The number 1 bourbon on my Top 5 Double Oak list - Michter's Limited Release Toasted Barrel Bourbon.  It was a close race between this and the Peerless but in the end, the Michter's brings home the top spot.  This is such a delicious pour and absolutely everything you would want a Toasted Barrel bourbon to be.  I'm very lucky to have gotten this bottle as it hasn't been released since 2018 and only ever has been released 4 times (2014, 2015, 2018, & 2021).  It's assumed the previous releases were sourced product and that this year's is Michter's own but few actually know for sure.  

If you don't know much about Michter's, it is a famed brand that began back in 1753 by John Shenk in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania is believed to be America's first whiskey brand.  Initially, Shenk produced whiskey from Rye grain that was so highly sought after, George Washington himself purchased it for his troops during the American Revolution to warm them through the winter. During the mid-1800s the distillery was purchased by Abraham Bomberger and the brand became known as Bomberger's for many decades. The passing of prohibition eventually forced the distillery to momentarily close, though it did reopen after the repeal. Over the next few decades it changed hands many times and always seemed doomed financially. In the 1950’s one of the owners changed the name to Michter’s by combining the name of his sons - Michael and Peter. By 1989 the distillery had to declare bankruptcy and abandoned operations at the Pennsylvania location. However, in the 1990’s two men resurrected the brand, but this time in Kentucky - Joe Magliocco and Dick Newman. Magliocco was intimately familiar with the brand as a salesman for the company and all Newman had done is previously run the brands Old Grand Dad, Old Crow, & Old Taylor. Oh, he also became President & CEO of Austin Nichols Distillery (Wild Turkey). So yeah, I think he’s qualified. They have grown the brand back into one known, once again, for the highest of quality whiskeys, “cost be damned!” as they say. 

To create this release, Michter's Master Distiller, Dan Mckee, and team distills and ages their standard Small Batch bourbon as usual then transfers it to a new American Oak barrel that has been toasted but not charred.  It is aged in this barrel for about a month to deliver the double oak experience.  

Stats: NAS; 91.4 proof; undisclosed mashbill, $89

Verdict: Michter's is an intriguing brand, rich in history. They have quite a few premium offerings that are highly sought after (Michter’s 10, Barrel Strength Bourbon, Barrel Strength Rye, Shenk’s, Bombergers) and a couple ultra premium offerings - Michter’s 20 Year and 25 year are extremely rare and therefore carry a heavy price tag, if you ever even see one. What’s interesting is their release of products like this toasted barrel and their other barrel strength offerings aren’t annual. They’re somewhat smart and only release them when they have the stock available that meets their quality standards. As for the taste on this one, I immediately get brown sugar on the nose with a backdrop of pure campfire - oak and smoke. It’s delightful. These carryover to the palate with a strong brown sugar, vanilla, hints of fruit as well. Marshmallows and a touch of spice on the finish but the perfect amount for me. I don’t enjoy an unchecked overpowering spice finish and this one is soft but present. I said the Woodford Double Oaked tasted like a s’more but no way, this one is it! It’s the perfect fall pour, amazing s’more taste as the oak and brown sugar combo tricks you into thinking it’s chocolate while mallows come in on the finish. Purely delightful and I so hope they release more in the coming years because I’m not sure I can hold on to this one too long!

Now, there’s another component to this. I was lucky enough to get this bottle at retail price through my local spot. That said, many, many people will not be able to get a retail bottle of this. So the question becomes, is it worth secondary prices, which I’ve seen in the neighborhood of $300. Short answer, no. Personally, I don’t think there are very many bottles made today worth their secondary price. Worth double retail? Eh, maybe. Depends on your preferences, how much you like it, and how much disposable income you have. I’d probably cap out at $150 for this personally just given the rarity of it. If you’re unable to find this or the Peerless, which is also difficult, then just grab the Old Forester 1910 and you will be more than happy!