Michter's 10 Year Rye (2016)

Michter's
Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey
10 Years Old
46.4% ABV (92.8 proof)
from barrel #16A113
MSRP $150 (sample provided)

Color: medium brown with an auburn tint.

Smell: really, really nice. Damn. It's doesn't punch with lots of rye spice - instead, what hits first is layers of complex sweetness. Clover honey, brown butter, and caramel. Beyond this (especially after it sits for a while), leather and dill come to the aroma party. Total package - smells amazing.

Taste: yup, really nice. Rich, creamy sweetness (caramel, brown butter) upfront, quickly joined by dill, leather, and toasted oak on midpalate. The finish is long and spicy, with allspice and mint coming into play.

Overall: absolute stunner, easy "A." I wish it wasn't $150, but this is every bit as impressive (if not more so) than the Sazerac from fall 2014 BTAC. Smooth, creamy, sweet, but yet still complex and rye-spice driven - go for it, if you're lucky enough to get the chance!