the leftover mash is mixed with fresh mash at the ratio of 1:4; then, the old-new mash mixture is left to ferment.

The sour mash process has several benefits in the brewing of whiskey. In fact, whiskey made through the sour mash process has a more in-depth, rich flavor.

Moreover, the sour mash process helps to quicken the fermentation of the mash. Other benefits of the sour mash process include enabling uniform fermentation and preventing the outbreak of toxic bacteria within the new mash.

After the fermentation process of the mash is complete, it will undergo distillation. Later, the distilled mash will be stored in a soaked bourbon barrel for at least two years.

When this storage time ends, the distilled, aged mash will be withdrawn from the barrels, packaged in transparent bottles with cream labels, and then distributed to whiskey’s wholesalers and retailers. It is only after this thorough process is complete that Michter’s whiskey will be available for sale.

Michter’s American Whiskey vs. Michter’s Bourbon

If you are not a whiskey geek, then you may not understand the difference between Michter’s American Whiskey and Michter’s Bourbon. Both may be Michter’s whiskey brands, but they vary considerably in terms of their taste, appearance, scent, and finish.

The main difference between Michter’s American Whiskey and Michter’s Bourbon is in their aging processes. While Michter’s bourbon is aged in new, white oak barrels, Michter’s American whiskey is aged in previously used bourbon barrels. However, Michter’s Bourbon and Michter’s American Whiskey typically have the same brewing recipe.

Since Michter’s American Whiskey undergoes the aging process in old bourbon barrels, it has a richer flavor when compared to Michter’s Bourbon. Moreover, Michter’s American Whiskey is described to be unblended, because it has no neutral grain spirits.

The Aroma, Taste, Appearance, and Finish of Michter’s American Whiskey

Michter’s American Whiskey has a deep scent of sweet caramel, baking spices, and roasted corn, which fades into the smell of vanilla bean, dark fruits, and cereals. It has a vicious but light palate of caramel, corn, butter, and vanilla flavors. Its finish is of a medium length with small notes of oak and baking spices, and its aftertaste is of cherries and dark fruits.

More information about Michter's expressions.

Michter’s American Whiskey: A Complete Review