Michter’s Toasted Barrel Rye (2020)
One of my favorite whiskey memories happened in Fall 2020. We were in the thick of the COVID pandemic, most of us working from home and stuck there. I was working for a nonprofit organization at the time, and it was gala season. Instead of the usual prizes, we added something special: Zoom Dream Dates, a 30 minute/1 hour Zoom session with celebrities or notable figures.
One of these was a Dream Date with Michter’s Master Distiller Dan McKee. The gala was winding down, and nobody had the winning bid yet. Thinking quickly, I reached out to my New Jersey Bourbon & Yacht Club admins, and suggested they purchase the Dream Date for a few of our members. They accepted, and I got to join.
Before joining the NJBYC, I hadn’t tried much Michter’s - I think just the Sour Mash and the regular rye, nothing specifically toasted nor anything barrel strength. As part of the Dream Date though, the four guys participating shared samples of what we had with each other, coming up with six total. One of them was this 2020 Barrel Strength Toasted Barrel Finish Rye, coming in at 108.8º.
A few weeks later, I would try the 2016 version of this and, I must admit, the 2016 edged the 2020 by a hair. At the time, though, this was unlike any rye I had tried. It was definitely sweeter, more towards a Maryland style than a high-rye Monongahela/PA or Indiana 95/5 recipe. There were tons of floral notes and the proof was perfectly balanced. The most unique feature, though, was the toasted note - marshmallows catching over a campfire with warmed graham crackers. I’ve gotten it since in other toasted barrel finishes, but you never forget your first, right?
A few weeks after this post goes live, I’ll be recording with Dan again, this time joined by Andrea Wilson, Michter’s Master of Maturation. I can’t wait to ask more about the wood, about toasting, about the new things happening with Michter’s and especially with its ryes. Be sure to check that out over at the Whiskey Ring Podcast page. In the meantime, I’m going to keep sipping this marshmallow-laden rye as long as the bottle will last me.
Michter’s Toasted Barrel Rye (2020): Specs
Classification: Rye
Origin: Michter’s Distillery
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Proof: 108.8 (54.4% ABV)
Age: NAS
Location: Kentucky
Michter’s Toasted Barrel Rye (2020) Price: $85
Barrel #: 20H1787
Michter’s Toasted Barrel Rye (2020) Review: Tasting Notes
Eye: Amber honey with a little gold. Thin rims, slow thin droplet legs.
Nose: Gentle but solid rye, wood fire in the winter with toasty notes. Tons of caramel - makes this a rich nose. Some proof heat, it’s there but in the background. Some marshmallow on fire develops. God I love that scent. Fresh leather and some dark dried fruit round out the nose.
Palate: Some up front spice that spreads throughout the palate. Surprisingly fruity with the marshmallow put out but still smoking. There’s a charred note that’s really intriguing and different from normal barrel char. I can feel the burnt marshmallow reaching through my entire mouth. The spice sticks around and keeps the rye and oak going. Mouthfeel is velvety, a little spicy and oaky, the toasted marshmallow comes roaring back from the tip of my tongue back to my throat. Delicious and unique.
Finish: Toasty, a little burnt in a good way, the rye comes through more clearly here. Only a hint of dryness, though it lingers and offers some bitterness - interesting, stays as a hint rather than a main flavor.
Overall: There’s something unique about the toasted marshmallow note. Especially this year, lots of bourbons and ryes entered the toasted barrel scene, with mixed results. Michter’s toasts all of their barrels for all of their products, but this one going into an additional toasted barrel for finishing adds a complexity and vibrancy that I don’t think other market entries have matched. This is an excellent rye, if only slightly topped by its 2017 cousin.
Final Rating: 7.9
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)
8 | Excellent | Exceptional (12+YO MGP Bourbon, Highland Park Single Barrels)
7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)
6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)
4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)
3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)
2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)
1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)
