Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/23459
ichter’s, the fi rst commercial U.S. whiskey company, founded in 1753, stores its barrels in rare, heat-cycled warehouses even though it results in the loss of twice as much whiskey to evaporation as the usual “angel’s share.” Master Distiller Willie Pratt is referred to as MiCHter’S M “Dr. No” by the Michter’s sales team for refusing to release whiskey for bottling until he feels it’s just right. Mastering the barrel program (Pratt co-chaired a special committee formed to study cooperage), he toasts the barrels before charring them. One might refer to that as a lost art. Our Panel Votes: Michter’s Single Barrel Rye “Beautiful stone fruit and lanolin on the nose; richly textured and complex with a long fi nish.” —Mac Gregory Michter’s Small Batch Bourbon US-1 “Vanilla, maple and spiced nuts, with an oatmeal nuance. Caramel-to-honey on the palate and an exceptionally long fi nish.” —Nathan Mears “Caramelized bananas Foster and corn grain aro- mas; a light, approachable style.” —Trudy Thomas Chatham Imports Steve Ziegler is the VP of Fine Wine & Spirits for Chatham Imports. lthough introduced in 1988, Gentleman Jack didn’t skyrocket to fame until two years ago, when the bottle was re-designed. “Sales almost quadrupled,” reports Brian Leshner from Alliance Beverage in Arizona, who presented the brand to the panel. This is defi nitely the mellower side of Jack Daniels; it is distilled and fermented exactly like Jack, with an additional step: charcoal-mellowed that one extra time. GentLeMAn JACK A Our Panel Votes: “Light on the palate, with mineral notes, vanilla, lemon rind and apricot.” —Meridith May “The brown sugar/maple nose matches the palate all the way from front to back.” —Mac Gregory “Dusty sweet vanilla and cigar-box nose; fi rm mouthfeel and a clean apricot-tea fi nish.” —Nathan Mears Brown-Forman january–february 201 1 / the tasting panel / 73 David Lamberti and Brian Leshner of Alliance Beverage represented Gentleman Jack and Woodford Reserve.