Michter's

Michter's offers a diverse portfolio of American Whiskeys. The US★1 range includes carefully selected small-batch and single-barrel bottlings, including Kentucky Straight Rye, Straight Bourbon, American Whiskey and Sour Mash. The range is complemented by limited, long-aged editions, including 10-, 20- and 25-year-old Whiskeys, which are only bottled when they have reached optimal maturity.

Special bottlings such as toasted barrel finish Whiskeys and barrel strength releases highlight the diversity of production possibilities. With the historic Celebration Sour Mash and Legacy Series, which include Bomberger's Declaration and Shenk's Homestead, Michter's honours its long tradition and the origins of American Whiskey production.

Michter's has several locations in Kentucky. Production, processing and bottling take place at the Shively Distillery in Louisville. Here there are two small pot stills and a specially made copper column still with a doubler for the second distillation, which makes the distillate particularly pure.

The Fort Nelson Distillery, also in Louisville, houses the historic pot stills from the original distillery in Pennsylvania. This location is primarily used for tours and tastings. Michter's also operates a 205-hectare farm near Springfield, where GMO-free corn, rye and barley are grown. The grain is used for Shively and Fort Nelson in collaboration with local farmers, making the supply of raw materials fully traceable.

Distillation takes place in a 14-metre-high copper distillation column with 19 plates and a diameter of 81 cm. A copper pot still doubler with a volume of approximately 1,100 litres is used for the second distillation. The distillation equipment is supplied by Vendome Copper & Brass Works and guarantees maximum precision and purity of the distillate.

Michter's uses two specially designed cage mills that grind different types of grain to the optimum size without overheating it. This supports the even extraction of sugars and contributes significantly to the quality of the Whiskey.

The distillery uses the classic sour mash method. This involves adding some of the fermented wort to the new mash in order to stabilise the consistency and harmonise the flavour.

Maturation takes place in warehouses in Kentucky, which benefit from the characteristic climate of the ‘Bluegrass State’, as the US state is also known. Significant seasonal temperature fluctuations and targeted heating of the warehouses promote the Angel's Share, intensify the concentration of aromas and support the development of complex flavour profiles. The casks are made of air-dried oak, carefully toasted and filled in small batches. Individual filtration techniques ensure a velvety taste and a balanced aroma.

Michter's roots date back to 1753, when Swiss immigrant John Shenk founded a rye distillery in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania, which later became known as Bomberger's and remained in the family for generations. In 1860, Abraham S. Bomberger purchased the distillery and farm from Elizabeth Schenk Kratzer, a great-granddaughter of the founder, and continued the tradition. The resulting Whiskey was so popular that George Washington had it delivered to Valley Forge during the winter.

Prohibition, frequent changes of ownership and financial difficulties characterised the following decades. In the 1950s, the name ‘Michter's’ was created, named after the sons of the then owner, Michael (Mich-) and Peter (-ter) Forman. In 1980, the facility was recognised as a cultural monument; at that time, it was the oldest distillery still in operation in the United States. Until its bankruptcy in 1989, Michter's continued to produce classic sour mash Whiskey according to the Bomberger tradition. Very old stocks are now stored in steel tanks to prevent over-maturation.

In the 1990s, Joseph J. Magliocco and his mentor Richard ‘Dick’ Newman revived the brand. They secured the trademark rights and moved production to Kentucky, where Michter's now operates three locations: the large Shively Distillery, the historic Fort Nelson Building and a sprawling farm in Springfield.

Tours and tastings take place at the Fort Nelson Distillery in Louisville and can be booked online.