Then his small crew drove it back to Bardstown where it was stored in his garage for the next 15 years. 2012s bottling was labelled Single Barrel but was eventually changed to reflect it was a small batch in 2016 and beyond. He managed to get in contact with Dick Stoll who, together with David Beam, taught him how to install and use the pot still. She would later accept and be hired under the position of Distiller and Vice President of Production. Vendome agreed to sell one and the small 550 gallon pot still was moved t0 and installed at Michters the Schaefferstown location. Horst would continue to run the distillery with his brother until Prohibition began in 1920. The architecturally and historically significant space has undergone a massive rehabilitation . Dicks legacy had only grown after Chuck Cowderys book, The Best Bourbon Youve Never Tasted, was released which outlined Dicks role in creating A.H. Hirsch bourbon at Michters Distillery. The first batch came out in 2014 and was bottled at 80 proof. The distillery grounds, which had produced whiskey for over 230 years, would never produce a drop again. The man on the other line was none other than Joe Magliocco. The story was before the internet era, but newspapers occasionally reported on the many looters that would scour the abandoned Michters Distlllery in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania. And while Michters can trace its roots back to Pennsylvania in the 18th century, today it boasts two distilleries in Kentucky. Ready to do your own Michters Bourbon comparisons? In December 2015, a few months after the Shively Distillery came online, Michters was upgraded to a Heritage Level Producer because they officially had 25,000 barrels of whiskey aging in Kentucky. Joe Magliocco met up in Kentucky with . His eyes squinted as he focused in on the label. This was believed to also come from Old Forester since they were still producing rye whiskey for Heaven Hill. 15 Best Bourbons: Top Whiskeys To Drink (2023) - Luxe Digital The Shively location is situated in an industrialized part of town that has many warehouses and railroad tracks on the east side while a residential neighborhood is situated on its west side. Instead, it was produced using relatively small pot stills. I dont earn any money from distilleries, their parent companies, or their subsidiaries for my reviews. Bourbon was growing at a remarkable rate and many distilleries put the brakes on the amount of barrels they were selling as they began to run out. They took whatever they could find including memorabilia, gift shop decanters and possibly a few barrels of whiskey with them. Or did he just own and oversee the Michters brand at Schaefferstown? KBDs stocks were mostly from Old Bernheim (Heaven Hill) but were known to have other whiskies available from distilleries like Old Forester, Seagrams, Stitzel Weller and United Distillers. tap to enlarge. If you are able to read the mood of the internet through articles and various hate pieces of some bloggers, it seems as if the movement of Michters backlash began in 2012 when Wine Enthusiast presented Michters with their Distillery of the Year award. They were already Doing Business As (DBA, a real term that was regulated under Kentucky law) bottlers of other whiskey labels that were not owned by them, so they agreed to take on Michters. He spent a good number of years working there, after an even longer career in the whiskey industry as a whole. He saw an opportunity to have a historical still producing whiskey during public tours at their location. By time 1875 rolled around, the distillery was doing so well and was so large that it had to begin hiring outside help rather than depend on extended family to run it. There is speculation that there may be a little bit of testing going on that would be used much in the same way Woodford Reserve uses their pot stills. The four story building was completed in 1890 and formed part of the defensive Fort Nelson built by early settlers of Louisville in the early 1780s. It wouldve been far easier for Michters to put a batch number on the label and just have very small batches. In 2013, even though Michters had not yet brought its Shively Distillery online, it was officially recognized by the Kentucky Distillers Association as a Proof Level Producer. In his blog post, Fred even admitted that he tried to force Chathams hand by publishing the article that detailed the Cease and Desist letter. As the officer walked up to the drivers side door, he caught the unmistakable scent of alcohol coming from the car. Both Pam and Willie became Master Distiller Emeritus which demonstrates the family-like environment and respect for workers that have worked at Michters. He could see it was a lost cause because his resources were much less than Chathams. Measuring 5 feet in diameter and standing 70 feet tall, this would help the distillery to increase production to over 50 barrels per day. In late 2002, Julian had put his Lawrenceburg business location up for sale and began the process of moving his operation to Frankfort, KY. One of the workers who helped with the renovations was Dick Stoll, a name that will come up in the future. Horsts strong personality was probably the reason why his own son, Paul, ran away from home, changed his name and literally joined the circus. However, with the exception of the Small Batch bottlings, they will all cost you a pretty penny. The real truth of the situation probably lies somewhere in the middle. Tyler distillery in Owensboro, Kentucky that it finally made sense. Figures like King Tut and Queens Selket, Nefertiti and Cleopatra were extremely popular and remain some of the most iconic ceramic decanters to be released by any distillery. David losing to Goliath was something that outraged the bourbon community. He also figured that Chatham Imports needed a whiskey brand to help diversify his portfolio. Review: Buckner's Bourbon 13 Years Old - Drinkhacker Product Details. Rate, Review, and Discover spirits. Michter's Is About To Release One Of The Rarest And Best - Forbes Since Pratt was on several committees studying distillation, cooperage, and aging conditions during his time at Brown Forman, he had all of the tools needed to get Michters in a comfortable position to set out on their own. Michters Distillery products are their US1 Single Barrel Rye Whiskey, Original Sour Mash Whiskey, Unblended American Whiskey and US1 Bourbon. Read More. For the very first release of 2013, Willie Pratt selected 6 barrels (of both bourbon and rye whiskey) that were aged from 20 to 30 years. The first barrels that Michters filled in August of 2015 occurred with Pam at the helm. Why they found this abandoned trademark and decided to purchase the rights to it can only be speculated upon, but Joe has repeated many times that he was a salesman for Michters back in his college days and had a certain nostalgia for the brand. With each subsequent release, Michters claims that the ratio of Chinkapin Oak barrels that are used in every batch of Bombergers increases, resulting in a different profile year after year. Specialties: Michter's Fort Nelson Distillery is down the block from Louisville's Frazier History Museum, gateway to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, and across the street from Louisville Slugger Museum & Bat Factory. $44.99. After becoming the new owner in 1950, Forman changed the name to Michters Distillery after combining the names of his two sons, Michael and Peter. Therefore, Michters assigned it as Distillery #1 or M1. The larger Shively location is known as M2. Woodford Reserve whiskies are not all 100% pot still distillate but instead are a blend of whiskey that combines distillate from Old Foresters column stills and Woodfords massive pot stills. Joe got the contact information of the new owner and anxiously called him up to make him an offer he couldnt refuse. M20 would go on to be released every year (with the exception of 2017) in very limited amounts of bottles. In 1972, Head Distiller Charles Beams health declined to the point where he had to retire. Each year it was released; 2008, 2016, 2017 and 2020 saw it being bottled at the same 117.3 proof. This rye whiskey is thought to be sourced from the same stocks as the famous Willett 25 year rye whiskey releases as well as others like LeNells Red Hook Rye. No sending it down the river to a barrel broker for a few bucks, no bottling it regardless, and certainly no sneaking it into a blend. The whiskey enters the barrel at 103 proof (industry standard is 125 proof). Join Distiller Pro today to support the Distiller platform and keep ads off of your screen. Because of the demand, the 20 and 25 year-old bourbon and rye whiskeys are not released every year. A few months later, Heritage Spirits Bombergers Whiskey showed up. The melted water allows the butterscotch out much earlier, all the way forward to the palate. The very first batches of Unblended American Whiskey were likely the result of a bulk whiskey purchase by Even Kulsveen at Willett. 2016s release combined barrels as young as 10 years old all the way up to 33 years old (which was a rye whiskey). View all posts by Bourbon Paddy, Your email address will not be published. They cannot afford to stumble on this important release. In a sign of the times, those price points were actually considered to be somewhat high among enthusiasts. It was right in the nick of time too because on Valentines Day in 1990, Dick Stoll received a call from the bank that he was to shut everything down and tell everyone to leave. This is why the history of what happened to the Schaefferstown Distillery when Prohibition ended is very murky. Thats why it was shocking to see a 20 year old bourbon being released. One of her largest achievements during this time was that she helped expand the Booker Noe plants production by 50%. This made it one of the only toasted barrel finished whiskies they produce that is bottled at barrel strength. This caused problems with the bean counters who wanted to see more barrels released if they could. Each bottle comes in a highly adorned red box for presentation. Featuring tours, tastings, and world class The Bar at Fort Nelson, the distillery provides insight into the making of highly acclaimed Michter's, "America's Best Whiskey" according to . Even when he fell into ill health in 1915 at the age of 48 (with a stroke and Parkinsons Disease that left him confined to a wheelchair), he retained full control over what happened with the distillery. Pitted fruits, vanilla, honey and caramel along with cinnamon and butterscotch. Over the years, the company has bottled whiskeys that range from two years of aging maturity up to 28 years. Subsequent bottlings would increase in price to $5,000. Pam noted in an interview that she was only the fifth person employed by Michters upon her hiring in 2013. Kratzer expanded the distilling operations by building several more buildings to increase production and storage. The story may not have happened exactly like that, but it is based on a secondhand source that recalled an article in the local newspaper about a Delaware driver getting pulled over for drunk driving in the early 90s with a backseat full of Michters decanter jugs. Distilleries - The Bourbon Guide They had resurrected a brand that was left for dead and had poured money and a decade and a half of time to building the image that their whiskey was the best in the business. As was already stated, Michters opted to age their whiskey in heat-cycled warehouses in the style of Brown-Formans, meaning the barrels would mature at a faster rate. Now distilling in their own facilities since August of 2015, the Michters brand has seen a quick return to global recognition for the quality of both their own and their sourced whiskies under Master Distiller Dan McKee, Master Distiller Emeritus Pam Heilmann the first woman to serve as a Master Distiller at a Kentucky Distillers Association distillery since prohibition, and Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson the first woman to ever serve as Chair of the Kentucky Distillers Association. Was he a board member at Continental? The Michters rep will usually squirm in their seat and dance around for a few more minutes before trying to change the subject. Michter's US1 Bourbon 750ml. It may become a more expensive endeavor, but as moderately priced bourbon becomes more crowded and competitive, Michters Distillery may see their breadwinner fall out of favor among buyers. But it is their US1 Bourbon that sells the most. Only time will tell if the decisions he took in waiting to release barrels ultimately resulted in a superior product compared to those that came after him. Joe has stated that no M10 bourbon or rye has ever contained a whiskey that is less than 11.5 years old. Since Michters Unblended looks so dark and has such a sweet and marshmallow-y flavor, many believe that flavor and color additives are added in. When describing the whiskey itself, Michters President, Master of Maturation, and Master Distiller were quoted in the press release as follows: I really enjoy this release because the barrels that our Master Distiller Dan McKee and our Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson selected for it are so layered and rich, Michters PresidentJoseph J. Magliocco.This whiskey really showcases how thoughtful care and attention throughout the aging life can lead to an absolutely beautiful expression. Michter's Distillery releases US*1 toasted barrel bourbon after hiatus Did Wine Enthusiast simply not do their homework to know Michters was not distilling their own whiskey? Released in 2013, Michters Celebration Sour Mash Whiskey would be the most expensive bottle ever produced up to that point by the company. ), Michters Distillery should be able to find themselves on the winners podium of Kentucky Distillers for decades to come. Shop - Michter's American Whiskeys Michter's Distillery, LLC | LinkedIn It seemed as if Freds article had backfired in the sense that Chatham was not going to buckle under public perception and intended to fight this one out. The proof is lower, the price is higher and the perceived age statement (around 5 years old) is almost half the age of other producers comparable bourbons. As such, when it was announced in October 2021 that Michters Master Distiller Dan McKee had approved the first release of their coveted 20-year-old bourbon since 2019 for November, the fan response was understandably tempestuous. Instead, herbaceous, mint-forward, and charred oak combines with the unmistakable floral and red fruit-heavy notes of toasted oak to subtly support the existing fruit, caramel, and baking spice notes. He began his career in the bourbon industry as a Distillery Operator at Jim Beam Distillery in Clermont, Kentucky. It came off the pot still at around 156 proof and was then proofed down to 115 proof before entering the barrel. But why didnt he? A decision should be made in the future on whether or not to increase proof (maybe by simply releasing a bottled in bond bourbon) or put an age statement on the bottle because these are things that will see them being left in the dust among their competitors. This is after four more 16,000 gallon fermenters were installed in mid-2016 along with the hiring of a second shift production team. In the 1980s, this would become the primary source of income for the entire distillery as contracts had dried up. Forman had no choice but to put it up for sale. L21I2610)Age:20 years oldProof: 114.2 Proof (57.1% ABV)Type: Kentucky straight bourbon whiskeyMashbill: Undisclosed (minimum 51% corn)Producer: Michters Distillery LLC, KYWebsite: https://michters.com Glassware:Glencairn. The low bottle proof of 91.2 is designed to create an easy drinking experience while retaining a lot of flavor. Around 2018, the OZ Tyler Distillery (now Green River Spirits Company) in Owensboro, KY completed renovations on Warehouse F. This warehouse had been in existence for decades but a look at the time-lapse images on Google Street View shows that an external boiler room was built onto the warehouse sometime between 2012 and 2019 (Based on Google Street View time lapses). Willie designed the exact filter specifications for each style of Michters whiskey based on a combination of up to 32 different silk screens. No. This stemmed from his earliest days at Michters where he was the final approval authority on if a whiskey was deemed fully mature or not. ABV: 45.7% This bourbon is beautifully fragrant with notes of butterscotch, cinnamon, vanilla and ripe orange. The latest testimony arrives this November in the form of their 2022 edition 20 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon. The brand itself was abandoned until 1996 when Joseph (Joe) Magliocco and his friend and mentor Richard (Dick) Newman had found that the rights to the Michters trademark had been legally abandoned. Fort Nelson officially opened their doors to the public on February 2nd, 2019. A little more than a decade later, the bottles were worth only a fraction of what they were bought for. Regardless, Chatham knew theyd have the upper hand in litigation due to their experience and available capital needed to fight and win. The recipes, yeast and barrel entry proof for their lines of whiskey were all specified by Michters and then put into barrels that they sourced from McGinnis Wood Products, Independent Stave Company and one other undisclosed barrel producer (possibly Brown Forman). It is widely believed that since the whiskeys bonds hadnt been paid, that the barrels of whiskey that remained inside of the Michters Distillery warehouses could not be resold. In 1827, the Shenks family stillhouse was passed down to Michael Shenks Son-In-Law, Rudolph Meyer III. But it was almost certainly Pratt that convinced Joe and his team that heated warehouses was the preferred aging method for Michters to take. It was during this time that they also began to draw upon their very long history by claiming that the whiskey that had been made on the same grounds 200 years ago may have been drank by Revolutionary War Soldiers by changing their logo from Michters Sips Softly to The Whiskey That Warmed the Revolution.. Of note, 2017 was the only year that no Barrel Strength Rye Whiskey was released due to all available barrels being used for the Toasted Barrel Rye Whiskey label. Whatever the true reason is that Michters Distillery wont implement a single barrel program is, they cant deny that almost everyone else out there has been doing this for years. Chatham Imports and Michters would now be viewed as the bullies of the bourbon community for denying history to a company that was trying to revive it. If there is one thing that enthusiasts hold above all else, its the preservation of history and legacy of a brand. He did, however, agree to sell them to a man named Gordy Hue in 1989. They also specified that their barrels were to be toasted prior to being charred. This was a couple months prior to the Federal Governments arrival. Whiskey reviewer based in the Republic of Ireland. The officer quickly flipped on his lights and siren and did a U-turn on State Highway 13 just north of Dover. Ship to California. Michter's Us1 Small Batch Kentucky Bourbon | LCBO Usually the biggest annoyance with the brand stemmed from the prices of their M10 products which hovered around $40 to $50 back in the early 2000s. Wine was not widely available in the Pennsylvania area but alcohol of some kind was still popular to serve at the dinner table. Michters Distillery was on a roll with their toasted barrel finished whiskies, so it was no surprise to see them release a version of their Original Sour Mash Whiskey finished in toasted barrels in 2019. Most people know of chill filtering as the process whereby fatty acids are removed from whiskey after it has aged in order to eliminate a cloudy appearance at lower temperatures (such as when ice is added to a drink). Forman already owned a business that distributed spirits and he had big plans for his newly acquired distillery. The whiskeys composition and age makeup changes with every release just like the proof (which is at a true barrel proof unlike M20 and M25 releases). 17 Aug, 2021, 09:58 ET LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Louisville -based Michter's Distillery will begin shipping its 2021 bottling of its Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon in. David was sorry to inform him that he had just sold it a month earlier to a buyer in Ohio. In early 2003, Michters Unblended American Whiskey and Michters Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey were born. Pam had nearly 15 years of experience at Jim Beam where she had been a Distillery Manager and worked directly with former Master Distiller Jerry Dalton. Conversely, if Heritage Spirits somehow created a whiskey that was even better tasting and selling than Michters, it would likely paint the Kentucky-based Michters in a bad light as makers of an inferior product. Michter's Bourbon Dinner. If you were unaware, Schenley was basically the Diageo of liquor during the 1940s, 50s and 60s and was considered one of the top 4 producers of liquor in the world along with National Distillers, Hiram-Walker and Seagrams. Early Times formula is that it blends 80% bourbon with 20% whiskey aged in used barrels thats 3 years old. This Sour Mash Whiskey could not be produced using modern column stills. The distillery had closed its doors officially on Valentines Day, 1990. Michters claims that these barrels are the cream of the crop, but it is harder and harder to assure customers that they are worth double or triple the price of their competitors. It's then aged in toasted and charred barrels and bottled at 91.4 proof. There was a glut of whiskey at that time and nobody was making much of a profit. There has never been any mention of this, but it is the authors opinion that Michters Barrel Strength Rye (first released in 2015) was one of the best examples of Willies determination to keep aging the whiskey until it was ready. Louis Forman reached out to some of his friends that were businessmen around the Lebanon County area and together they purchased the entire distillery. The fact remains that consumers are thirsty for access and if the other distilleries have anything to show for their programs, its that it drives interest up on their brands. So it had to occur to Joe Magliocco that if he was going to build a new distillery that the original location could be an option. Not all whiskey that was made on the still was stored at the Schaefferstown location just as not all the whiskey that was stored on the grounds was distilled at the distillery. If so, why did they think they qualified for it? These barrels are said to have ranged anywhere from 16 to 19 years old. If not, why did they accept the award that evening? Rather, they use a mixture of barrel char #2 all the way to #4 for their whiskies. At almost the same time that the cease and desist letter was sent to Chatham Imports, it was leaked/shared with journalist Fred Minnick. In the 90s, he was looking for a rye whiskey brand to add to his portfolio and found that the Michters brand had been abandoned the rest is history! Michters was showing no signs of slowing down their rapid growth, so they had to figure out even more storage space for their extra barrels. *Tasting note and rating for 2018 release. Ethan Smith Interview With Whiskey Advocate What Killed Michters Distillery?, straightbourbon.com Ethan Smith exploring the ruins of Michters in PA, Hagley Museum and Library Louis Forman Business Papers, straightbourbon.com Early batches of New Michters, The Whiskey Wash Article about Bombergers, Gold Plated Decanter Sale and Destruction. Monday - Saturday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday: 11:00 a.m - 5 p.m. We are happy to offer some of our award-winning products for sale in our gift shop. It is not open for public tours, but a few bloggers and journalists have been allowed inside to pictures and detail their experience.

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