I have had these tasting notes for some time now, but they were misplaced and I just found them the other day. My apologies to the team at Michter’s because this excellent Rye whiskey should have been reviewed some months ago. This rye whiskey is typical of the Michter’s products in that it tastes as if it is older than the ten year age statement would lead you to believe. This is because Michter’s does not use age as the only requirement for bottling their ten year old products. They wait until it has a flavor profile they like even if it takes an additional year or three. Here are our tasting notes, better late than never!
Michter’s Ten Year Old Rye Whiskey
Proof: 92.8
Age: Ten Years Old
Nose:
- Mike: Rye grass, caramel, dried fruits, baking spices and oak wood.
- Matt: Cotton candy, tangerine, strawberry, baking spices and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Rye grass, caramel, apricots, orange zest, cardamom and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and apple and peach fruit come forward with a touch of cinnamon. Tasted with a pecan and dark chocolate comes out to join the party.
- Matt: Vanilla, orange zest, red pepper flakes, ginger and oak wood. The dried cranberry enhanced the vanilla making it a creamy French vanilla. The pecan brought out caramel and pears.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak wood and cardamom spice. The dried cranberry made the finish longer with oak wood and cinnamon spice. The pecan made the finish very long with oak wood, cardamom spice and lingering chocolate.
- Matt: Medium long with oak wood, red pepper and ginger spices. The dried cranberry added lingering vanilla to the finish. The pecan made the finish very long with oak wood, pears, red pepper and lingering caramel.
I would pair this fine rye whiskey with a My Father The Judge cigar. The rich vanilla and chocolate in the smoke would complement the vanilla, caramel and chocolate in the rye whiskey.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller