Michter's US*1 Sgl Barrel Straight Rye

Michter’s Distillery has received critical acclaim for its line of American whiskeys. For example, it was proclaimed the “Best American Whiskey” by Food and Wine Magazine and described as the “Best of the Best” by The Robb Report.

As per its “Cost be Damned” approach, Michter’s team spares no expense in its efforts to produce the greatest possible American whiskey. One of the most popular brands of Michter’s Distillery is the Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey. Here is a complete review of this brand.

What Is the History Behind Michter’s Straight Rye Whiskey?

Michter’s Distillery is an old, respected company, which was started in 1753, even before the American Declaration of Independence. It was set up by Micheal and John Shenk, who were Swiss migrant farmers who had moved to America. Michter’s Straight Rye was the first primary product of this distillery back then, all when it was just a small startup before that term even existed.

These two brothers made Single Barrel Straight Rye by fermenting and distilling rye whiskey, which was bought by the residents of modern-day Louisville. Amazingly, even President George Washington used to buy Rye from Michter’s Distillery to supply it to his troops.

However, at the beginning of the 20th century, there were several prohibitions on the manufacturing, supply, and distribution of alcohol in the U.S. These prohibitions led to the downfall of Michter’s Distillery in 1919, but the distillery was quickly revived in 1934. From 1934 onwards, Michter’s Distillery became widely known as the leading producer of Single Barrel Straight Rye in the whole of America.

What Exactly Is Rye Whiskey?

According to Federal laws, rye whiskey is a whiskey that is made from at least  51% rye grain. In essence, the mash bill (or recipe) used in the formation of the whiskey should have a rye percentage, which is not less than 51 percent.

Furthermore, rye whiskey may be distilled up to 160 U.S. proof and should be aged in new, charred American oak barrels which should not exceed 125 proof and aged for at least two years.

The term “single straight barrel rye whiskey” refers to rye whiskey, which is pulled from only one barrel. Therefore, a single straight barrel rye whiskey does not have a whiskey blend from several different barrels. Straight rye whiskey has its unique individual taste, which is derived from the one barrel it was aged in.

How Do Michter’s Master Distillers Make Straight Rye Whiskey?

As illustrated above, straight rye was the first brand of Michter’s Distillery whiskey line. Since 1753, Michter’s Distillery has perfected its processes of manufacturing single straight rye due to its vast experience.

The first step in the manufacturing of straight rye whiskey is the making of mash. Per Federal laws, rye whiskey must have at least 51-percent rye content. Michter’s distiller's mash is made up of 75 percent rye and 25 percent corn.

Essentially, the mash is a mixture of pounded grain; rye, and corn with water. After the mash is ready, it will be fermented with the help of yeast.

Sometimes, the distillers at Michter’s employ the sour mash process in fermenting the mash due to various reasons. Some of these reasons are to quicken the fermentation process, to enable uniform fermentation and, to prevent the formation of harmful bacteria within the mash.

When the mash has been fermented, it is then distilled and aged in a charred, white American oak barrel for around 8  years. Michter’s puts their spirits in barrels at a lower proof than most which means the liquid gets more flavor faster and less water is later added to bring to bottle strength.

Many distilleries typically lie about the manufacturing process of their straight rye whiskeys. In fact, most distilleries mix the contents of different barrels to form a unique whiskey blend, which they allege to be “single straight rye.” This situation is not the case with Michter’s, since its straight rye whiskey is derived from a single white oak barrel.

Michter’s Single Barrel vs. Michter’s Small Batch Whiskey

Very few people know the difference between single-barrel and small-batch whiskey. These two terms are usually used interchangeably; yet, their meanings are totally different from each other.

The term “single barrel” is used to describe whiskey which has been bottled from one unique barrel. On the other hand, the phrase “small batch” is utilized to describe whiskey which has been packaged from several, different barrels. These barrels may be between 10 and 100 in number, and they are combined to form one unique whiskey blend.

The Aroma, Taste, Appearance, and Finish of Michter’s Straight Rye

Michter’s rye is caramel in color. Its scent is a blend of spicy, fruity, and vanilla flavors. It has a rich rye taste which is coupled with a little bit of citrus, candy, vanilla, and oak flavors with a finish of candy corn, butterscotch, and vanilla.

A Complete Review of Michter’s Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey