Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/723381
92 / the tasting panel / september 2016 CATEGORY REPORT As this country's first whiskey company, Michter's can trace its lineage back to 1753, making it older than our Republic itself. For the good folks who produce the whiskey, the distillery's iconic status is both an honor and an ever-present challenge. Michter's President Joseph Magliocco and company therefore employ practices that other whiskey makers abandoned long ago as too costly or labor-intensive. For example, Michter's toasts their oak barrels before fire-charring for better concentration of the sugars in the wood. It sometimes air-dries barrel staves for up to 36 months, and rick their barrels in heated warehouses. All of these are expensive practices, yet they hasten and improve the whiskeys' maturation. Rye is a challenging grain to distill, but Michter's Master Distiller Willie Pratt and Distiller Pamela Heilmann make it look easy. Produced in limited quantities, Michter's US*1 Single Barrel Straight Rye (SRP $50) is matured a minimum of four years in fire-charred American white oak barrels. After it reaches peak maturity, the whiskey is chill-filtered and then bottled at 42.4% alcohol (84.8 proof). Critically acclaimed Michter's Rye possesses all of the characteristics that have made American ryes a global favorite. It has a dark amber/brown appearance, a silky, medium- weight body and an alluring mocha, fruit and baking spice nose. While its aromatics alone are well worth the price of admission, more pleasures await. The palate presents an equally impressive array of flavors, including caramel, honey, black pepper, orange zest and rye bread. The lingering finish is spicy warm and thoroughly satisfying. "Today's on-premise mixologists are bringing a level of creativity to cocktail making that our industry has never seen before. They are raising the quality of their drinks with carefully selected fresh and homemade ingredients. It's only natural that consumers would be so enthusiastic about these great cocktails," says Magliocco. High on his list of contemporary classics is the Faded Glory, a delectable craft cocktail built on a foundation of Michter's Rye Whiskey created by seasoned pro mixologist Esteban Ordonez, Managing Partner of International Cocktail Group. Spicy and brimming with flavor, the Faded Glory is a worthy tribute to a great rye whiskey. back to 1753, whiskey, the that other that other that example, Michter's in the in the in wood. It heated warehouses. heated warehouses. heated maturation. Pratt and Distiller US*1 fire-charred chill-filtered have made silky, medium- aromatics presents orange satisfying. making drinks with consumers craft cocktail craft cocktail craft built A Strong Lineage with MICHTER'S US*1 SINGLE BARREL STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHTER'S Faded Glory ◗ 1½ oz. Michter's US*1 Rye ◗ 1 oz. peach liqueur ◗ ½ oz. peach nectar ◗ 1 dash simple syrup ◗ ½ oz. fresh lime juice ◗ ½ oz. fresh orange juice ◗ Lemon twist garnish MICHTER'S DISTILLERY Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake until well chilled. Strain over fresh ice in a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a large lemon twist.