Michter's Whiskey Master Distiller Shares The One Bottle You Should Try Before You Die - Exclusive

Our time on this Earth is finite and so is our chance to dine, so it's only natural think about all the food and drinks we'd like to indulge in before we kick the bucket. At least, these are the sorts of thoughts keeping us up at night (sorry to be morbid!). So at the Nassau Paradise Island Wine and Food Fest's Michter's tasting, hosted by The Dilly Club, we spoke to Dan McKee, Michter's master distiller, and asked him to recommend the one bottle of Michter's whiskey we must try before we die. 

First, McKee hesitated and said, "Wow, that's a hard one." Honestly, we understood the reason behind his hesitation. Whiskey, after all, is like a master distiller's baby. McKee agreed, adding, "Well, I always say my mom had a favorite [among the ]... four of us, but I enjoy the rye." Rye whiskey, known as America's oldest whiskey variety, is made from at least 51% rye and is spicy with a burning sensation that follows it goes down the throat. Then McKee stated, "If you're saying one of the limited, for sure, the celebration sour mash whiskey." Michter's uniquely tasting sour mash whiskey is made like sourdough bread. The distiller uses previously fermented mash as the starter for the new mash used for fermentation, just like a baker would use a sourdough starter to make fresh-baked sourdough bread.

It appeared difficult for Dan McKee, Michter's master distiller, to recommend just one bottle of Michter whiskey you should try before you die. He enthused, "The 10-year rye is also a big favorite of mine." McKee was talking about one of Michter's highly limited-release bottles. Distilled in Kentucky, it is warm and spicy with cinnamon and crushed peppers and has deep toffee and vanilla notes with a hint of citrus. With such nuanced flavors, it's no wonder this is one of McKee's favorites. 

For us, we have to agree with McKee's sour mash whiskey pick. It's sweet, smoky, and spiced, with hints of honeyed vanilla and candied tarty cherries. Then again, Michter's limited-release toasted barrel finish rye, with its campfire, black walnut, caramel, and dark chocolate notes, has also tickled our fancy. Perhaps on our deathbeds, we'd be inclined to indulge in not just one bottle of Michter's whiskey but multiple different bottles. But for now, let's keep drinking responsibly and enjoy just one bottle or one cocktail, like a classic frothy whiskey sour at a time.