Michter's US*1 Straight Rye

I’d heard many really good things about Michter’s and some not so good. Luckily it is one of the brands that is actually readily available in Norway, but god damn are they expensive. The cheapest bottles start at around $80, going up to $200 for the 10yo Rye. Either way, I have some friends that love them, and this was my first experience with anything Michter’s.

Source: Sample from Master of Malt.
Setup: Blind in a trio tasting with Smooth Ambler Wheated Bourbon & Evan Williams SiB 2014
Drank: Neat, in a Glencairn. Rested 15 minutes.

---

Nose: Old suit, leather, pencil case. Dusty. Butter with a heathery floral note. Barley wine-esque.
Palate: Mouthfeel like low fat milk—on the thin side. Some mild bitterness. Paper and honey notes.
Finish: Finishes medium-long with molasses, juniper, roasted rye and some bitterness.
Overall: Wonderful nose: dusty, deep; definitely a nose I look for on a bourbon. It changed dramatically on the taste, finishing simpler than expected with more sugary notes. Really interesting! I like it!
Blind guess: [None given, but I definitely assumed it was an older bourbon]

Rating (given blind): 6

Thoughts: Amazing how totally I failed to pick out that this was a rye. I am normally able to detect rye notes, so perhaps the Michter’s Rye is relatively low in rye or something? I genuinely thought this was a low proof bourbon around the 12 year old mark. And I really loved it. So I was a bit surprised to find out it was a rye! Either way, I really enjoyed it, and I will definitely pony up the $80 for a bottle and join the hype train now. This stuff was delicious.