Michter's 25 Year Old Bourbon 2023

The rarest single-age expression in the Michter's production program. Michter's 25 Year Old Bourbon — released only when Master Distiller Dan McKee and Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson jointly determine that available 25-year barrels have achieved the extraordinary standard the expression demands. Years pass between releases. The 2023 is among the most precious approved vintages in recent memory.

Michter's releases the 25 Year only when specific barrels of extraordinary quality have reached 25 years of maturation and both McKee and Wilson agree the liquid is ready. There is no fixed schedule. In years when no available barrels meet the standard — most years — no 25 Year is released. The 2023 joins a short list of approved vintages that includes 2016, 2017, and 2020, each separated by gaps where the standard simply was not met.

Twenty-five years in Kentucky is an extreme commitment. The angel's share removes approximately 3–4% of barrel volume annually — over 25 years, the surviving liquid is extraordinarily concentrated. The high-rye character of Michter's sour mash production at 25-year maturity has been fully absorbed into the oak structure, producing deep dried fruit, leather, caramel, and an oak integration that no younger expression can approximate. This is bourbon at the outer boundary of what Kentucky aging can sustainably achieve from a single year's production.

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Very deep mahogany — the extraordinary color of 25-year Kentucky bourbon.
• Nose: Profound complexity — dried fruit, aged leather, caramel, and deep oak from a quarter century in the barrel.
• Palate: Silky and concentrated — the 25-year oak integration producing seamless depth that no younger expression achieves. Dark fruit, warm spice, leather, and vanilla.
• Finish: Extraordinarily long — evolving through multiple stages in a finish that marks the world's finest aged spirits.

Specs

• Producer: Michter's Distillery, Louisville, Kentucky
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Age: 25 years
• Release: 2023
• Approved by: Dan McKee (Master Distiller) + Andrea Wilson (Master of Maturation)
• Size: 750ml

Browse all bourbon at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What years has the Michter's 25 Year been released? Documented approved vintages include 2016, 2017, 2020, and 2023 — with multi-year gaps between each. The contingent release schedule means most years produce no 25 Year release at all.
• How does the 25 Year relate to the Celebration Sour Mash? The 25 Year is the oldest single-age expression in the Michter's lineup. The Celebration Sour Mash is above it — drawing from multiple aged stocks that may include components older than 25 years. The 25 Year is the apex of what a single age-statement can achieve; the Celebration transcends that with multi-decade blending.
• What is the dual-approval process? Every Michter's ultra-aged release requires sign-off from both Dan McKee (Master Distiller) and Andrea Wilson (Master of Maturation). For the 25 Year, both must agree the specific available barrels have achieved the extraordinary standard — not merely that they are 25 years old, but that they are exceptional.
• Is the 2023 Michter's 25 Year still available? Yes — one of the rarest bourbons in the current Wooden Cork inventory.