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Michters is Americas first distilling company, dating back to 1753 when they started out making rye whiskey. They take a Cost Be Damned approach to the production of every barrel, using various methods including air drying their barrels for 36 months, toasting the barrels before charring them, using a low barrel-entry strength, heat cycling to encourage ageing during the winter. This Rye is a brilliant whiskey with fresh spice notes and a lingering soft finish.

Michters is Americas first distilling company, dating back to 1753 when they started out making rye whiskey. They take a 'Cost Be Damned' approach to the production of every barrel, using various methods including air drying their barrels for 36 months, toasting the barrels before charring them, using a low barrel-entry strength, heat cycling to encourage ageing during the winter. The American whiskey is aged in second-fill bourbon casks. It has a rich, soft sweetness which is remarkable.

The Teeling Whiskey Wonders of Wood (WOW) Single Pot Still is a new limited edition series of unique bottlings of Dublin distilled Single Pot Still given maturation in unique wood barrels. The first edition of our WOW bottlings, which was honoured as the Worlds Best, consists of Single Pot Still crafted from a recipe of 50% malted barley and 50% un-malted barley, which has been triple distilled in the Teeling Whiskey Distillery in Dublin and then fully matured in virgin Chinkapin American White Oak barrels. The First Edition of this new WOW series is limited to 9,000 bottles globally.

Note: ABV will vary from batch to batch. An American Whiskey gem and a five star bargain. Highest recommendation. 2020 batch tasted... [15ml sample] A bouquet you can really get lost in... Opens like fresh rye sour dough, turns vaguely herbal (caraway / dill) and follows in a mesmerising combination of apple mint, balsa wood and heavy vanillas. Mouthcoating, oily rye on entry. Astringent and classically spiced-up at mid palate. Mints and cherry chocolate through the finish. Seamless and sophisticated. Stays with you. Fabulous rye. 54.5% Alc./Vol. Previous batch tasted: [30ml sample] Brilliant bronze / new copper penny colour. Initial pass finds aromas of cherry ripe chocolate bar, poached peaches and vanilla. Further air contact accents white pepper, applemint and oak shavings. The lusciously toasty, perfectly-rounded delivery has impeccable wood selection written all over it: Bittersweet spices challenge the sheer weight of the rye but the grain wins out in a rush of oils, dried peach, dark rye and peppermint. Remarkably accessible at natural strength, the aftertaste turns peppery, oaky, then intensely grainy and long. Some found this a 'fruitier' / more Bourbensque style compared with the 55.8% ABV bottling. Wins on length as the flavour rebounds over minutes. Highest recommendation. 54.5% Alc.Vol. 95 points

A new Woodford that’s set to be part of the core range. This is finished in heavily toasted, lightly charred barrels.

On a short list the most desirable, super premium American whiskeys, Pappy Van Winkle is usually near the top – if you can find it. But there’s another name in town: “Michter’s”, with roots going back to the 18th century. For scarcity, reputation and market value, Michter’s is now outdoing Van Winkle on every score. The ultra-aged releases are periodic and therefore actually far rarer than Pappy’s which are annual. Many consider older Michter's superior to the equivalent Van Winkles, especially if you prefer your whiskey to not be overly oaky. To top it off, a Michter’s 25 Year Old Rye has reached $8000 / bottle. Or there’s a 25 Year old for US $10,000 at Wally’s Liquor in the States. Take your pick. That’s the direction this brand is headed. The modern Michter’s was created in the 1950s (then owner, Lou Forman combined his son’s names – Michael & Peter). Later in 1989, the company declared bankruptcy, abandoning the original Pennsylvania operation. In the 1990s, two entrepreneurs filed for the Michter’s trademark and relocated the brand in Louisville, Kentucky. The “New” Michter’s whiskeys come with a swag of 5 Star / Highest Recommendations from respected critics that’s confirmed by a strong following amongst bartenders (now number two in top-trending American whiskey brands globally). There are four tiers in the range - which is a little confusing at first. The "US*1" expressions are the entry level, so named to honour Michter’s heritage, harkening back to America’s first whiskey company in 1753. Then come the limited releases (toasted barrel finishes and cask strength), then the age statements, and finally, there's a selection of ultra-aged 25 year old+ super limited bottlings. Master Distiller, Pam Heilmann, has extensive experience including time as manager at Booker Noe Distillery in Boston and 15 years with Beam Global. She’s helped out by Andrea Wilson, whose role is Master of Maturation. These ladies are very specific about the seasoning and toasting regimes of the wood they employ. They toast barrels before charring, which helps to make the wood’s sugars more accessible. They insist on barreling at a lower proof (103 instead of the standard 125), a practise which is claimed to get the sugars in oak to dissolve more readily into the distillate as it cycles in and out of the wood. Chill filtration is undertaken but customised to each whiskey's style. All Michter’s whiskeys are either ‘single barrel’ or ‘small batch’. Because “Small batch” is not a legally defined term in US whiskey regulation, many respected “small batch” brands are actually composed from hundreds or thousands of barrels, which helps to ‘lose’ sub-quality barrels in the blend. At Michter’s, the maximum “small batch” size is twenty full barrels. It explains why Heilmann and Wilson are more than a little fanatical about quality control, and you can sense it in the taste. Tasting note: [Lot L146456 tasted] Brassy gold. Opening aroma is peppery and true to style with lovely whiffs of dark rye bread; Further air contact draws out wax, dried apple, cinnamon and vanilla. Third pass finds suggestions of herbal tea - think peppermint and chamomile. Great complexity. A somewhat hollow entry leads into a powerful, peppery rye attack with ryvita biscuit, dried apple and peppermint tea flavours carried by vibrant spices. Hints of vanilla and toffee apple in the drying fade. Solid, text-book styled rye. 42.4% Alc./Vol.

Elijah Craig are another of Heaven Hill's successful brands. When a surge in popularity for the 12 year led to an inability to meet demand, it was removed from US shelves in 2016 (no surprise, age statements are now sought after). The core whiskey has since been re-labelled “Small Batch". Typically made from a mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley, rumour has it this contains a fair proportion of whiskeys in the 8-12 year old range.

"...you can buy me a dozen of these roses any day of the week." - breakingbourbon.com Produced from a mashbill of 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley, the strain of yeast used for the Single Barrel bottlings is Four Roses' version “V” which is described as being "delicately fruity, spicy, and creamy." (The distillery is unique in that it uses five different strains to create ten different whiskies). Ages will vary in this series, (a seven year minimum is cited by one source). Regardless, the aim is to bottle when the whiskeys are deemed to have reached their peak, with each barrel yielding approximately 180 bottles. Each release is individually marked with a warehouse and barrel number which is not predictable and subject to change without notice. It's also part of the fun: No two barrels create identical tasting Bourbons, thus the single barrel concept provides the opportunity to appreciate and compare whiskies from different barrels and aging locations. [Barrel RN 8-4R tasted] Bright burnished copper penny colour. A robust Bourbon sniff with a dense core of vanilla custard and caramel fudge overlaid with peppermint, balsa wood, cocoa and hints of cherry. Concentrated yet controlled with razor sharp sweet/dry balance; a burst of vanillan oak, honey and spiced peach, offset by a tangy, vibrant finish. Glace cherry is followed by late mint freshness. Text-book poise and length. As complete a Bourbon as you could expect to find in its category, this really over delivers. 50% Alc./Vol.

One litre Travel retail exclusive bottling. Rare breed, as the name suggests, is a unique bourbon experience. A marriage of Wild Turkey 6, 8 and 12 year olds, Rare Breed is 'barrel proof', meaning that it is bottled at barrel strength with no water added to lower the proof or dilute the flavour. Master Distiller, Jimmy Russell follows suit even after bottling - he keeps his Rare Breed in the freezer so he doesn't have to add ice, which would melt and ultimately dilute the flavour! Non-chill filtered.

As seventh-generation distillers, Minor Case have another favourite pastime: reminiscing. In 1871, M.C. Beam began his distilling career under the supervision of his Uncle Jack Beam. By 1883, he was a partner at his own operation, where he brought his son Guy — Steve and Paul Beam’s grandfather — into the business. Minor Case Straight Rye Whiskey is “what might have been” in a bottle, reawakening the stills of M.C. Beam that were silenced by Prohibition. “I always felt it was an unfinished chapter in our book,” Steve says. Had master distiller M.C. Beam not been stifled by Prohibition, they imagine his straight rye whiskey would taste a lot like the mature elixir we bottle today. It’s aged in cream sherry casks for an unforgettable flavour. Minor Case Sherry Cask Finish Straight Rye Whiskey has aromas with earthy notes and sweet sherry. Hint of sweet butterscotch flavours on the palate with a smooth finish and hints of dried fruits.