Saturday, December 28, 2013

Review #51: Michter's Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey, 45.7% abv, Batch #13-42

more post-X-mas blogging

This is a "small batch" of a little while back, not the "sour mash" or the "unblended American whiskey". According to the label -- apart from all the crap about pre-Revolutionary War quality standards -- "it is further mellowed by our signature filtration." That seems like a bad idea, although, come to think of it, it does come without an age statement. The label also says it's bottled in Bardstown. So I guess that means it's from KBD, maybe with juice from Heaven Hill.

nose: honey, toffee, cloves, citrus -- very nice light and fragrant profile. some corn syrup, vanilla, and charred oak come in eventually, and if you have a lot of patience, some fruit. indeed, after 15 minutes or so, I get yoghurt, smoke, and dried apricots -- I think I had a Tomatin like that once.

palate: light and syrupy, but with a surprising amount of peppery heat. it's strangely sweet -- it would be cloying without the youthful heat.

finish: all sweet notes -- honey, vanilla, orange candy esp. -- except for just of bit of bitter, smoky oak.

I like this. It's an interesting, fragrant bourbon, but it becomes a little cloying and dull on the palate. The wood notes save it, but it can seem too young and too old (the wood) at the same time -- I can't decide if this is good or bad. It's (slightly) overpriced in any case.

score: 82

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