Michter’s Shenk’s Homestead Sour Mash Whiskey Review (2021)

Shenk’s Homestead Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey
2021 Relese
Michter’s Distillery
91.2 proof
MSRP: $90 (however, given the limited availability, prices may be considerably higher)
Review

Please enjoy our Michter’s Shenk’s Homestead Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey review by Ray Marcano!

Buy Shenk’s Homestead Sour Mash Whiskey at Frootbat!

The price point keeps this from being a must buy.

History

Shenk’s Homestead honors John Shenk, who founded a distillery in 1783 that would later become Michter’s, according to the distillery’s website.  It’s a limited-production release shrouded by a little mystery. This is a “high rye” whiskey that doesn’t make its mash bill public. Its aging process uses barrels made from Chinquapin Oak trees. Some use the oak as proof that Shenk’s can’t possibly be bourbon. Still, Old Charter Oak uses Chinkapin oak — a different spelling of Chinquapin — and calls its brew “bourbon”, so that’s not it. It could be that the mash bill has less than 51% corn, which would knock it out of the bourbon sphere.

Mash Bill

Not disclosed

Tasting Notes – Michter’s Shenk’s Homestead Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey Review (2021)

 Let’s taste it:

🛏️ Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

👉Nose: Grain, brown sugar, caramel, toffee
👉Taste: Cherry, citrus, pepper, oak, 
👉Finish: Pepper, allspice, dried fruits

Summary

The grain speaks to the high rye content of this whiskey, but it’s quickly offset by some pleasant brown sugar notes that bring forward some sweetness. It’s an interesting pour, a cross between the lighter characters of a whiskey with the strong, long finish of a bourbon. It’s a pleasing, easy drink and will certainly warm you up on a cold night. 

Conclusion – Shenk’s Homestead Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey Review (2021)

I’m torn. I like Shenk’s Homestead Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey. It’s a fine sipping and unique whiskey, given its character and quality. But $90 is a tough ask, especially since (1) these are very hard to find in the wild and cost two times MSRP if you can find one on the secondary and (2) there are plenty of whiskeys and ryes available for half the price that are just as good. If money is no object, this is a good get.

Buy Shenk’s Homestead Sour Mash Whiskey at Frootbat!

I hope you have enjoyed our Shenk’s Homestead Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey review by Ray Marcano. Ray publishes a free monthly newsletter, The Bourbon Resource. You can subscribe here. Next, read about Shenk’s Homestead’s brethren in our Bomberger’s Declaration Review and our Michter’s Bomberger’s PFG (Precision Fine Grain) Bourbon Review!

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