Celebration Time: Michter's And More Michter’s

Michter’s Celebration, 2026 edition. Only 315 bottles available worldwide… make that 314 1/2. (Photo by me)

Not to brag or anything, but I was into Michter’s before it was cool. Now that the brand has been awarded “World’s Most Admired Whisky” by Drinks International for three years running (I have no idea how it’s tabulated, to be perfectly honest, but hey, an award is an award), it’s hard to remember a time when it was looked down on by the top American whiskey writers at the time. But I remember, 15 or so years ago, hearing two of the biggest fish in the whiskey scribe pond bemoan the fact that president Joe Magliocco was spending a ton of money to build both a distillery and a visitors’ center, and complaining that he was trying to buy his way to respectability. Me, I just thought the whiskey was delicious, wherever it was made (or sourced, as it was in the company’s early days).

Since Michter’s distillery opened in 2015, the whiskey has just gotten better. I verified this by opening a bottle of their 10 Year Old bourbon from 2009 (which, in retrospect, I could have sold for a large sum of money) and comparing it to the more recent releases. But the flavor profile has remained remarkably the same — big and bold and never, ever overly tannic, even in the case of their 25 Year Old expression.

At Food & Wine, I’m proud to say I’m the go-to guy whenever Michter’s releases something new, which is surprisingly often. A few weeks ago I got to write up the latest edition of Celebration, the superannuated, ultra-expensive blend that changed perceptions of American whiskey when it was first released in 2013. No sooner did that article go live than the announcement of the 2026 edition of their 10 Year Old Bourbon came over the wire. My newsy Food & Wine articles don’t include my tasting notes, but I did get to taste them both, and… man, these guys just don’t miss. Magliocco may have spent a ton of money getting the brand to where it is, but it was money well spent.

Anyway, read my articles! Featuring quotes from Magliocco as well as master distiller Dan McKee and Michter’s Master of Maturation, Andrea Wilson!

Link to Celebration is -> HERE <-.

Link to 10 Year Old Bourbon (with a nice capsule history of Michter’s flagship bourbon) is -> HERE <-.