Michter’s expansion ‘unlikely’ to meet demand

American whiskey brand Michter’s has increased its fermentation capacity and bottling operations, but it is not enough to meet demand in the short term.

The Kentucky whiskey maker said it took steps to expand capacity ‘responsibly’ as the brand faces ‘strong demand’ for its products.

Michter’s has added six 18,000-gallon fermenters made by Vendome Copper & Brass Works to its site.

In late 2022, the brand’s core Shively distillery in Louisville became a 24/7 operation.

The company also started using new bottling equipment in January 2023 to release more whiskey.

Michter’s said the moves were ‘unlikely to satisfy’ domestic and global demand in the short term, but reflected the company’s ‘ongoing commitment’ to create more whiskey without compromising on quality.

“We recognise the frustration of some of our supporters as they encounter challenges in finding certain Michter’s releases on the shelf,” said Andrea Wilson, Michter’s master of maturation.

“We want our loyal Michter’s drinkers to know we are trying to continue to invest in the growth of the brand while maintaining the exceptional level of our whiskeys.

“We have an over 30-year planning horizon for our whiskeys and use models to plan sales and work hard to focus on staying true to the quality of our whiskeys.”

Michter’s executive vice-president Steve Ziegler has been allocating the company’s whiskeys to distributors and importers for more than 20 years.

“My job was a lot easier years ago when we felt lucky to sell 50 three-bottle packs nationally in a month,” he said. “We are still quite small compared to many other whiskey companies.

“Our master distiller, Dan McKee, and our master of maturation, Andrea Wilson, decide when specific barrels are aged to their standards and ready to release, and I do my best to spread that whiskey around to our customers.

“Unfortunately, what we release simply is not enough to meet demand right now, and we are addressing the shortfall without cutting corners.”

Return of Michter’s 10 Years Old Rye

Michter’s has introduced the 2023 release of its 10-year-old rye whiskey – the first time it has been available since July 2022.

“The 10-year rye release is elegant, yet full of herbal and honey characters with warm spice resulting in a captivating, rich, smooth drinking experience,” said Wilson.

The Kentucky-style rye whiskey is made with corn and malted barley. Michter’s 10 Years Old Rye is priced at US$200 per 750ml bottle.

In addition to the Shively site, Michter’s operates Louisville’s Fort Nelson Distillery, and a 145-acre facility in Springfield, Kentucky, which was expanded in 2018.