Michter's Celebration Limited Edition Sour Mash

[squire]

Ethan I think you're on to something there with the OF/Ritt blend. From what I recall about the original Michters, that taste profile sounds about right.

[Balcones Winston]

SB.com group buy?

[Balcones Winston]

It's only $120 a pour if we split it 25 ways...

[squire]

Yeah, right . . . . . . .

[squire]

For $120 I could also get . . . well . . . a lot of good pours.

[Balcones Winston]

I'd pay $120 just to say I tried it

[MyOldKyDram]

Godspeed finding 25 other people who feel the same way!

[squire]

Back in the 1890s a con man convinced a group of investors the Eiffel Tower was going to be sold for scrap metal and some of them eagerly put up their money just to say they owned a piece of it.

[ethangsmith]

For those of you eager to try it, I'll divulge my ratio:

50% Rittenhouse BIB

50% Old Forester Signature

A few drops of water.

That should do the trick!

As a side note, adding a little extra Rittenhouse, like say a 67% Rittenhouse 33% Old Forester Signature mix and foregoing the water, makes is REALLY good.

Edited September 15, 2013 by ethangsmith
Add.....

[squire]

I was thinking 70/30 as a starting point.

[MyOldKyDram]

Not sure I want to duplicate it. Tried it at the KBS and it was horrible.

[squire]

Of course I'm talking about the Michter's we were getting back around 1978 - 1980.

[MyOldKyDram]

Ah gotcha. Never had the privilege. Is that what this blend is supposed to replicate then?

[squire]

That's the way I read his post and I agree having had the original often back in the day. The original Michters was basically a high rye Bourbon that was bottled around 5-6 years of age so its barrel influence would be closer to the OF/Ritt of today. Taste profile was also similar to what that mix should provide. Have a taste of the original and I believe the comparison will spring to mind.

Actually one of the reasons we bought Michters back then was because it costs less than Old Forester.

[MyOldKyDram]

Okay, maybe ill give this one a whirl then. So long as its not reminiscent of the current sour mash. Just vile. And I can drink most anything.

[Dolph Lundgren]

More recognition? For the Distiller of the Year?

[Restaurant man]

I hear they're coming out with a new award: Sourcer of the Year.

The winner hand selects their trophy, which is made from melted down other trophys.

I must delay my response to this while I laugh me a$$ off. :laugh: :laugh: :smile: :eek: :laugh:

[LostBottle]

Has anyone purchased one of these yet?

Edited December 2, 2013 by LostBottle

[whiskeyagonzo]

Nope not me. Even if my wife wouldn't divorce me I wouldn't be purchasing. This reaches far beyond greed into something I cannot explain. I would imagine the people who are buying these are big time collectors and will probably never open them. That is probably Michter's intent as I can only imagine it being an extreme disappointment after dropping the coin on this.

Sleep late, have fun, get wild, drink whiskey and drive fast on empty streets with nothing in mind but falling in love and not getting arrested.

Hunter S. Thompson

[Gillman]

Ethan's mix sounds very good. I must say I wasn't knocked out by the regular-issue revival when it came out, it seemed a little raw and unbalanced I thought and not similar to examples of the PA-era Michter's I've had the chance to try.

I remember years ago trying to come up with my own blending and while the percentages of the mash bill components are not exact, I recall a mix of Dickel black and WT rye (101 then) coming pretty close. The original was, according to Michael Jackson's The World Guide To Whisky, 50% corn, 38% rye, remainder barley malt. Apparently new charred barrels were used but also some reused barrels, although to me the original from what I can remember had a straight whiskey character. I just wish I had bought tons of it when I had the chance. To this day I can remember seeing the brand in its different formats on shelves from the mid-70's until about 1990 and always passed them by. I hadn't understood what it was.

This new one seems a different animal from either of those mentioned above to its age. I wonder if some real (PA) Michter's might be in it, given the 30 years age of the oldest whiskey, I'd think not as that PA stuff seems all gone but who knows.

Gary

Edited December 2, 2013 by Gillman

[squire]

I shouldn't think so, the remaining Michter's stock is pretty well accounted for. But, as you say, the profile can be replicated with other make.

[Gillman]

One time out at Jim's, I remember a Michter's enthusiast had some that was passed around (Original Sour Mash). I remember distinctly thinking "Tennessee" for some reason, a mapley quality perhaps. Or perhaps the small degree of lightness imparted by a minimal proportion of reused barrels explained it (Jack and George have a similarly lighter quality vis-a-vis bourbon). Anyway when I got back I tried the Dickel and WT blending and though it came pretty close. I don't doubt Ethan has duplicated the latter-day revival of the brand but again the newbie doesn't remind me much of the oldie.

Gary

[T Comp]

The Chicago Tribune reports 14 of the 273 bottles have been distributed to the Chicago area and three Chicago bars-The Aviary, Drumbar and Big Star-have purchased bottles. The Aviary bought 2 bottles and will be selling it at $325 an ounce. The chef de cuisine of the beverage program, Micah Melton, says "Honestly, I didn't want to like it, because I didn't want to buy a $4,000 bottle of whiskey". But he then reasons (without the honestly ) "It's delicious. It has amazing balance. There's sweetness from the bourbon and spice from rye, but not too much spiciness. And the alcohol is right where it should be." Looking for a bargain? Big Star says they will price it in the "neighborhood" of $175. The Tribune has their wholesale bottle price closer to $3,000 than the suggested retail of $4,000.

[squire]

Tasting notes for something he hasn't tasted, people will believe what they want.

[tylermke]

Tasting notes for something he hasn't tasted, people will believe what they want.

Squire, why are you assuming he hasn't tasted it?