One of the better and more surprising bottles of bourbon I've owned this year was a Michter's Single Barrel 10 year. In my review I noted that it was a lot like the 2013 edition of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon except a welcome absence of the strong acetone notes I do not care for in that brand. I am in the minority of my dislike for the Birthday Bourbon line but based on the profile similarities my working theory is that Michter's is sourcing at least some of their 10 year single barrels from Brown Forman. Not long after I polished off that bottle my area got a small allocation of more. I knew that being a single barrel from a non-distiller producer I was taking a risk but I enjoyed the preceding bottle so much I was willing to take a chance. Will this barrel be from the same source? Even if it is from the same stock will it be a lesson in the large variance that can exist between two barrels? These are the unknowns that make the adventure of bourbon so much fun.
47.2% ABV; 10 years old; $80
One whiff of the nose and I knew we had another winner - crisp oak, honey, vanilla, and some spicy clove all come together for a wonderful bouquet of aromas. The nose is identical to my previous bottle and the 2013 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon which I will rate up there as one of the best I've ever experienced. The palate is also a reinforcement of my previous bottle - honeysuckle, gingerbread, orange rinds, clove spice, and light cinnamon. All this again without the heavy presence of acetone notes that ruin Birthday Bourbon for me. I find it incredibly unique in that it's sweet but not the typical wood sweetness of caramel or maple syrup - the sweetness is much more herbal and flowery. While the profile is a spot on match for what I had hoped, if I had to be critical I will say this barrel is lacking some of the gusto of the previous one I reviewed. The flavors are all there but they are a little muted in comparison to the earlier review.
Thoughts: There is no doubt in my mind this is again another Brown Forman sourced bourbon. It's a stellar whiskey with a unique profile unlike any other bourbons I've ever had. We are seeing some of the typical variation that can plague single barrels here though so while this one is good it isn't nearly the A/A+ grade of the bottle I reviewed earlier this year. The variance, high price, and lack of transparency from Michter's can make this one quite the gamble but based on my experienced so far I'm probably going to keep rolling the dice every time I see this one on the shelf.
Rating: B+ / A-
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