I spy Bourbon or Rye, something beginning with “S”
That’s right, neither. We’re talking aboutSour Mash Whiskey. Michter’s to be exact. Established in 1753 by John Shenk in Pennsylvania’s Blue Mountain Valley, they’re one of the oldest active distilleries in the United States. Teaming up with Michter’s President Joseph J. Magliocco in the 1990s, Richard “Dick” Newman resurrected the brand in Louisville, KY, where Michter’s have been bottling their exquisite Whiskeys, Bourbons and Ryes ever since.
Michter’s Original Sour Mash was their most popular product during the 1970s and 80s, and now it’s back with a vengeance. Joining their US*1 line in 2012, this Whiskey stays true to the profile and palate of its predecessor. Michter’s dubbed its champion after the Spirit’s production process, in which previously fermented mash is used as the starter for the new batch. Like making sourdough bread, except better. Because it’s Whiskey.
Although its unique grain selection prevents it from being categorized as Bourbon or Rye, it doesn’t stop Michter’s US*1 Sour Mash from starting off like the former and finishing like the latter. It’s Michter’s way of masterfully pushing their mash bill envelope right to the edge of the Rye realm, without tipping over. Great to sip on its own, Sour Mash Whiskey is also perfect for a Bourbon based cocktail or a BBQ sauce ingredient to pour over your chicken on a hot summer’s day.
What does Michter's US*1 Sour Mash Whiskey taste like?
The Flavor Spiral™ shows the most common flavors that you'll taste in Michter's US*1 Sour Mash Whiskey and gives you a chance to have a taste of it before actually tasting it.
We invented Flavor Spiral™ here at Flaviar to get all your senses involved in tasting drinks and, frankly, because we think that classic tasting notes are boring.
Dog Dogson's
Smartass Corner
Tennessee Whiskey closely parallels Bourbon, but final filtering through sugar-maple charcoal (called the Lincoln County Process) is what some producers say differentiates them. Tennessee Whiskey’s finish is sweeter and smoother than Bourbon.
Great as a mixer, if drinking straight, would gave it with an ice cube
MARSHALL,
Sweet and easy drinking. Fruit, vanilla.
Kevin,
Great every day whiskey; will always have a bottle on my bar. Starts sweet with caramel and vanilla and finishes with spice and honey...starts like bourbon, finishes like rye.
Brian,
Very solid pour. Really like the rye a little better, but this is a good one to keep in the stash. Very smooth
Jack,
Very tasty and flavorful. Spicy and then smooth.
Will,
👍🏻
Rob,
Sweet and flavorful is all I can remember. I really liked it.
Jerry,
if you like Rye then you NEED this one! Heat up front and Carmel and smooth on the back end.
Dwight,
Dangerously good, very smooth, even the wife can't help herself.
Jordan,
Dry finish, sweet and spicy.
Dusty,
Ok flavor, good going down and on the pallet, but for me not an everyday type of drink. Better ones out there, yet for the price, not that bad.
Hunter,
Michter's is an inescapable name for those getting in American whiskey, but is a regular disappointment for me. The price, hype, and promise get me excited every time I get a product, but the flat flavor and one or two note profiles leave much room for improvement. There are far better alternatives for less.
Matthew,
I’m not a huge lover of sour mash whiskey but dammit was this one delicious.
Stephen,
The spice hits up front, with a sour back. Overall, I was getting a mix of oak of floral, and did not taste much caramel or vanilla.
Mark,
Not bad, delicious in the tried and true whiskey and coke.
Robert,
Smooth, smoky, sweet
todd,
My fav
Robert,
I really enjoyed this smooth, mid priced whiskey
Tanner,
My go to mid tier sipper
Kyle,
Was very good, but I have found others on here that were more to my liking
Ken,
Subtle but tasty and refreshingly tart. Smooth on the throat. One of the better whiskeys for your dollar available. Highly recommended.
Orlando,
Vanilla nose, carmel tastes, very sweet medium finish. Good on the rocks to make it a little less sweet.
John,
Great sipping whiskey. Carmel and honey notes on the front end with just the right amount of bite on the finish.
Orlando,
Sweet, no bite goes down smooth. Really good
Michael,
Very smooth and easy drinking. This one never lasts long on my shelf!
Daniel,
One of seven bottles currently open on my bar. Translation: one of my favorites
Ron,
This needs some water to be great! Not a lot just be aware when you are drinking it
Ajay,
Damn smooth. Great taste. An excellent whiskey for sipping or premium cocktails. Less bite than Michters Bourbon.
Dean,
Now one of my go to whiskeys. Very smooth, mellow taste.
Kelvin,
This is truly become my favorite whiskey and I only drink Crown Royal but not anymore
scott,
It's fine on my taste buds,,,I bought several bottles. Smooth but rich, no bite.
Kyle,
Nice easy sipping whiskey at a low proof point. Short finish and very light.
Daniel,
This is a fantastic sipping whiskey, whether straight or on the rocks! A lovely warming sensation from start to finish, beginning with some sweet, good dose of spices, and a hint of apple. Finishes warm with a creamy smoothness.
By far my favorite to date!
James,
Smooth, great sour mash
Seth,
Had this at a Michter's tasting and it was one of my least favorites.
Bennett,
Solid bourbon. Toasty with just the right touch of sweetness. Excellent neat or in a Manhattan.
Louis,
Super easy drinking. Wasn’t expecting much but was pleasantly surprised. Michters never fails.
Kelvin,
Great taste looking forward to enjoying this bottle
Ross,
nice taste ,smooth
Paulo,
Really smooth and great tasting.
Greg,
If you can find this, get it! So good!
Samantha,
Excellent first bottle to try
Erik,
Hard to track down but absolutely delicious.
Jeff,
Starts smooth but has a moldy finish. Must be the sour mash but not my favorite.
Kendal,
Super smooth and tasty. I barely felt any spice. I drink this neat every time. A daily driver for me.
George,
Remarkably smooth with a phenomal spice profile on the long finish
Josh,
Michter's is an excellent brand. Really enjoy this one.
Matt,
Smooth and flavorful. Good with a splash of water.
Robert,
Very smooth, made a great Manhattan!
Kenneth,
Very smooth with a ton of flavors. This is my first sour mash and I was very impressed.
Austin,
Extremely smooth finish, great sipping bourbon
Adam,
Quite enjoyable. I absolutely get an abundance of flavors with this one
guest,
Just delicious! One of my favorite everyday sippers.
Mark,
Smooth
Gary,
Incredibly smooth with abundant flavor that lasts well into the finish. Good stuff.
Andrew,
The whiskey that started it all for me, deliciously complex without being pretentious, nice notes of vanilla and caramel sit on a bed of oak.
Craig,
Whether due to its god-knows-how-old "sourdough starter" heritage or not, this bottle is rich and layered, with a sort of...integrity to it, if that word applies at all to booze. It's like that cool old dude with a strong handshake. My new #1 sharing whiskey. And a contemplative sundowner for solo flights.
Barry,
Love it. Incredibly smooth.
Jay,
Smooth and flavorful!
Brian,
Wow! Love the flavors. It's smooth and a little sweet. Nice hint of spice in the end. Definitely a keeper!
Ivan,
Very enjoyable and flavorful. Tastes more complex than the Michter's bourbon with a nice sweetness, and less heat from being lower proof. While Rye is still my favorite, this is very good.
Prenard,
First had this at a tasting at the distillery and I was very impressed with it. I think it's a nice daily sipper for the price point.
Robert,
great flavor, enjoy straight-up or on the rocks. well balanced
GARY,
In reality Michter's US*1 Sour Mash gets a 9.6 from the Russian judge (If I could give tenths of a point) but since I can't I gave it a 9 and scored it on the low end of 9 rather than a 10...not sure there is such a thing as a 10 but for the price...this is a GREAT whiskey!
E&J,
Good stuff
Ian,
Another Fantastic Whiskey from Michter's. Not quite as aged as their celebration selection but you can tell this Sour Mash was created painstakingly with respect to the starter that it came from. Smooth but filled with character, and priced similarly to the other fantastic Michter's US*1 Range. The rye is still my favorite from them and I'm looking forward to hunting for Toasted Barrel expressions in the near future!
Aubony,
great sipping whiskey. smooth. love all the michter's
Blake,
Fantastic flavor! The best of the Michter's American Whiskey and Michter's Bourbon.
Bianca,
Great! Another hit for Michter’s
Mark,
Had it Neat. A nice sweet start with a good oaky earthy finish. Great choice for every day sipping drink.
Ben,
I really loved this recommendation by a waitress last night!