Michter’s New Bourbon Was Finished in Custom-Built French Oak Barrels

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is well known amongst fans for its US1 lineup of , rye, sour mash, and American whiskey, as well as its stellar single barrel bourbon and rye, even more fantastic , and the wonderful but virtually unobtainable 25-year-old and expressions. Then there’s the lesser-known , which includes a brand-new bourbon called Bomberger’s PFG (Precision Fine Grain) that was given a special secondary maturation in French oak.

Legacy Series consists of two labels. There’s Shenk’s Homestead Sour Mash Whiskey, named after John Shenk, who the brand says founded a distillery in 1753 that would eventually become Michter’s. The other is Bomberger’s Declaration, a 108-proof Kentucky bourbon that was aged in Chinquapin oak and made with malted rye for the 2024 release. Bomberger’s PFG (Precision Fine Grain) is the newest member of the Legacy Series, a Kentucky straight bourbon that was initially aged in new charred oak barrels as required by law. It was then finished in new French fine-grain oak barrels that underwent a very specific toasting and charring procedure, the exact details of which are not revealed. Finally, the whiskey was filtered and bottled at 100.2 proof.

According to the brand, the wood for these secondary barrels came from several regions of France including the Tronçais, Allier, Nevers, and Vosges forests. The wood was air dried for 40 months along the Charente River, which supposedly has “a unique seasoning environment influenced by humidity, microflora creation, climate, wind direction, and elevation.” “Over the years, our flagship Bomberger’s Declaration Bourbon has always had a rich, bold nature that I love,” said master distiller Dan McKee in a statement. “This new Bomberger’s PFG release continues our efforts to further experiment with Bomberger’s and push the boundaries of American whiskey. It’s a wonderful expression with great texture and a remarkable spectrum of rich, full flavors resulting from our team’s thoughtful exploration of wood science under very specific conditions.”

We have not been able to sample this whiskey yet, but master of maturation Andrea Wilson has some detailed tasting notes. “A medley of engaging aromas from confectionary to floral,” she said in a press release. “A palate of beautifully integrated fruits and herbaceous notes with a full body and a luxurious, creamy texture that lingers with soft spice and chocolate.” Sound intriguing? You can pick up a bottle of Bomberger’s PFG (SRP $140) to try for yourself at specialty retailers around the country, and the rest of the Michter’s lineup is available to purchase now at websites like .

Credit: robbreport.com