I consider myself a pretty big Michter’s fan. Although their lineup is tragically lopsided in favor of limited releases — many of which are aggressively priced, I usually gravitate toward their profiles. The last few times I covered Michter’s were fairly positive, with the standard US1 bourbon leaving a surprisingly positive impression. Why was the bourbon a surprise? Because I’ve always had a penchant for Michter’s ryes.

The Pennsylvania-turned-Kentucky brand consistently knocks it out of the park when it comes to rye whiskey. Even the $45 single barrel shelfer holds up incredibly well despite its low proof point. Then there’s the barrel strength rye, which checks almost every single box I have for a great pour. If it wasn’t so difficult to find for anywhere near MSRP, I’d actually drink it somewhat regularly. So what happens when Michter’s effectively takes my favorite rye whiskey and adds a little twist to it?

Enter Michter’s Toasted Barrel Strength Rye, which takes the aforementioned product and finishes it for an unspecified amount of time in a custom barrel made from 24-month air-dried wood. Michter’s toast this barrel to their specifications, which is par for the course. I tried a sample of the brand’s 2020 run for the product, which allegedly came out between 107.2 to 111.2 proof for a 109.2 proof average. The bottle I tried a sample from, however, was 53.5% ABV, or 107 proof on the dot. The barrel was 20G1668.

Nose: French toast, root beer, and eggnog. Buttery brown sugar and crème brûlée, and tons of vanilla. Soft, mild inklings of grass and herbs — thinking basil and bay leaf. Aromas are rich, but they come across as light and bright.

Palate: Cereal grain is surprisingly noticeable. This is followed by a good presence of pepper spice, while the toasted oak imparts a melted marshmallow profile, but also makes the oak taste young or new. Buttered toast meets young oak, light brown sugar, and a bit of grass. Doesn’t come across as rye-forward.

Finish: Sassafras takes over with a more delicate oak presence. More brown sugar, eggnog, and crème brûlée, but none of it is terribly strong. A bit dry, like someone burnt some Honey Nut Cheerios or Honey Bunches of Oats.

Some products have no business being as good as they are. Then there are releases that sound amazing on paper only to crumble apart in reality. The concept behind Michter’s Toasted Barrel Strength Rye should be a slam dunk. I already love the base whiskey, and while finished American whiskey is rarely to my liking, I typically enjoy toasted and French oak finishes. So imagine the look on my face while I wrestled with the growing reality that this just wasn’t my jam.

I kept coming back to a young oak and sweet cereal sensation with this whiskey. Gone are the rich flavors and sweet vibrancy I love in Michter’s non-finished rye whiskeys. In their place? A conflicted collection of notes that sound more enticing than they taste and feel. It’s as if the toasted barrel interacted with the previously mature whiskey in a way that highlighted the grain notes, bringing them to the forefront while emphasizing the sensation of non-charred oak. The concept and experience are interesting, if nothing else, but I’d be remiss if I said it’s a winning formula.

Michter’s Toasted Barrel Strength Rye has a profile that’s in line with the brand’s products that I didn’t enjoy. These include the Sour Mash, American Whiskey, and the 2019 release of their toasted barrel bourbon. When I tried each of them, I got profiles that track with this expression. Would they be worth revisiting on a different day to discover if I just need to be in the right mood for full enjoyment? Perhaps. But that’s only feasible with two of them.