A little background

At 84.8 proof, Michter’s US*1 Single Barrel Rye is quite unlike the oft-heralded Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye and the Michter’s Toasted Barrel Strength Rye. The US*1 rye, along with the US*1 Small Batch Bourbon and the US*1 Unblended Small Batch American Whiskey makes up the US*1 line of bottles, which are the most widely available whiskeys from Michters. The Michter’s US*1 Single Barrel Rye is the most widely distributed rye that Michter’s produces, and is the most readily available single barrel they product. The label on the neck of this particular bottle denotes that it came from barrel number 19B355. Of course, being a single barrel product, the whiskey from one barrel may differ from others, but hopefully these notes give you an idea of what to expect. Michter’s US*1 Single Barrel Rye has a suggested retail price of around $45.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Honey

Nose

Fresh-cut grass is the first thing to jump up out of the glass. Some dill follows, and that faint bubblegum note is the last thing to arrive. No heat to speak of, which is not surprising given the proof.

Palate

This pour touches down incredibly softly, with dill and mint on the front of the palate and a black pepper note at the back of the palate that builds all the way into the finish.

Finish

The finish drops of pretty quickly, with a touch of black pepper and oak, and the faintest return of the grassy rye note.

In closing

Michter’s US*1 Single Barrel Rye is not a bad poor. It is a perfectly approachable rye for folks who are just getting into the category and looking for an easy sipper. With that said, at 84.8 proof it falls apart pretty quickly with even a single ice cube. Additionally, it pales in comparison to both the rest of the Michter’s rye bottlings, and many of the other ryes in the same price range. While this is a bottle I do not regret buying and will pull out for friends when it’s time to do a flight of ryes, it’s probably not one I’ll replace at $45.