Drink’s International’s two-time “World’s Most Admired Whiskey Brand” Michter’s, announced on Tuesday that the toasted barrel finish Sour Mash Whiskey will hit shelves in September. The brand known for paving the way for the toasted barrel finishing process currently possesses two other expressions, a toasted barrel finish rye and bourbon, within its portfolio.
“In 2014 our Michter’s team didn’t realize we were putting the Toasted Uncharred Barrel Finish category on the map when we released our bourbon finished in a second barrel that was toasted but not charred and named it Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon, ” Michter’s President Joseph J. Magliocco said in a statement. “This 2025 release of Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Sour Mash Whiskey is really special.”
This year’s Michter’s Toasted Barrel Finish Sour Mash Whiskey features a suggested retail price of $110 a bottle. True to the form of Michter’s whiskeys, it hosts a relatively modest proof of 86. The storied whiskey brand barrels its whiskeys at a fairly low 103 proof, which is quite below the industry standard. Accordingly, Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson believes that a lower proof at barrel entry yields more flavor extraction from oak, according to Men’s Journal.
This year’s Sour Mash follows the brand’s Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon and Toasted Barrel Finish Rye.
“Our Sour Mash Whiskey is an interesting whiskey that has the attributes of a really good bourbon yet finishes a bit like a rye,” said Michter’s Master Distiller Dan McKee in a statement. “It’s a whiskey that is a terrific candidate for finishing in the second barrel that is toasted but not charred.”
According to Michters’ Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson, the experimental whiskey demonstrates just how good a sour mash finished in a toasted — not charred — barrel can be.
“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.”
Other Notable Michter’s Whiskeys That Dropped in 2025
These latest releases follow the iconic bourbon brand’s alternative whiskeys from its legacy series: Shenk’s and Bomberger’s Declaration Kentucky Straight Bourbon, which dropped in July. The fairly obscure series’ recent releases have dazzled critics. We were particularly partial to Bomberger’s Declaration 2025 Precision Fine Grain, and you can view a review here.
Though the two whiskeys are less well-known than the brand’s US*1 Series, they pay homage to Michter’s history. Shenk’s Homestead takes its name from Michter’s ancestral brand. The distillery’s roots date back to 1753, back when a Swiss Mennonite farmer named John Shenk founded Shenk’s distillery. Michter’s claims that Shenk’s was America’s first whiskey brand.
Bomberger’s Declaration is named after a brief period when Shenk’s was changed to Bomberger’s Distillery. Eventually, the brand would take the name of Michter’s in the 20th Century.
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