Several months ago, I filmed an interview for SoIn2Bourbon with the founders, Glenn Hockersmith and Charlie Jenney, at the Frazier Museum in downtown Louisville. The museum is Kentucky’s largest history museum and serves as the official starting point of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®. Just a couple of blocks away is Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery, where my wife and I stopped for a second visit after the interview. We enjoyed the beautiful bar located on the second floor, which I highly recommend to anyone who appreciates bourbon.
Michter’s has a long and storied history that sets it apart from many other distilleries covered in my book, as much of its legacy unfolds in Pennsylvania rather than Kentucky. The story began in 1753 in Schaefferstown, when Michael Shenk started whiskey production along Snitzel Creek. In 1827, the distillery transitioned from the Shenk family to Rudolph Meyer, who sold it to Abraham Bomberger in 1860.
Renamed Abraham Bomberger and Sons, the distillery came under the primary control of Bomberger’s older son, Horst, after Abe passed away in 1904. Horst managed the business until Prohibition forced its closure in 1920. The distillery was subsequently acquired by Schenley Distilleries, one of the top four producers of the time, alongside National Distillers, Hiram-Walker, and Seagram. After returning home from World War II, Louis Forman repurchased the distillery from Schenley and renamed it Michter’s in 1950.
Many distilleries faced major challenges during the 1970s and 1980s when bourbon fell out of favor, and Michter’s was no exception, ultimately ceasing all production in early 1990. It would never again produce whiskey in Pennsylvania.
In 1996, the legal trademark for Michter’s had been abandoned, and Joe Magliocco and Dick Newman acquired it for the nominal filing fee of $275. Unlike many revived distilleries, they had no familial connections to previous owners and no ties to Pennsylvania. They chose to restart production in Kentucky, a decision that has proven very beneficial.
Michter’s main production facilities are in the Shively area of southwestern Louisville, while their Visitors Center and tours are downtown at Fort Nelson, similar to Old Forester’s setup. This arrangement distinguishes them from larger producers like Maker’s Mark and Buffalo Trace, which offer tours and tastings at a single location encompassing production, aging, and bottling.
Michter’s has received numerous accolades, including Whisky of the Year from The Whisky Exchange, Best American Whiskey from Food & Wine Magazine, and Distillery of the Year from Wine Enthusiast.
At their Fort Nelson facility on Whiskey Row in downtown Louisville, Michter’s offers three types of tours. The Discovery Tour lasts one hour and is available daily, except Mondays. The Founders Tour, offered twice a week, lasts 1.5 hours and concludes with a tasting of seven different whiskey expressions.
The Legacy Tour is held once a month and is an in-depth, two-hour experience led by a senior member of the Michter’s team. This tour also concludes with a tasting of seven expressions, including either their 20- or 25-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbons. These bottles typically command several thousand dollars on the secondary market, making them a fitting finale to a special experience
Mark Meade is the author of The Bourbon Journey, a travel guide that highlights our iconic bourbon distilleries and the experience of bourbon tourism. This column serves as a natural extension of the book. All rights reserved. For questions or comments, contact the author at [email protected].
