One of the greatest American whiskeys ever bottled is returning after a year off the market. Michter’s 20 Year Bourbon is back and has immediately become one of the rarest whiskeys you’ll want to drink this year.
Here’s the thing about this rare release: the total volume of bottles produced is often soul-crushingly small. Only about 600 were released in 2022, and it’s unlikely that the number for 2024 will be terribly different. Why so little whiskey? It has to do with the aging process—and how rarely a barrel “makes it” two decades.
Michter’s President Joseph J. Magliocco explains why releases like this may skip a year or two—and why the whiskey is so precious. “Unlike Scotch and some other aged spirits,” explained Magliocco, “bourbon has to mature in a new barrel. Reaching ages beyond 15 years without the whiskey getting too woody is an achievement that our team strives for. This is an exceptional release, and we only wish we had more to offer.”
Here’s a hard truth about making bourbon: A lot of what makes a great whiskey happens after the “work” is done. Distilling is important, of course, but it’s arguably the case that the careful monitoring of warehoused whiskeys is even more crucial.
That may (and should) be a dealbreaker for bourbons under six years of age, but after two decades, the maturation process—and knowing when a whiskey is reaching its peak—is arguably a far more important set of expertise.
Enter Michter’s Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson, who has shepherded numerous award-winning whiskeys from warehouse to glass during her tenure. The last time she released a batch of Michter’s 20 Year (in 2022) was a busy year—it was the same year she was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame.
“The Michter’s 20 Year is a remarkable drinking experience,” explains Wilson. “It’s luxurious and expansive—a broad palate of flavor that culminates in a viscous, dark, and richly-complex finish. Taking over two decades in the making, this bourbon doesn’t just taste good—it evokes a piece of that timeless history, of life’s warm and glowing moments.”
The price, as usual, is the ever-present bad news. While Michter’s 20 Year has a stated MSRP of $1,200, the price is likely going to be three or four times that by the time the average consumer locates one for sale. Online whiskey retailers like Caskers, Frootbat, and others list the bottle released in 2022 for around $5,000 at the moment—if you see a lower price, make sure you’re looking at a 750-ml bottle and not a 700-ml created for the European market.
At 114.2 proof (57.1 percent ABV), Michter’s 20 Year is in a pretty perfect neat sipping range—and if you get your hands on a bottle, you’ll want to sip slowly. Who knows when we’ll see the next batch?
G. Clay Whittaker is a Maxim contributor covering lifestyle, whiskey, cannabis and travel. His work has also appeared in Bon Appetit, Men’s Journal, Cigar Aficionado, Playboy and Esquire. Subscribe to his newsletter Drinks & Stuff for perspectives on drinks, and stuff.
