Michter's Sour Mash Barrel Strength 2026 Limited Release 750ml

Michter's Sour Mash 110.4 Proof Barrel Strength 2026 Limited Release 750ml

Michter's has never done this before. For the first time in the distillery's modern history, their award-winning US★1 Sour Mash Kentucky Whiskey is available at barrel strength — no dilution, no compromise. Master Distiller Dan McKee and Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson selected only the finest barrels from the 2026 release, bottled at 110.4 proof to deliver the purest expression of one of American whiskey's most storied recipes.

What makes Michter's Sour Mash unlike anything else on the shelf? It isn't bourbon  it doesn't carry 51% corn. It isn't rye  it doesn't carry 51% rye. It occupies its own category entirely: a uniquely balanced grain selection distilled through a copper pot still, entered into toasted and fire-charred new American white oak barrels at just 103 proof — well below industry standard then aged until the Michter's tasting panel says it's ready. That low entry proof is the secret. It means the whiskey builds proof and flavor naturally over time, without the need for dilution before bottling. The barrel strength version you're holding is exactly what came out of the wood.

The flavor tells the whole story: an enchantingly sweet entry that opens into notes of dark cherry, ripe plum, and powdered cocoa, rounded out by a honey-laced, dessert-like finish with just enough spice to keep things interesting. Dan McKee calls it "rich with delicious notes of toffee and stonefruit" and he's not wrong.

This tradition runs deep. Michter's sour mash heritage traces back to 1753 and the founding of Shenk's Distillery in Pennsylvania — one of the oldest whiskey-making lineages in America. The barrel strength release is a rare chance to experience that legacy at full intensity.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Honey, toffee, stonefruit, sweet oak
• Palate: Dark cherry, plum, powdered cocoa, caramel, balanced spice
• Finish: Long, warm, and honeyed with lingering dried fruit and gentle pepper

Specs

• Type: Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey
• Proof: 110.4 (55.2% ABV)
• Size: 750ml
• Distillery: Michter's Distillery, Louisville, KY
• Master Distiller: Dan McKee
• Master of Maturation: Andrea Wilson
• Barrel Entry Proof: 103
• Cooperage: Toasted & fire-charred new American white oak
• Release: 2026 Limited Release
• Availability: Extremely Limited