Graham cracker | Toasted cinnamon | Melted caramel | Raspberry | Seasoned oak

Orange peel | Toffee | Vanilla nougat | Apricot | Marshmallow | Quite sweet

Toasted oak | Cinnamon frosting | Orange chocolate | Baking spices | Black pepper

Shenk’s Homestead is part of Michter’s Legacy Series, which also includes Bomberger’s Declaration, and it honors the brand’s history. The name originates from the company’s founder, John Shenk, and according to the company, “in 1753, Swiss Mennonite farmer John Shenk founded Shenk’s distillery, which was later renamed Bomberger’s Distillery in the 1800s before having its name changed once again to Michter’s Distillery in the mid-20th Century.” It has been released annually since 2018.

Shenk’s Homestead Sour Mash Whiskey is made in-house, unlike many of their sourced Michter’s whiskeys. The company doesn’t disclose much about each release beyond a few morsels of information. For the 2026 release, the whiskey once again features “a good amount of rye” in its mashbill and uniquely includes caramel malted barley. An undisclosed portion of the fully matured whiskey was also finished in uncharred toasted French oak barrels.

Shenk’s Homestead Sour Mash Whiskey is typically a classic-style tasting bourbon at heart. That once again continues with the 2026 edition, with oak, vanilla, and caramel at its core. It remains a rather sweet-tasting whiskey, especially on the palate, with near-candied notes of orange peel, vanilla nougat, apricot, and marshmallow. Much of this extra sweetness likely comes from the inclusion of caramel malted barley this year. Gentle toasted oak comes through on the finish, smoothly transitioning to cinnamon frosting and orange chocolate, before baking spices and black pepper add a small pop near the end.

Shenk’s often gets overshadowed by its flashier counterpart, Bomberger’s, released at the same time. Shenk’s still hasn’t matched or exceeded Bomberger’s since its 2023 release with its more flavorful, creamy sip. Shenk’s has a good amount of flavor for its proof, which I find gets lost when you’re tasting it alongside other whiskeys. The flavors are delicate but reveal themselves more vividly on a clean palate. Michter's Shively Distillery deserves respect for making this in-house, but unfortunately, the quality of the yearly release can vary widely and often falls short of Michter’s sourced core releases, which cost a fraction as much. While many will thoroughly enjoy this year’s release, compared to what’s come before, it falls a bit short.