Michter’s 25 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey- 2017 Release

Kentucky straight bourbon aged 25 years. Approved by Master Distiller Dan McKee and Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson. The most age-forward expression in Michter's permanent lineup — produced only when the team determines stock has reached peak maturity, never on a fixed schedule.

Michter's 25 Year is one of the rarest regularly produced American bourbons. Unlike annual releases tied to a calendar, Michter's releases the 25 Year only when Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson and Master Distiller Dan McKee agree the available barrels have achieved the complexity and balance that 25 years of Kentucky aging produces. In years when no barrels meet the standard, no release occurs. The 2017 was one such approved release.

At 25 years, the bourbon has spent more than two decades cycling through Kentucky's dramatic temperature swings — from summer heat that drives the spirit deep into the wood, extracting color and flavor compounds, to winter cold that contracts the wood and allows integration. The result at this age is not simply "more" of what a younger bourbon offers: it is a fundamentally transformed spirit, where the oak structure, the grain character, and the distillate have merged into something that can only be achieved through extraordinary patience.

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Deep mahogany with the extraordinary color concentration of 25 years in the barrel.
• Nose: Rich dried fruit, aged oak, caramel, and dark spice — the complexity of quarter-century maturation immediately apparent.
• Palate: Full and luxurious — the oak is fully integrated rather than assertive, producing a profound sweetness and depth alongside dried fruit, leather, and warm baking spice.
• Finish: Extraordinarily long — the hallmark of ultra-aged bourbon, where the finish evolves rather than simply fades.

Specs

• Producer: Michter's Distillery, Louisville, Kentucky
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Age: 25 years
• Release: 2017
• Approved by: Dan McKee (Master Distiller) + Andrea Wilson (Master of Maturation)
• Size: 750ml

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Why isn't the Michter's 25 Year released every year? Michter's only releases the 25 Year when Andrea Wilson and Dan McKee determine the available barrels have reached the standard the expression demands. In years when no barrels qualify, no release occurs. This makes each vintage genuinely contingent on quality rather than commercial schedule.
• How does the 25 Year compare to the Michter's 20 Year? The 20 Year is already one of the most age-forward American bourbons produced. The 25 Year adds five additional years of Kentucky barrel cycling, producing deeper oak integration, greater dried fruit concentration, and a longer, more complex finish. The 2017 25 Year was approved in the same era as the 2021 20 Year — different release windows from the same world-class maturation program.
• What makes Andrea Wilson's role as Master of Maturation unusual? Michter's is one of the very few American whiskey producers to have a dedicated Master of Maturation — a separate specialist role focused entirely on the aging program rather than distillation. Wilson's specific expertise in the barrel maturation process is what enables Michter's to identify when specific barrels have reached their peak rather than bottling to a fixed age standard.
• Is the 2017 Michter's 25 Year still available? In extremely limited quantities through specialty retailers. This is a one-time vintage release from a non-annual program.