Michter’s Distillery is set to release its 2024 Legacy Series in July, just in time for America’s 248th birthday. The series includes Shenk’s Homestead Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey and Bomberger’s Declaration Kentucky Straight Bourbon, both vintage-dated with the year of bottling.
Each annual release of Shenk’s and Bomberger’s has unique characteristics, with the production team making creative adjustments every year. Joseph J. Magliocco, Michter’s President, emphasized the continuity and creativity involved in each edition of these whiskeys.
Michter’s honors its heritage through the Legacy Series. The distillery was originally founded in 1753 by Swiss Mennonite farmer John Shenk in Pennsylvania, later renamed Bomberger’s Distillery in the 1800s, and finally Michter’s Distillery in the mid-20th Century.
For the 2024 Shenk’s release, Master Distiller Dan McKee introduced a mix of rye, malted rye, and caramel malt, which adds creaminess to the whiskey’s herbaceous and spicy notes. Some barrels used for Shenk’s are made from Vosges oak from France, air dried for 24 months and toasted to Michter’s specifications.
The 2024 release of Bomberger’s also includes malted rye in its recipe. Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson highlighted the use of Chinquapin oak to enhance the dark chocolate and stewed fruit notes, balanced with spice for a bold, rich complexity and a long, warm finish. This Chinquapin oak was air dried for 36 months before toasting and charring.
Shenk’s is bottled at 91.2 proof (45.6% ABV) with a suggested retail price of $110, while Bomberger’s is bottled at 108 proof (54% ABV) and priced at $120.