Michter's Distillery

America’s first whiskey distilling company, Michter’s rich history dates back to 1753 when a farmer in Pennsylvania’s Blue Mountain Valley distilled his first batch of whiskey from hardy rye. At one point a Master Distiller left his family’s well-known distillery to join Michter’s so he could be at a smaller, less cost-conscious company where he could make the finest whiskey, cost be damned.
We continue this grand distilling tradition in Kentucky by never releasing our whiskeys until both our Master Distiller Pamela Heilmann and our panel of whiskey tasters deem them ready. In fact, our whiskey is often much older than the age statement on the label. At Michter’s we produce single barrel ryes, very small batch unblended American whiskey, very small batch bourbon, and single barrel bourbon.

Author: Caroline Porsiel

Caroline Porsiel is a master distiller and liqueurist based in East Ellijay, Georgia. She founded House of Applejay, a fine spirits and liqueur distillery, in 2022 with her mother, Sabine, crafting award-winning products like Applejay from Ellijay, Mt. Frozen Knob Vodka, and Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. The distillery won a 2024 Best of Georgia Award and a 2025 Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for its Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. As a founding member of the AMBRU Campaign, launched in 2020, Porsiel advocates for the global recognition of American Brandy and Rum. She continues to drive innovation in the craft spirits industry from her active distillery in the heart of Georgia’s apple country.