Shenk's Homestead Sour Mash Whiskey / 2025
The Stats
- Distillery: Michter’s Distillery
- Location: Louisville, KY
- Type: Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey
- Age: Undisclosed
- Proof: 91.2 (45.6% ALC/VOL)
- Mash Bill: Undisclosed
- Finish: Toasted French Oak (non-charred)
- Release: 2025 (Limited Release)
- Price: $110–120
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Shenk’s Homestead is more than a summer limited edition. It calls back to America’s earliest whiskey roots. The name goes back to 1753, when John Shenk, a Swiss Mennonite farmer, started a distillery in Pennsylvania. Over the centuries, that distillery became what we now know as Michter’s. Each year, Michter’s brings back the Shenk’s label to honor that colonial era, using a parchment-style label and wine-shaped glass that feel like pieces of history.
The 2025 Shenk’s Homestead is a Kentucky sour mash whiskey finished in toasted French oak. While it isn’t technically bourbon, it has the same depth and seriousness. Michter’s makes it entirely from their own distillate, not from sourced whiskey. At 91.2 proof, it is intended to be elegant, fruit-forward, and refined, rather than bold and overpowering.
A Whisper of Heritage
The 2025 Shenk’s release focuses on finesse rather than strength. Its character comes from honey, orchard fruit, and soft tea notes, while the toasted French oak subtly adds structure. This whiskey is all about refinement, showing that a pour can be memorable without being overwhelming.
Everything about Shenk’s, from its colonial-inspired design to its orchard-fruit sweetness, encourages you to slow down and enjoy the quieter side of American whiskey history.
Tasting Notes
Aroma:
Fresh and fruity, with honeycrisp apples, vanilla bean, and floral highlights. Honey sweetness dominates initially, followed by soft, herbal tones that evoke tea leaves and light oak.
Taste:
The nose’s promise carries through. Honey, apple, and citrus peel layered with clove and herbal tea. The toasted French oak imparts structure and subtle spice, never overpowering the fruit-forward base.
Finish:
Soft and clean. A touch of rye spice and floral sweetness lingers, though it fades faster than bolder whiskeys. Balanced, approachable, and true to its lower proof.
Artfully Bourbon Rating
7 / 10 - Good
Shenk’s Homestead 2025 is all about subtlety. It rewards patience with honey, apples, and tea-like herbal notes, wrapped in the structure of toasted French oak. At 91.2 proof, it’s polished and approachable, even if the finish fades sooner than some might hope.
For seasoned drinkers, Shenk’s may feel a little too polite for its $110+ price tag, primarily when higher-proof bottles in the same range deliver more punch. But for fans of fruit-forward, lower-proof whiskey, it’s a graceful pour that holds its own.
If you enjoy Maker’s Mark 46, Four Roses Small Batch Select, or the Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel, Shenk’s will feel familiar, but more delicate. Think of it as an elevated take on those profiles, with an old-world story attached.
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SOCIAL CLUB: WHISKEY OF THE MONTH Sample Pack Giveaway
We’re giving away a 2oz sample of Shenk’s Homestead AND Bomberger’s Declaration (2025 Releases), plus a couple of surprise pours we think you’ll enjoy.
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