Michter's US-1 Toasted Barrel Finish Sour Mash Kentucky Whiskey

Michter's US-1 Toasted Barrel Finish Sour Mash Kentucky Whiskey. Michter's Fort Nelson Distillery, Louisville, Kentucky — built on the foundation of Michter's US*1 Sour Mash Whiskey — The Whisky Exchange Whisky of the Year 2019, the first American whiskey ever to receive that honor — then aged an additional period in a custom second barrel assembled from 18-month air-dried wood, toasted but not charred, with the specific toast level selected by Master Distiller Dan McKee and Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson to best display the elegant nuances of the award-winning base expression.

The Toasted Barrel Sour Mash is Michter's most involved expression in the core range: it begins with the most critically decorated everyday American whiskey produced — the Sour Mash that Whisky Exchange named Whisky of the Year — and applies a carefully calibrated second barrel finishing step that adds another dimension without overshadowing the character that earned the original its recognition.

The selection of the second barrel's toast level was not arbitrary: Michter's evaluated several different levels before McKee and Wilson selected the one that best complemented the US*1 Sour Mash's specific aromatic and flavor character. The 18-month air-drying of the second barrel's wood ensures concentrated, high-quality stave flavor contribution. The result is the US*1 Sour Mash's award-winning character elevated by a layer of toasted wood sweetness, caramelized vanilla, and additional complexity that the single-barrel version alone cannot deliver.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: The US*1 Sour Mash's balanced caramel, vanilla, and grain sweetness deepened by the toasted barrel finish. More aromatic complexity than the base expression.
• Palate: The award-winning Sour Mash's smoothness enhanced by the toasted barrel's additional caramelized sweetness and vanilla depth. Richer and more complex than the standard US*1 Sour Mash while preserving what earned it its global recognition.
• Finish: Longer and more nuanced — the toasted barrel's contribution adding persistence and evolution to a finish already noted for its quality.

Specs

• Distillery: Michter's Fort Nelson Distillery, Louisville, Kentucky
• Base: Michter's US*1 Sour Mash Whiskey (Whisky of the Year 2019, The Whisky Exchange)
• Second Barrel: 18-month air-dried wood, toasted but not charred, evaluated at multiple levels by Dan McKee and Andrea Wilson
• Style: Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey, Toasted Barrel Finish
• Inventory: 26 bottles in stock
• Size: 750ml

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Why is the Toasted Barrel Sour Mash significant? It builds on The Whisky Exchange's Whisky of the Year 2019 — the first American whiskey ever to receive that designation — and applies Michter's most rigorous finishing process to that award-winning base. The combination of the best everyday American whiskey with a specifically calibrated second barrel is the most involved production process in the Michter's core range.
• How does the Toasted Barrel Sour Mash differ from the Toasted Barrel Bourbon? The Bourbon version uses the US*1 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon as its base; the Sour Mash version uses the award-winning US*1 Sour Mash as its base. Different starting expressions produce different finished results — the Sour Mash version is softer and more grain-forward; the Bourbon version has more new-oak-derived caramel and char character from the base spirit.
• Is the Toasted Barrel Sour Mash in stock? Yes — 26 bottles available. The highest current inventory of any limited Michter's expression at Wooden Cork.