Michter’s is among the most revered names in American whiskey today. According to one poll of prominent experts, in fact, it’s actually the most admired whiskey brand on earth. As a testament, its rare releases can often fetch thousands of dollars on secondary markets or online auctions.
But what if we told you that there’s a lineup of liquids from the distillery flaunting the same pedigree and elevated flavor profile as all the ultra-luxe stuff only it sells for a fraction of the cost? Well, good news.
The new Michter’s Legacy Series comprises two celebrated labels: Shenk’s Homestead Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey and Bomberger’s Declaration Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Both are headed to a liquor store near you this month, and neither will cost much more than retail value to obtain. These “secret” Michter’s selections are tied to the distillery's history.
Although Michter's encompasses a pair of Louisville, KY, addresses in the modern era, the distillery can actually trace its lineage back to the rural enclave of Schaefferstown, PA. In 1753, a Swiss Mennonite farmer named John Shenk founded his eponymous operation—one that some historians consider America’s oldest legal whiskey maker.
Abe Bomberger acquired the site a little over a century later and renamed it after himself. It retained that title until the late 1970s, when distillery president Lou Forman combined the names of his two sons, Michael and Peter, to come away with the portmanteau connoisseurs all know and love to this day.
Originally launched in 2015, the Legacy Series is an homage to this 271-year-old heritage. And while the releases might at times constitute a callback to the production techniques of yesteryear, they're always bottled as something altogether different than what came before.
“There is some continuity from year to year,” says Michter’s president Joseph J. Magliocco. “But our production team makes creative adjustments to each edition of these whiskeys.”
Courtesy of Michter's
For 2024, fans can look forward to a Shenk’s release that heavily relies on rye. It's made of rye whiskey aged in French oak, which itself was air dried and seasoned for two years before being toasted. That rye is then blended with whiskeys that make use of malted rye and—a first for the label—caramel malt, which, as the name implies, imparts a caramel flavor. Bottled at 91.2 proof, it exudes a mentholated earthiness, amplified on the palate atop a rich and creamy body. Look for it on shelves in its old-timey yellow label collared by a price tag of around $110.
Bomberger's 2024 bourbon, like previous releases in the series, leverages barrels crafted of chinquapin—a white oak indigenous to the American midwest—to stir up bitter notes of cocoa nib. The mash bill includes a portion of malted rye, which brings boldness and baking spice to an expression that retains a saccharine, molasses-like underbelly. The 108-proof spirit is listed at $120.
“This year’s release of Shenk’s and Bomberger’s is a reflection of the passion the team has for making exciting whiskeys with a thoughtful touch of exploration,” says Andrea Wilson, master of maturation for Michter’s.
Such exploration sure feels a lot safer when you discover it’s “the world’s most admired whiskey brand” blazing the trail. And it doesn’t even have to actually say the name anywhere on the label—a Michter’s by any other name will sip just as sweet.
Related: Michter’s Outstanding New Bourbon Comes With a Cost
