DISTILLERY · LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY
Michter's Distillery
The precision-obsessed Kentucky revival of a Pennsylvania whiskey legend — built on low barrel-entry proof, heat-cycled maturation and ruthless barrel selection.
Michter's traces its brand heritage to Shenk's, founded in Pennsylvania in 1753 — later Bomberger's, then Michter's in the mid-20th century. The original Pennsylvania company collapsed in 1989, and Joseph J. Magliocco with Dick Newman revived the abandoned trademark in Kentucky in the 1990s. Today it's owned through Chatham Imports and operates from Louisville — the Shively production site, the Fort Nelson visitor distillery, and the Springfield Farm grain project. Its signature isn't one mash bill but a system: 103 barrel-entry proof, seasoned oak, toasted-then-charred barrels, heat-cycled warehouses, and single-barrel or tiny-batch selection.
The Michter's Range
One system, many whiskeys.
Bourbon, rye, sour mash and American whiskey — all built on 103 entry proof.
Michter's US★1 Kentucky Straight Rye
FLAGSHIPsingle barrel · 84.8 proof
Pepper, citrus, butterscotch and oak — the flagship.
Michter's US★1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon
small batch · 91.4 proof
Caramel, vanilla, stone fruit and oak.
Michter's US★1 American Whiskey
small batch · 83.4 proof
Butterscotch, vanilla, caramel and dried fruit.
COMING SOON
Michter's US★1 Sour Mash Whiskey
small batch · 86 proof
Cinnamon, butter, almond — not bourbon, not rye.
COMING SOON
Michter's 10 Year Bourbon
single barrel · 94.4 proof
Dark toffee, maple, charred oak and vanilla.
Michter's US★1 Barrel Strength Rye
single barrel · barrel proof
Butterscotch, cinnamon, cherry and oak spice.
COMING SOON
Michter's Bottles · Reviewed & Ranked
The bottles.
SCORED / 100 · US PRICES CHECKED JULY 2026
| Rank | Bottle | Note | Score | Price | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Michter's 20 Year Bourbonbourbon · 20 yr · collector | Tiny-allocation collector release — McKee/Wilson flavour selection. | 94∴ SUPERIOR RATING | $1,200 SRP | READ REVIEW → |
| 02 | Michter's 10 Year Bourbonusa / michters / bourbon / michters-10-year | Dark toffee, maple, charred oak — the reviewed benchmark. | 93SCORE | $195 | READ REVIEW → |
| 03 | Michter's 10 Year Ryeusa / michters / rye / michters-10-year-rye | Premium American sipping rye — allocated. | 93SCORE | $300 | READ REVIEW → |
| 04 | Michter's US★1 Barrel Strength Ryerye · barrel proof · single barrel | High-proof Michter's rye — released on readiness, not schedule. | 92SCORE | $120 SRP | COMING SOON |
| 05 | Michter's US★1 Kentucky Straight Ryeusa / michters / rye / us1-rye | Pepper, citrus, butterscotch — the flagship rye. | 91SCORE | $55 | READ REVIEW → |
| 06 | Michter's US★1 Kentucky Straight Bourbonusa / michters / bourbon / us1-small-batch-bourbon | Bon Appétit's favourite widely-available bourbon under $50. | 90SCORE | $44 | READ REVIEW → |
| 07 | Michter's US★1 Sour Mash Whiskeyamerican whiskey · sour mash · 86 proof | Not bourbon, not rye — a distinctive house style. | 90SCORE | $43 | COMING SOON |
| 08 | Michter's US★1 American Whiskeyamerican whiskey · small batch · 83.4 proof | Approachable butterscotch and vanilla, used-barrel style. | 88SCORE | $38 | COMING SOON |
Michter's — The Story
A Pennsylvania legend, revived in Kentucky.
The Michter's story is brand heritage, not continuous corporate history. The Pennsylvania distilling line begins with Shenk's in 1753, later Bomberger's, and eventually the Michter's name in the 1950s — coined from Michael and Peter, the sons of owner Lou Forman.
The original Pennsylvania Michter's shut down after bankruptcy in 1989. In the 1990s, Joseph J. Magliocco and Dick Newman revived the abandoned trademark and chose Kentucky as its modern home — building the brand first, then the production infrastructure. Today Michter's centres on Louisville: Shively handles production and bottling, Fort Nelson anchors the visitor experience on Whiskey Row, and Springfield Farm supports estate grain.
One myth, corrected: Michter's is not a distillery continuously operating since 1753. It's a modern Kentucky revival of an abandoned Pennsylvania whiskey name — treat 1753 as heritage, not an operating history.
Answered by Everett Boone · The American Seat
Who owns Michter's?
Michter's is led by Joseph J. Magliocco and owned through Chatham Imports. Magliocco and Dick Newman revived the abandoned trademark in the 1990s; no 2025–26 sale or acquisition was found.
Is Michter's really distilled there?
Current Michter's is produced at its Kentucky facilities, chiefly Shively, with Fort Nelson operating as a smaller distillery. Very old age-stated releases may include whiskey distilled before Michter's own Kentucky production came online — verify barrel origins for older limited releases.
Which bottle should I buy first?
US★1 Kentucky Straight Rye (~$38) for the brand's rye identity, or US★1 Bourbon (~$38) for a bourbon-only entry.
Can you visit?
Yes — Michter's Fort Nelson Distillery on Louisville's Whiskey Row offers tours, tastings and The Bar at Fort Nelson. Book ahead; hours and private closures change. Shively is the main production site, not the usual visitor hub.
Can we send you our whiskey?
Yes — and it's the only way to earn a Superior Rating. Distilleries are welcome to send bottles for the full panel: two per expression, one decanted into blind samples for the three of us, one sealed on file. All three seats taste it blind and the scores are averaged. Sending buys three honest opinions and nothing else — nobody sees a score before publication.