Kentucky Bourbon Review

3 Rare Michter’s Bottles: Which One is the Best Pour? 

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We scored big at Michter’s Fort Nelson in downtown Louisville! After three years of trying, Rebecca finally landed a coveted spot for the exclusive “Bottle Your Own” (BYO) Barrel Strength Bourbon experience. But that wasn’t all—we also walked away with the brand-new Michter’s US★1 Barrel Strength Sour Mash (Batch 26D0898) and the highly anticipated 2026 Bomberger’s Declaration Bourbon finished in Chinquapin oak (Batch 26C0634)!

Join Wayne and Rebecca on Your Bourbon Journey as we pop the tops, break down the specs, and taste all three of these limited Michter’s releases side-by-side. Is the inaugural Barrel Strength Sour Mash worth the $120 retail price tag? Does the 2026 Chinquapin-finished Bomberger’s outshine the lineup? And how does the 116.4 proof Fort Nelson Reserve hand-fill hold up against the hype? 

Grab a pour and join us in the tasting room! Drop a comment below and let us know: Have you ever done the Bottle Your Own experience at Fort Nelson, and which 2026 Michter’s drop are you hunting this year?

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Michter’s US★1 Barrel Strength Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey

  • Classification: Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey
  • Distillery: Michter’s Distillery (Louisville, KY)
  • Mash Bill: Undisclosed (proprietary blend where no single grain reaches 51%, straddling bourbon and rye profiles)
  • Age: NAS
  • Proof: 111.2 (55.6% ABV)
  • SRP: $120
  • Released: May 2026 (Inaugural barrel-strength release of the US★1 Sour Mash)
  • Other: Batch No. 26D0898; limited small batch; 103-proof barrel entry; signature Michter’s filtration.
  • Purchased: 08/15/2026 for $119 at Michter’s Fort Nelson (Louisville, KY)

Bomberger’s Declaration Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (2026 Release)

  • Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Distillery: Michter’s Distillery (Louisville, KY)
  • Mash Bill: Undisclosed (high corn content balanced with a significant portion of malted rye)
  • Age: NAS
  • Proof: 108 (54.0% ABV)
  • SRP: $120
  • Released: June/July 2026 (Part of the annual Michter’s Legacy Series alongside Shenk’s Homestead)
  • Other: Bottle 826 of 2,503; Batch No. 26C0634; incorporates bourbon aged/finished in custom toasted and charred Chinquapin oak barrels air-dried and seasoned for three years.
  • Purchased: 08/15/2026 for $129 at Michter’s Fort Nelson (Louisville, KY) 

Michter’s Fort Nelson Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Barrel Strength – Bottle Your Own)

  • Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Distillery: Michter’s Distillery (Louisville, KY)
  • Mash Bill: Undisclosed (standard Michter’s bourbon mash bill)
  • Age: NAS (Non-Age Stated)
  • Proof: 116.4 (58.2% ABV)
  • SRP: $160 (Distillery Exclusive / BYO Experience)
  • Released: Bottled 08/15/2026
  • Other: Michter’s Fort Nelson “Bottle Your Own” hand-fill experience; Barrel No. FN26F2246; single barrel; barrel entry proof 103.
  • Purchased: 08/15/2026 for $160 at Michter’s Fort Nelson (Louisville, KY)

🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨

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NOTE: The spirits in this review were purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.

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Don’t Buy An Old Jett Finish Until You Watch This

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Four for Tuesday! On this episode of Your Bourbon Journey, Wayne and Rebecca dive into an incredible “Curiosities & Wood” flight featuring four unique expressions of The Old Jett Brothers Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey from Neeley Family Distillery in Sparta, Kentucky.

Known for their traditional sweet-mash, double pot-distilled approach and exceptional flavor profiles, Royce Neeley and the team have crafted some of the most adventurous barrel finishes in craft whiskey. From fortified and dry European wine casks to Mexican Sotol and multi-use hybrid wood, we break down the nose, palate, and finish on each pour to crown a unanimous favorite for our monthly blind whiskey competition.

Featured Flight Details:

🍇🌾🍯 Old Jett Finished in White Port Barrel

🍷🍫🇮🇹 Old Jett Finished in Amarone Wine Barrel

🎆🌵💥 Old Jett Finished in Sotol Barrel (America’s 250th Anniversary Edition) 

🪵🥧🍂 Old Jett Finished in Brandy Amburana Rye Hybrid Cask

Which of these wild barrel finishes would you try first? Let us know in the comments below!

Connect With Us & Support The Journey! 

🎓 Want to earn a FREE Whiskey Certificate? Start your bourbon education journey with Whiskey University today! Take your first steps here: https://www.whiskeyuniv.com/first-steps

❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌

The Old Jett Brothers Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in a White Port Barrel

  • Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Finished)
  • Distillery: Neeley Family Distillery (DSP-KY-20039 — Sparta, KY)
  • Mash Bill: Sweet-Mash Wheated Bourbon
  • Age: NAS (Primary maturation ~4–5 years + 28 months secondary finishing; fortified wine)
  • Proof: 107 (53.5% ABV)
  • Purchased 07/24/26 for $100 at Neeley Family Distillery in Sparta, KY

The Old Jett Brothers Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Amarone Wine Barrel

  • Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Finished)
  • Distillery: Neeley Family Distillery (DSP-KY-20039 — Sparta, KY)
  • Mash Bill: Sweet-Mash High-Rye Bourbon
  • Age: NAS (Primary maturation ~4–5 years + 11 months secondary finishing; dry red wine cask)
  • Proof: 106.4 (53.2% ABV)
  • Other: Finished in European Italian Amarone red wine casks.
  • Purchased 07/24/26 for $100 at Neeley Family Distillery in Sparta, KY

The Old Jett Brothers Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Sotol Barrel

  • Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Finished)
  • Distillery: Neeley Family Distillery (DSP-KY-20039 — Sparta, KY)
  • Mash Bill: Sweet-Mash High-Rye Bourbon
  • Age: NAS (Primary maturation ~4–5 years + 19 months secondary finishing; botanical / agave-adjacent spirit finish)
  • Proof: 112.4 (56.2% ABV)
  • Other: Finished in casks previously holding Mexican Sotol spirit (distilled wild Dasylirion plant).
  • Purchased 07/24/26 for $100 at Neeley Family Distillery in Sparta, KY

The Old Jett Brothers Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Brandy Amburana Rye (Cask)

  • Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Finished)
  • Distillery: Neeley Family Distillery (DSP-KY-20039 — Sparta, KY)
  • Mash Bill: Sweet-Mash High-Rye Bourbon
  • Age: NAS (Primary maturation ~4–5 years + 48 months / 4 years secondary finishing; exotic wood and fruit brandy hybrid)
  • Proof: 103 (51.5% ABV)
  • Other: An extended 4-year finish in hybrid casks that conditioned both fruit brandy and Brazilian Amburana oak.
  • Purchased 07/24/26 for $100 at Neeley Family Distillery in Sparta, KY

🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨

❓Questions❓ YourBourbonJourney@gmail.com

NOTE: The spirits in this review were purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.

#Bourbon #WhiskeyReview #OldJett #NeeleyFamilyDistillery #FinishedBourbon #CraftSpirits #KentuckyBourbon #WhiskeyTasting #BourbonFlight #YourBourbonJourney #SotolFinish #Amburana #SweetMash #BourbonCommunity #WhiskeyTube

5094 Transplant Bourbon: The Better Double-Oaked? 

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Empire Meets Bluegrass: 5094 Transplant Bourbon Review 🥃

What happens when New York spirit meets Kentucky craftsmanship? You get the 5094 Transplant by 5094 Distilling, an incredible 4-year four-grain bourbon that made its debut at Glenns Creek Distilling. In today’s journey, we sit down with a bottle of the very first release (Barrel #1, Bottle #5!) to see if this “transplant” has found a perfect home in the Bluegrass state.

Distilled in New York and finished for three years in world-renowned Radoux Tonnellerie toasted French oak barrels, this 94.8 proof bourbon offers a sophisticated profile far beyond its $54 price point. We’re talking dark brown sugar, charred marshmallow, espresso, and cocoa notes that give even the most famous double-oaked bourbons a run for their money.

We also dive into the story of Tom Jones and his vision for 5094 Distilling at the historic, abandoned Old Lewis Hunter Distillery site. Is this a contender for Whiskey of the Month? Watch to find out!

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✴️ 5094 Transplant

  • Classification: Bourbon Whiskey
  • Company: 5094 Distilling
  • Distillery: Distilled in New York
  • Bottled: Glenns Creek Distilling
  • Mash Bill: Four Grain
  • Age: 7 Years (4 years in new charred oak, followed by 3 years in a toasted barrel)
  • Proof: 94.8
  • MSRP: $54
  • Released: February 2026
  • Purchased: 02/28/26 for $54 at Glenns Creek Distilling in Frankfort KY

5094 Transplant Product Link: https://glennscreekdistillery.com/product/transplant-radoux-barrel-finished-bourbon-we-dont-ship-this-product-please-scroll-down/

❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌

🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨

❓Questions❓ YourBourbonJourney@gmail.com

NOTE: The spirit in this review was purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.

#BourbonReview #5094Distilling #GlennsCreekDistilling #YourBourbonJourney #KentuckyBourbon #WhiskeyTasting #ToastedBarrel #CraftBourbon #BourbonCommunity #NewWhiskeyRelease #SingleBarrel #BourbonLife #DrinkResponsibly #WhiskeyJourney #TomJonesBourbon