This September, Michter’s will release its US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Sour Mash Whiskey, a bottle that manages to nod reverently to American whiskey traditions while still feeling quietly revolutionary. It’s the latest installment in the distillery’s Toasted Barrel series, which has already given us a bourbon and a rye, each finished in a second barrel that is toasted but not charred.
If that sounds subtle, it is—but whiskey, like most good things, lives in the subtleties. In 2014, when Michter’s first experimented with this method, they did not know they were defining a new category. “We didn’t realize we were putting the Toasted Uncharred Barrel Finish category on the map,” Michter’s President Joseph J. Magliocco said, recalling the first release. “This 2025 release of Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Sour Mash Whiskey is really special.”
Michter’s 2025 Toasted Barrel Finish Sour Mash Whiskey: A Whiskey Between Worlds
The whiskey itself arrives at 86 proof (43% ABV) and will retail for $110 per 750ml bottle. Like the flagship Sour Mash that earned Whisky of the Year in 2019 from The Whisky Exchange—the first American whiskey to ever do so—this new expression balances familiar bourbon traits with a rye-like finish.
“Our Sour Mash Whiskey is an interesting whiskey that has the attributes of a really good bourbon yet finishes a bit like a rye,” explained Master Distiller Dan McKee. “It’s a terrific candidate for finishing in the second barrel that is toasted but not charred.”
Andrea Wilson, Michter’s Master of Maturation, elaborated on what that finishing process brings: “The second toasted-only barrel really complements the flavors of the Sour Mash and deepens the rich honey, burnt sugar, and citrus spice notes with smoky vanilla reminiscent of a cozy campfire.”
Michter’s Legacy of Experimentation
This release comes less than a year after Michter’s was named The World’s Most Admired Whiskey for the second consecutive time by Drinks International, a distinction decided by an international academy of experts. For a distillery with deep roots in American whiskey history, it has shown a restless curiosity, always tinkering with tradition without losing the thread of it.
Michter’s 2025 Toasted Barrel Finish Sour Mash feels like a continuation of that balance: reverence for heritage, paired with an experimental streak that makes the liquid itself more than the sum of its parts.
For more information, visit the brand’s official website.
