2015 Michter's US-1 Limited Release Barrel Strength Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey 750ml

The 2015 Michter's US-1 Limited Release Barrel Strength Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey is the inaugural release of the expression, which debuted in May 2015 under Master Distiller Willie "Dr. No" Pratt. A single-barrel rye bottled at full cask strength, the majority of barrels in that first release were bottled between 108 and 110.8 proof, each at the natural strength of its individual barrel. It is distilled and bottled in Kentucky by Michter's.

Since the 1990s, the Michter's team has done pioneering work to re-establish the high-quality American rye whiskey category, and the inaugural May 2015 release of US-1 Barrel Strength Rye marked another milestone in that quest. The rye continues the legacy of a company that traces its roots to 1753 and the original Shenk's distillery, today one of the most admired names in American whiskey. For maturation, the rye distillate is entered into the barrel at a low 103 proof rather than a higher industry-standard fill. Barreling at this lower proof costs Michter's more in barrels and warehousing, but the distillery believes it yields a richer, smoother, more full-bodied whiskey after proper maturation. As a single-barrel product, each barrel is bottled at its own particular alcohol level on the day of bottling, so no two bottles are exactly alike.

Bottled with nothing taken away, the result is a concentrated, full-bodied rye: butterscotch and cinnamon, toasty vanilla and caramel, and a dry, oaky spice on the finish. Because it is a single barrel bottled at full proof, the Barrel Strength Rye is among the more limited and harder-to-find expressions in the Michter's lineup, and each release is quickly claimed by rye enthusiasts. As the bottling that launched Michter's Barrel Strength Rye program, the 2015 is a foundational, increasingly scarce vintage and the cornerstone of any Barrel Strength Rye vertical.

• Size: 750ml
• Proof: Cask strength — inaugural release majority 108–110.8 proof; each barrel at its own strength
• Origin: Kentucky, USA (distilled and bottled in Kentucky)
• Distillery: Michter's Distillery (Louisville, KY)
• Whiskey Type: Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
• Bottling: Single barrel, limited release; bottled at cask strength
• Entry Proof: 103 (barreling strength)
• Cooperage: New, fire-charred American white oak
• Tasting Notes: Butterscotch and cinnamon, toasty vanilla and caramel, dry oaky rye spice