Review: Jefferson’s Reserve Cask Strength Bourbon and Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Voyage 31 Bourbon

Jefferson’s Reserve — the high-end, flagship sub-brand of the well-traveled Jefferson’s whiskey line — just got its latest expression, a cask strength offering of its Kentucky straight bourbon. Jefferson’s Reserve Cask Strength is a limited edition expression of 8 year old, unfiltered Kentucky stock sourced from an unnamed distillery.

While we’re here, we’re also taking a look at the latest Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea offering, which is aged in an ocean-faring shipping vessel for months after its initial maturation, constantly sloshing around thanks to the vagaries of being on the water. Voyage #31 is a blend of straight bourbon whiskeys. This one took a typically epic journey across the globe, to and from Savannah, Georgia.

Thoughts on both expressions follow.

Jefferson’s Reserve Cask Strength Bourbon Review

This whiskey features a nose of considerable punch, as one would expect at 65% abv, melding notes of barrel char and a touch of creosote with a slug of fresh, ground corn paired with grilled portobello mushrooms and an interesting green olive note. Toasty and lightly smoked at times, the whiskey’s nose is stashed in the back of the closet, keeping its secrets out of reach of the drinker.

The palate surprises, revealing a very fruity little bourbon, stuffed with flavors of apples both baked and freshly cut, green banana, tangerine, and black cherries. A veritable fruit salad, sweetness endures until a mix of baking spices come more into focus, followed by a clove-meets-cola conclusion. Surprisingly jammy on the finish, notes of vanilla and chocolate make for fun counterparts to the onslaught of the orchard, concluding with a dessert-like mix of all of the above, plus a touch of barrel char . Hints of dates and a slight sweet vermouth note linger.

All told it’s a delightful whiskey that seems surprisingly underpriced. I’d pick it up.

130 proof.

A- / $70 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Voyage 31 Bourbon Review

A fairly tame offering for this series, Voyage 31 finds Jefferson’s Ocean with a quiet and sweet nose, amplifying its cola-heavy qualities while showcasing a gently beefy undercurrent that emerges with time in glass. Notes of nutmeg, ginger, and corn oil all echo on a lengthy aromatic journey.

The palate is bold with corn up top, followed again by that cola, black tea, and a touch of pepper. The whiskey comes across as clean and in fact a little thin, with vanilla and a touch of leather the primary flavors showcased in the midpalate. A brown sugar sweetness is offset by a spray of greenery as the finish arrives, concluding with hints of red pepper.

All told, it clocks in as a rather mid-level expression of Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea.

90 proof.

B+ / $80 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

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