Michter's 20 Year Old Bourbon 2018 I1371 (The Honey Batch)

Michter's 20 Year Old Bourbon 2018 I1371 "The Honey Batch" is a remarkable vintage from Michter's limited annual 20-year Kentucky straight bourbon program. The batch code "I1371" identifies this as a 2018 production run, and the nickname "The Honey Batch".

Michter's 20 Year is released in very small quantities — typically fewer than 1,000 cases annually — and each batch is hand-selected by master distiller Dan McKee only when barrels have reached the precise character threshold. Non-chill filtered, bottled at 57.1% ABV (114.2 proof).

The 2018 vintage is particularly sought after. The "Honey Batch" nickname given to I1371 Batch was informally circulated in the collector community and documented in secondary market listings. A favorite amongst bourbon enthusiasts.  Batch I1371 indicates extraordinary character at the barrel selection stage — a level of greatness and depth that distinguished it from other 20-year releases. Earlier Michter's 20 Year vintages (2016-2019) are now significantly harder to find as demand for the brand has accelerated sharply.

Tasting Notes — "The Honey Batch"

• Nose: Pipe tobacco, dark chocolate, sassafras, cassis, licorice, orange peel, and menthol-like hints of solvent.
• Palate: Chewy fruit and drying oak harmonize on the palate, the dark berry fruits playing off the refined oak with its cedary spice.
• Finish: The drying finish echoes of rustling autumn leaves and plum skins. Exquisitely balanced and muscular.

Product Details

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Michter's 20 Year considered one of the most collectible American bourbons?

Michter's releases their 20 Year only when master distiller Dan McKee determines a barrel has reached peak quality — no fixed annual date, no guaranteed supply. 2018 was this first release since 2016.

The source of the 20 and 25 year bourbons has never been officially confirmed by Michter's. The very early releases are rumored to be Stitzel-Weller whereas the more current releases are strongly believed to be Brown-Forman.

Total production is under 1,000 cases per vintage. Each batch is documented with a batch code, making it one of the most precisely tracked limited-release programs in American whiskey. The 20-year age statement is extremely rare in the bourbon category — very few distilleries produce bourbon at this maturity level.

What makes the "Honey Batch" nickname significant?

Michter's team occasionally gives informal nicknames to batches with distinctive character profiles when selecting barrels. 2018 I1371 Batch nickname was informally circulated in the collector community and documented in secondary market listings. A favorite amongst bourbon enthusiasts. 

How does the 2018 Michter's 20 Year compare to other vintages?

Each Michter's 20 Year vintage differs based on which specific barrels were selected. The 2018 release (I1371) is one of the middle vintages of the modern Michter's era — after the distillery fully rebuilt in Louisville but before demand caused the brand to become nearly impossible to find at retail. Secondary market premiums on 2018 and earlier vintages have increased substantially since release.