The Michter’s Small Batch Original Sour Mash Whiskey Batch #L17I17278

Tasting notes:
The Michter’s Small Batch Original Sour Mash Whiskey, 43% abv, is a sterling example of a no-age statement whiskey. The nose is muted, at first, as if someone turned off the microphone at a demagogue’s rally. In other words, it’s blissfully quiet, except for the psychologic effects of everyone around you looking confused. As time passes, bourbon-y classics emerge; a bit of oak, a hint of vanilla, a nice bit of fresh yeasty bread dipped in some nice olive oil and some nice balsamic vinegar by a nice person on a nice date with a nice person in a nice restaurant on a nice day in a nice city. There’s just a whole lot of niceness and wholesomeness and the world feels like something shifted to full-on rightness.

The mouth is alluring, approachable, drinkable, and gosh-darn-it-all…we’d drink this all day. Yup, I’d have with breakfast, mid-morning snack, elevensies, brunch, lunch, pre-siesta…I think you’ve gotten the point. I’d smuggle it into music festivals, sporting events, weddings, funerals, and Twitter Board meetings. “Why do you keep bringing your cane handle to your mouth?” Oh, no reason; I’m just, uh, lightly rapping it against my lips to stay awake. Fine! You caught me! The cane has a flask in the handle! Nice work, Jack Dorsey. On the more normal side of things, Stephen got orange pekoe tea made from hickory resin, because of course he did.

The finish has a tingle like novocaine wearing off after an experimental procedure that implants, rather than extracts, wisdom teeth. I got ancho chili powder that had all the capsaicin removed (and put into John’s boxer shorts). A really long finish holding true to its ringing note, much like a high school kid, circa 1954, holding tight to what he hoped was a love note, passed to him by the young woman he was crushing on, yet afraid to unfold the note and discover that his secret hopes were dashed.
 
 
Rating:
On the scale of dreams we hold from our youth into our old age–
The Michter’s Small Batch Original Sour Mash Whiskey, 43% abv, is the wish that someone loves us for who we are and for our best and worst selves. That wish is likely to never come true, but at least I can wish for another glass of the Michter’s Small Batch Original Sour Mash Whiskey, and then another glass, and then another: those wishes will come true!
 
 
 
                                                                          –Bill
 
 
 
–Our thanks to Michter’s for the sample!