🥃 Michter's US★1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Michter's base bourbon: a Kentucky straight bourbon in small batches of up to 20 barrels, matured in new charred barrels; 45.7% ABV (91.4 proof).
Michter's US★1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is the base bourbon of Michter's, part of the US★1 line. It is a Kentucky straight bourbon made in small batches. Its strength is 91.4 proof, which is 45.7% ABV. The label carries no age statement, and the producer does not disclose the exact mash recipe.
According to the producer, each batch is blended in a vessel holding no more than twenty barrels. The mash is based on corn, and the whiskey matures in new, charred American white oak barrels. Whisky Advocate reports that the spirit goes into the barrels at 103 proof and that the brand has used only its own spirit since 2015. Drinkhacker wrote in 2014 that the whiskey was then made on contract.
Why this matters to you. This is a good starting point for comparing the line: US★1 Kentucky Straight Rye is made from rye, and US★1 American Whiskey matures in used barrels. US law allows bourbon to mature only in new barrels. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe amount of alcohol.
Facts
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 45.7% ABV (91.4 proof) |
|---|---|
| Raw material | corn-based mash (exact recipe not disclosed) |
| Cask type | new charred American white oak barrels; filled at 103 proof |
| Minimum maturation | no age statement; straight bourbon must be at least 2 years old under US law |
| Legal basis | 27 CFR § 5.143 (USA), straight bourbon whisky category |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Michter's US★1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🐝 American white oak, 🍷 Barrel toasting
- Made from
- 🥃 Rye and corn in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Michter's, 🥃 Whisky, 🥃 Straight bourbon whiskey
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon, 🥃 Michter's US★1 American Whiskey, 🥃 Michter's US★1 American Whiskey, 🥃 Michter's US★1 Kentucky Straight Rye, 🥃 Michter's US★1 Kentucky Straight Rye
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Michter's US★1 Bourbon was always made at its own distillery?
No. Drinkhacker wrote in 2014 that the whiskey was then made on contract. According to Whisky Advocate, the brand has used only its own spirit since 2015.
What is the strength of Michter's US★1 Bourbon?
91.4 proof, which is 45.7% ABV.
What does “small batch” mean for this bourbon?
According to the producer, each batch is blended from no more than twenty barrels.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Barrel toasting — Heating the inside of a barrel over fire; the degree of toast shapes the wine's taste.
- 🥃 Michter's US★1 Kentucky Straight Rye — Michter's US★1 rye: a Kentucky straight rye bottled from a single barrel, matured in new charred barrels; 42.4% ABV (84.8 proof).
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 Michter's US★1 Sour Mash · 🥃 Michter's US★1 Kentucky Straight Rye · 🥃 Michter's US★1 American Whiskey · 🥃 Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel · 🥃 Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack · 🥃 Elijah Craig Small Batch
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Michter's: US★1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon (small batch, up to 20 barrels per batch; new fire-charred American white oak; 45.7 % ABV / 91.4 proof; distilled and bottled in Kentucky)
- Drinkhacker: Review: Michter's US-1 Small Batch Bourbon, Rye, and Unblended American Whiskey (27.10.2014; bourbon 91.4 proof; single barrel rye 84.8 proof, 36 months-plus; American whiskey 83.4 proof in used bourbon barrels; contract-produced spirit at the time)
- Whisky Advocate: The Story of the Great Michter's Revival (own spirit only from 2015; Fort Nelson 2019; 103 proof barrel entry)
- 27 CFR § 5.143 Whisky — standards of identity (USA, TTB), text via Cornell LII
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)