Bomberger's Declaration (2023)

Let's explore a fancy Bourbon, shall we?

I've been a fan of the output of Michter's since I was given a bottle of their Single Barrel Rye a few years ago. See that post for a bit more on the long history of the original Michter's distillery, harkening all the way back to 1753 when they were making Pennsylvania Rye (with a George Washington connection!). In the 20th century, the old distillery, at that point called Bomberger's, changed its name to the more familiar Michter's.

Many distilleries do special bottlings, often annually or at various other odd intervals, and this includes Michter's. One of their annual releases is called Bomberger's Declaration and it's come out each year since 2018 as part of their 'Legacy Series,' honoring the old distillery's heritage and previous names. The other, Shenk's Homestead, is a relatively low proof sour mash product. Michter's in general pumps out whiskey that's very good at less than 100 proof (50% ABV), and that's the vast majority of their portfolio. Bomberger's is one of the exceptions, a Bourbon clocking in at 108 proof (54%), significantly higher than their others more typically 84-90.

I first had this whiskey on our (10 year anniversary) trip to Kentucky in 2023. There, in downtown Louisville on Main St. (straight across from the Louisville Slugger factory/museum), Michter's has an experience called the Fort Nelson Distillery. It's a cool old building housing a historic distilling setup that's probably a fun tour. We didn't go on the tour, and it's not where Michter's actually produces most of their spirit, but we did visit the upscale, upstairs bar. That was alone worth the visit. They have cocktails and, more important to us, flights that include their extremely hard to locate bottles of whiskey. Bomberger's was delicious, though we agreed the Toasted Barrel Finish Rye was their best offering. The highly sought Michter's bottles have been targets ever since.

When a local liquor store had a Michter's drawing last summer, with some 10 year Rye and Bomberger's Declaration up for grabs, I didn't hesitate to put in my name. And for the first time ever, I won! It wasn't the Rye, my real hope, but the Bomberger's was a nice consolation even if it was probably the most I've spent on a bottle of American whiskey. It's been enjoyed considerably the couple times it's been opened, and today we'll take a closer look.

Stats:

ABV - 54% (108 proof)

Mash - Unknown, at least 51% corn and includes some malted rye

Maturation - New charred American oak, including some special Chinquapin oak

Age - NAS, no age listed

Location - Michter's Distillery, Louisville KY (Shively)

Price - I paid $140 (I believe)

In other words we don't know a ton outside it's a Kentucky Straight Bourbon, with what that tells us, and its proof. This review of the 2024 Bomberger's tells us, as of 2023 (including my bottle!), that Michter's is using all its own distillate for its core bottles and Shenk's/Bomberger's. That's interesting and exciting stuff!

Tasting Notes:

Nose - Sweetness, caramel and cherry?, wouldn't guess the proof, nothing off-putting

Color - Deep, dark (Michter's own tasting notes say 'Rich mahogany' and I laughed)

Taste - Complex but subtle, wood, burnt sugar, dark fruits, bevy of spices (pepper/allspice?)

Finish - Almost feels thick on the tongue, yet mostly disappears super quickly

Final Thoughts:

You're paying up here, but what you're getting is tremendous stuff. It's one of those with layers of flavors rolling past you so quickly and gently it's a struggle to keep up.

I've long joked that I struggle to pick out flavors, and that's really the case with something as smooth (a term I'm loath to use) as this. It's so easy to drink and that's especially impressive considering its strength.

I'm glad I got a bottle. I'm also glad it's got a bit of a spice-y kick at the end, I like that.