Michter’s Announces 2024 Release of Its Legacy Series, Composed of Its 2 Most Under-the-Radar Whiskeys

Michter’s announced the 2024 releases of Shenk’s Homestead Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey and Bomberger’s Declaration Kentucky Straight Bourbon. (Photo: Michter’s)

Michter’s, the wildly popular American whiskey brand, announced the 2024 release of its Legacy Series, which holds its two most under-the-radar expressions.

So under-the-radar are these two bottlings that many whiskey drinkers have no idea they’re affiliated with Michter’s.

The release is composed of Shenk’s Homestead Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey and Bomberger’s Declaration Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Neither bottle prominently displays the Michter’s name, which has led some whiskey enthusiasts to refer to these releases as “secret Michter’s.”

Each Shenk’s Homestead and Bomberger’s Declaration differs from prior releases, which means less consistency but more excitement.

“While there is some continuity from year to year, our production team makes creative adjustments to each edition of these whiskeys,” Michter’s President Joseph J. Magliocco said in a news release.

Shenk’s is bottled at 91.2 proof and has a suggested retail price of $110. Bomberger’s is more powerful in terms of ABV at 108 proof and has a suggested retail price of $120.

The 2024 release of Shenk’s Homestead incorporated caramel malt in its mashbill for the first time, paired with rye and malted rye. According to Michter’s Master Distiller Dan McKee, the caramel malt adds “a nice creaminess to complement the whiskey’s herbaceous qualities and notes of spice.”

Some of the barrels used to age the whiskey were made of wood sourced from the Vosges region of France. The barrels were air-dried and seasoned for two years before being toasted in Michter’s trademark style.

This year’s Bomberger’s release also includes malted rye in its mashbill.

“This year’s release of Shenk’s and Bomberger’s is a reflection of the passion the team has for making exciting whiskeys with a thoughtful touch of exploration,” Michter’s Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson said in a news release. “The 2024 edition of Bomberger’s continues the use of some Chinquapin (Quercus muehlenbergii) oak to accentuate the dark chocolate and stewed fruit notes in this big whiskey that are then complemented by the spice notes offering a bold, rich, balanced complexity and a long lingering warm finish for your drinking indulgence.”

According to Michter’s, the Chinquapin oak was air-dried and seasoned outdoors for three years before being toasted and charred.
Both whiskeys are named for previous iterations of the original Michter’s distillery. Shenk’s distillery was founded by farmer John Shenk in 1753 in Pennsylvania. The distillery was  renamed Bomberger’s Distillery in the 1800s. Bomberger’s shut down in 1919 thanks to Prohibition. After repeal, it reopened and changed hands multiple times until it was eventually renamed Michter’s in the 1950s. One of the owners at the time came up with the name by combining the names of his sons, Michael and Peter.

Michter’s owners declared bankruptcy in 1989, and it remained dormant until Magliocco and Richard Newman resurrected the distillery in Kentucky in the 1990s.

Last year, Drinks International declared Michter’s the most admired whiskey brand in the world.

The World’s Most Admired Whiskies list debuted in 2021, and Michter’s became the first American brand to claim the top spot last year.

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