Michter’s announces 2024 Legacy Series

Shenk’s Homestead and Bombergers, made at Michter’s Distillery, will return to shelves this July with updated recipes.

Louisville’s Michter’s Distillery is releasing a pair of new whiskeys, Shenk’s Homestead Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey and Bomberger’s Declaration Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Each release is a vintage dated with the year of the bottling.

“While there is some continuity from year to year, our production team makes creative adjustments to each edition of these whiskeys,” Michter’s president Joseph J Magliocco said.

Michter’s Distillery traces its roots back to 1753, when Swiss Mennonite farmer John Shenk founded Shenk’s distillery in Pennsylvania. The distillery was later renamed Bomberger’s in the 1800s.

Michter’s has since renamed once more and moved production to Kentucky, but honours these historic brands with annual limited releases.

The 2024 Shenk’s release uses rye, malted rye, and for the first time, caramel malt, which master distiller Dan McKee said offers a nice creaminess to complement the whiskey’s herbaceous qualities and notes of spice.

Some barrels used include oak sourced from the Vosges region of France, which were air dried and seasoned for 24 months before being toasted. It is bottled at 45.6% ABV and priced at US$110.

This year’s release of Bomberger’s also uses malted rye and, consistent with previous releases, chinquapin oak, which accentuates its dark chocolate and stewed fruit notes.

The chinquapin oak was air dried and seasoned outdoors for 36 months before toasting and charring. The 2024 vintage of Bomberger’s is bottled at 54% ABV and priced at US$120.

“This year’s release of Shenk’s and Bomberger’s is a reflection of the passion the team has for making exciting whiskeys with a thoughtful touch of exploration,” master of maturation Andrea Wilson said.

In March, Michter’s announced the latest batch of its 10-year-old Bourbon.