As we near the fall bourbon hunting season, an oft-overlooked bottle awaits most ardent whiskey hunters. Bomberger's. What makes this bourbon unique? Chinquapin oak. Open air dried and seasoned for three years before being toasted and charred to Michter's exacting specifications.
I'll admit this does get more attention these days than it used to. I remember scooping up plenty of bottles from 2018, 2019, and 2020 with relative ease. Now, likely in part to my coverage of the impeccable historical quality, folks are finally paying attention.
Will the 2024 bottling live up to the pinnacle whiskey rating the 2023 release earned? Let's find out.
Company on Label: Michter's Distillery
Whiskey Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed
Proof: 108°
Age: NAS
Further identification: This is the 2024 release of the annual special release from Michter's distillery available at an MSRP of $120; the bottle under review is bottle 1407 of 2530 from batch # 24F2284
Nose: On first lifting the glass to my nose, I find a patchwork of woven reeds, a slight earthiness, and dark blackstrap molasses cookies. It's dark, brooding, and slightly imbalanced in the nose. Subsequent inhales reveal Mexican street corn, tortilla chips, and melted Monterey Jack cheese. It's an oddball pour given this array of aromas, and one that I'm finding difficult to get into. Hints of chlorinated pool water waft up as I try to discern what the heck is happening here. On to a taste to see if that can settle things back into something recognizable and enjoyable.
Coming back from a bit of tasting reveals a nose still pretty unfit for enjoyment. Instead of good, well-aged wood aromas, I'm finding more dampness, signs of decay, and a lean towards more of the exterior bark than porous grain. Overall, the nose is almost 'fuzzy' like the static of a TV screen that hasn't formed the right connection to transmit video effectively. It buzzes at what feels like a boozier proof than the label leads on and never settles down long enough to properly enjoy. Late in the glass, I find some subtle vanilla characteristics that begin to show signs of life, but I'm not sure anyone else is going to have the patience that I'm offering this pour. Black pepper, allspice, and stale red wine aromas sit in the empty glass.
Palate: My first sip lands like a meteoric cherry coming in way too hot. It's the overzealous adult who had a few too many at the family party and decided to try to jump on the trampoline, only to bust right through the mesh. Another sip improves my perception as some subtle fruit tones begin to build. I find raspberry, plum, and distinct raisin most impressionable, but a clear imbalance is working against the comfortability here. Despite this release aiming for less tannic qualities given the extra open air seasoning time this release undergoes, I find a lot of tannins landing bitter and disappointing on my tongue. Sipping near the bottom of the glass demonstrates a whiskey that may be better served as a mixer than a neat pour. There is a papery characteristic that muffles the enjoyment that could be had exploring the subtle fruit tones that occasionally peek out between the oddities. My last sip offers the last glimmer of hope that another day may serve this whiskey better as a long linger of marshmallow, biscotti, and crème fraîche slowly settles me back into a place of comfort.
TL;DR: A true oddball whiskey and a real fall from grace compared to last year's Bomberger's
Rating: 3/5
For a company just coming off a pinnacle bottling in the 2023 Bomberger's, I have to say I'm pretty disappointed in this fall from grace. To go from a 5/5 to a 3/5 in the span of 1 year should mark a real bit of concern. I can only imagine this is a small hiccup, and the Michter's team will be back to firing on all cylinders here shortly as I know they are capable of greatness.
