Bomberger’s PFG Joins the Michter’s Lineup

Bomberger’s Declaration Bourbon, launched in 2014, is a nod to the history of its parent company, Michter’s, which was called Bomberger’s from around 1860 — until Prohibition forced the distillery’s closure in 1919. While its name reflects the past, the whiskey itself looks more to the future. 

For the past several years, the annual Declaration releases were partly aged in rarely used Chinkapin oak, a varietal of American white oak that imparts a distinctively spicy and intense flavor profile to the whiskey. Now, Michter’s has pushed its barrel-aging boundaries further still with the first release of Bomberger’s PFG Kentucky Straight Bourbon, an experimental expression with French oak that Michter’s president Joe Magliocco describes as “a journey into the realm of wood science and its potential to influence whiskey in a variety of ways including aroma, taste, texture and finish.”

Bomberger’s PFG (short for Precision Fine Grain) is part of the Michter’s Legacy Series, which includes Bomberger’s Declaration. Much like Declaration, PFG’s origins remain a mystery — Michter’s keeps mum about whether the bourbon is distilled at its Shively, Kentucky distillery or sourced elsewhere. The mashbill is also undisclosed, save for the requirement that it contains at least 51% corn. 

However, what we do know is that after aging for an unspecified length of time in new American oak, the whiskey is then finished in barrels made of fine-grained French oak from several different forests within the region, including Tronçais, Allier, Nevers, and Vosges. Beyond that, the staves used for these barrels were air-dried for at least 40 months by the Charente River, a meticulous process meant to enhance the whiskey’s complexity. 

But why go to the trouble? 

“Natural seasoning and air drying allow the barrels to experience physical, chemical, and microbiological changes that get rid of less desirable compounds and expose beautiful extractives in preparation of the wood for aging whiskey,” says Andrea Wilson, Michter’s master of maturation. “Kiln drying is faster and can provide physical changes to the wood, but you miss the opportunity to alter and transform the chemistry and structure of the wood.” 

The location of the staves also exposes them to that particular microclimate, which, of course, further influences the flavor of the whiskey. The length of finishing is also under wraps, with Wilson noting, “Because experimentation can take years and tremendous effort by our team… we want to try to keep a few secrets.” 

As with all of Michter’s releases, PFG is filtered using its custom filtration protocol before bottling. Compared to Declaration, PFG sports a lower proof, 50.1% ABV versus 54.2%. “We choose the best proof for our products through tastings and evaluation of each expression by our internal tasting panel,” says Wilson. “The goal is not to simply choose a proof but choose a proof that we believe creates an enjoyable drinking experience.” 

The difference between the two Bomberger’s is apparent even in their appearance, with PFG sporting a darker, redder hue than Declaration. Wilson describes it as “integrated and complex… bursting with exquisite fruits and spice, surrounded by toasty, sweet notes with an elegant bouquet.” She further characterizes the finish as “luxurious, with a creamy mouthfeel that has lingering soft spice and chocolate.”

While Bomberger’s Declaration isn’t going anywhere, but PFG is here to stay as well. “Our team is so proud of PFG that we have taken steps to lay down more of it to offer in the future,” Wilson says. 

Take heed, though — Bomberger’s expressions change from year to year, so this exact flavor profile is likely a one-time-only affair. One this batch is gone, it’s gone for good.