From the rye list, Michter’s is a benchmark American rye with a long history, a single-barrel pour that whiskey lovers in Kirkland seek out ($15 by the pour, or $22.50 for a larger pour).
About Michter’s Rye
The Michter’s name traces back to 1753 and a Pennsylvania distillery founded by John Shenk, a Swiss Mennonite farmer who made whiskey from local rye grain. After the original operation closed in the late 1980s, Joseph Magliocco and whiskey veteran Dick Newman revived the brand, and today Michter’s distills in Louisville, Kentucky. The US*1 Kentucky Straight Rye is made from select American rye grain, and every bottle comes from a single barrel, a reflection of the company’s focus on quality over volume.
Tasting Notes
Kentucky straight rye is prized for its spice-driven character, bringing peppery warmth and baking-spice notes alongside the grain’s natural depth. Michter’s single-barrel approach tends to give a full, well-balanced pour with a smooth, lingering finish. It is a rye that rewards slow sipping.
What to Pair It With
This is a sipping rye. Enjoy it neat, over one large cube, or in a Manhattan or Old Fashioned. From the Sparrow dinner menu it is a great match for the American Wagyu steaks or the Sparrow-Smoked Rack, and it makes a fine after-dinner pour in our 21+ lounge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Michter’s Rye from?
Michter’s distills in Louisville, Kentucky today, though the brand’s roots trace back to a 1753 Pennsylvania distillery. The US*1 Kentucky Straight Rye is bottled from a single barrel.
How much is a pour of Michter’s Rye at Sparrow?
At Sparrow in Kirkland it is $15 by the pour, or $22.50 for a larger pour.
Find it on the Sparrow beverages menu near the Michters Sour Mash and the Leopold 3 Chamber Rye. We are in Kirkland’s Juanita neighborhood on the Eastside, so reserve a table and come taste it.