“Ten years ago, after a good deal of research and experimentation, we released the first toasted barrel whiskey: Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon,” says Michter’s president Joseph J. Magliocco. “We had no idea it would be such a groundbreaking product.”
To make this toasted release, the distillery starts with fully matured barrels of its US*1 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon and transfers the whiskey into a second barrel made of 18-month air dried wood for additional aging. The second barrel has been toasted to precise specifications, but not charred.
As Michter’s master of maturation, Andrea Wilson is responsible for Michter’s aging and finishing program. “It’s a testament to our team that so many other great distillers have followed us in releasing toasted barrel finish whiskeys,” she says. “There are many different toast profiles in which the barrel is heated to create beautiful flavor notes. This year’s Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon reminds me of a fall evening where we are roasting campfire treats with graham crackers, marshmallows, caramel and butterscotch,” said Wilson.
 
The nose delivers a burly bouquet that’s even a bit bolder than the 2021 release with a rush of aromatic spice and fresh, exotic wood notes, cigar box and sandalwood foremost among them. Crispy chocolate chip cookies and grilled peaches follow suit, and with time to open, a big molasses note arrives, offering a dark, smoky sweetness. On the palate, that molasses note carries over, sticky and rich, before giving way to more char-kissed wood sugars. Chai spice and coffee grounds arrive midpalate, along with a flourish of cinnamon sugar and cooked orchard fruit. The finish is warm and gently spiced with lingering notes of overcooked apple pie, complete with dark brown crust and bits of well-caramelized filling. It’s a bit lighter bodied than the 2021 release with a slightly drier profile but still every bit the toasted bourbon standard bearer.