Review #753 - Shenk's Homestead Sour Mash Whiskey (2022)
Shenk's Homestead Sour Mash is an annual release from the Michter's distillery. It doesn't carry a 'bourbon' or 'rye' whisky label; instead, this is an American whisky as it does not meet the requirements to be labeled in one of the other categories, likely due to the grain content or being a blend of different styles. That specific ratio of grains isn't disclosed, but they do tell us that this whisky uses a 'substantial amount' of rye.
Some of the whisky in this 2022 bottling also spent time aging in toasted French oak barrels; these barrels were air dried for 24 months before coopering, and they could add a nice spice character to the whisky.
Shenk's Homestead Sour Mash Whiskey (2022)
USA - American Whisky
Price: USD 115 (2026, based on recent auction results)
Age Statement: NAS
Strength: 45.6% ABV
Details: Bottled 2022; batch 22F1880; 1,867 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times (once blind) over 3 months from a sample. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Oak notes up front: toasted oak, a bit of tobacco leaf, it smells old. Butterscotch and caramel bring sweetness, along with a bit of cherry and some vanilla; lighter herbal scents like sage, dill, and some dried grass build over time, hinting at that rye content. Soft menthol and perfume notes show up, too.
Palate: Cinnamon and a decent amount of tobacco, especially fresh tobacco leaves; black pepper adds more spice, and then we get mint, dill, lots of herbal rye. Licorice, wood tannins, and some dry hay come next; the mouthfeel has a medium thickness at most.
Finish: Peppery oak, more tobacco, lots of vanilla and brown sugar and cinnamon. The minty side still lingers from that rye grain, and we get a bit of an absinthe taste and some 'crafty' oak, too. More mellow and mild now; the finish has a medium length.
Final Note: Our first session with this whisky was just okay, but this really opened up nicely over time. We think there's probably some older whisky in this blend, as the aged oak notes really shine through well on the nose and in the beginning of the palate. Plenty of rye flavors show up, too - lots of flavor in general, but the mouthfeel and length of finish suffer a little bit from the lower bottling strength.
Good whisky overall, and even though it's a little pricey at the suggested retail price, we think it's worth it if this is your favorite flavor profile. The secondary prices are still hovering around the original retail price, too, so it shouldn't be too challenging to find.
Our Rating: 7.5 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.17
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other Michter’s reviews:
Review #590 - Michter's US-1 Straight Bourbon
