Michter's WhiskeyLegend has it that when Washington crossed the Delaware, there was Michter’s Whiskey aboard his small craft. It’s also siad Michter’s Whiskey kept his troops warm at Valley Forge. Whether it’s true or not is up for debate, but it certainly could be. Michter’s began distilling whiskey in 1753. A group of us got together to taste three offerings from this limited production distillery and I’ll share our thoughts with you. We all were impressed with the packaging. All three bottle had corks and bore the number of the barrel they came from. Our first taste was the US1 unblended American Whiskey. One taster commented the color was reminiscent of Cognac, others called it golden and dark caramel. On the nose we picked up caramel, burnt sugar and rye spice. Smooth was a common observation. Ken thought it was excellent neat, on the rocks or in a mixed drink. Each of us would buy it at the $35 suggested retail price.

The second offering was the US1 Straight Rye. Weighing in at 41.7% alcohol, the color was a brilliant gold. We all marveled at the nose and easily detected the rye notes. On the palate we noted a hint of sweetness and layers of complexity. One taster noted classic spicy notes and a hint of mint and said the finish went on forever. Priced at $40, we all would purchase it.

Our whiskey tasting concluded with Michter’s US1 Bourbon. Also priced at $40, this bourbon comes in a 91.4 proof. Ken described its color as perfect for bourbon, brilliant. The nose was aromatic with hints of citrus and herbs. It’s an incredibly smooth bourbon and one of us said “Kudos to the master distiller. Just great perfect bourbon. Wow.” Again, the panel was unanimous in agreeing we would buy it. Everyone went back for a second and in some cases third taste of each.

VeeV acai spiritWe finished the evening with a liqueur: VeeV Açai Spirit. The açai berry comes from the açai palm and is noted for its antioxidant qualities. VeeV’s website offers several recipes for this spirit. Completely clear, you can smell tropical fruit and citrus. As it is a liqueur, it has a sweetness to it. All but one of us (“chick drink”) would pay the suggested $16 retail for it. I think it’s fun to be able to offer guests something they may not have tried before.

We’ll be tasting more spirits in the months to come and look forward to sharing our thoughts with you. Cheers!