Michter’s Single Barrel - 10 year old (ft. Extra Guest review)

My sincere thanks to a good friend who offered to share some

Nose: I found this to have a light, pleasant citrus scent. I also picked up what I thought was a very light scent of some type of cleaning product or soap. [NOTE: Later discussions with the Guest Reviewer established that this was likely to be a floral scented soap smell, so maybe it wasn’t so much “soapy” as floral?] Palate: The first sip started with some pepper up front, with some cinnamon and a small amount of Rye spice. This has a really nice, thick and oily mouthfeel. The mid-palate featured a little more rye and the warmth starts there and extends into the finish, which is medium to long. The warmth is a very pleasant, and is not a harsh/burning type. The finish also had some oakiness and pepper. It isn’t overly sweet and has a nice complex balance of classic bourbon flavors, to the point of making it a bit difficult to pick out individual tastes. Comments: I like Michter’s and haven’t yet had one I didn’t like. They don’t have a huge variety of products, which makes for some good consistency. We also tasted the regular Michter’s bourbon and you can definitely tell that this is a longer-aged version of it. It is 94.4 proof. At over $100, it is pricey for a $10 year old. Michter’s sourced their bourbon from undisclosed distillers in Kentucky but started making their own in 2015. Since that was only 5 years ago, this 10 year old appears to also be sourced. I couldn’t find any definitive information on its mashbill. Guest Reviewer: Nose: Very inviting. I smell corn and a very floral scent which reminds me of a lilac tree. Hints of cherries as well. Deeper sniffs bring a touch of heat to the nose. Palate: Nice oily feel in the mouth, a slow building heat comes after a few seconds in the mouth. Medium/quick finish and a nice soft burn after swallowing. I taste cooked apples (like in an apple pie) with a hint of cinnamon. I also taste Maraschino cherries. I think this would make an EXCELLENT Manhattan. Subsequent sips I found the finish was shorter. Comments: I think this is a very good bourbon and I'm happy I purchased it.