Make no mistake, 20 years is pretty old for a bourbon . That is not the case when it comes to scotch or even Irish whiskey , both of which are aged in much more temperate, forgiving climates (and often in used barrels), meaning the influence of wood is reduced. But 20 years of cold winters and stifling summers in Kentucky is a lot.
Still, Michter’s manages to bottle bourbon that hasn’t turned into a tannic oak bomb for its limited-edition 20-year-old expression, which just returned to the lineup for the first time since 2022. According to the Michter’s marketing team, master distiller Dan McKee and master of maturation Andrea Wilson “approved” the release of the new 20-year-old bourbon. That’s because this whiskey is much too old to have been produced at the distillery–instead, these barrels are sourced and watched over as they continue to mature, only to be dumped and bottled when they are ready.
I’m not the only one with concerns about how a bourbon this old might taste, as Michter’s president Joseph J. Magliocco made clear in a statement. “It’s always a special event for us.
.. when we bottle and release some whiskey that is over two decades old,” he said.
“Unlike scotch and some other aged spirits, bourbon has to mature in a new barrel. Reaching ages beyond 15 years without the whiskey getting too woody is an achievement that our team strives for.” I wish I had gotten to try this new whiskey, but sadly that is not the case.
I have been fortunate.
