Jefferson's Reserve Ridiculously Very Small Batch Warehouse Liquors Private Selection Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:
- $45
- 90.2 Proof
- NAS
- Kentucky

Once again Warehouse Liquors in Chicago proves that they know what they're doing when it comes to picking barrels. Having never run across a private select from Jefferson's, and being a fan of Jefferson's generally, I had to pick this one up and give it a loving home.

The nose was interesting. It had almost a cola scent to it. It smelled like a Vanilla Coke, just with not as much vanilla in it. It was sweet with absolutely no burn. The notes were subtle, and it certainly wasn't pungent, but what was there made me eager to try my first pour.

Unfortunately, I went in with high expectations, having loved every other private selection I've tried from Warehouse Liquors, and initially this one underwhelmed. It came across as soft and simple, with no complexities and very straight-forward flavor. Initially I got a bunch of amaretto flavor, but on the sweet and mild side. It was almost candy-like in this way, though I just couldn't think of a candy to compare it to.

I also got notes of milk chocolate and caramel, and while all of this sounds good, each of these flavors were soft and muted, and I really wanted more from it.

However, as I made my way through this bottle over the next few weeks, this bourbon just got better and better as I went. What was disappointing at the start, ended up exceeding my expectations and turning out to be a great whiskey!

The amaretto, which was the most forward flavor to start, seemed to fade to the background, making way for the milk chocolate and even a marshmallow note. It also seemed to get sweeter and sweeter as it went.

The last few pours were like drinking candy corn and buttery marshmallows. It also maintained a cereal quality, like Corn Checks, throughout, that, when mixed with that buttery marshmallow, made this a dessert-like whiskey that I found myself craving. It was as though I developed a sweet tooth for this whiskey.

Considering the first few pours were underwhelming, I nonetheless give this whiskey a high grade because of just how strong it finished. By the end I found myself wishing I had grabbed another bottle for future consumption. This is one of those bottles that reminds me why I prefer writing my reviews only after I've finished a bottle.

Grade: A-

Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Jefferson's Reserve has never shied away from trying new things with bourbon, and there was a ton of promotion for their ocean voyage releases. The general premise is that they took bourbon barrels and placed them on a bot to age as the boat traveled from port to port through some warmer climates. This would allow the bourbon to interact with the wood more and draw out some additional flavor.

I was very intrigued and eager to try one of these releases, and when I saw bottles of what Jefferson's called "Voyage No. 3" (or, in other words, batch #3), I felt it worth giving a shot.

On the first pour, I noticed primarily a caramel scent on the nose. There was something else to it, but I couldn't quite place my finger on it. That was until I took my first sip, and then it was unmistakable.

This bourbon is actually very briny. I didn't expect the salt from the ocean to make its way into the bourbon, but there is no question that's what happened here. The caramel flavors are also there, making it a salty/sweet bourbon. However, the saltiness is not exactly a good thing.

The brininess of this bourbon overwhelms, and it's very hard to get past that tangy, pickle-juice type flavor to really enjoy it. It's a shame, because, although it's faint, there were hints of some very yummy flavors, reminiscent of white chocolate covered pretzels. Those flavors were buried, though, and difficult to really enjoy.

After letting the bottle sit for a while before I went back to it (it wasn't exactly my first go-to when I wanted a drink), I did notice that the brininess had subdued a bit, but it still managed to overwhelm. Unfortunately, the sweet, salted caramel flavor of the bourbon likewise diminished some as well. It was more drinkable, but not necessarily more enjoyable.

Ultimately, I take this bourbon for what it is--an experiment. I've had great experience with Jefferson's traditional bourbons, and will continue to go back to that well, but this particular experiment, to me, is a bust.

Grade: C-

Jefferson's Reserve Very Old Very Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:
- $55
- 90.2 Proof
- NAS

While perusing the shelves at the local Binny's, my eyes were drawn to a bottle that I've looked at and thought about before but just never pulled the trigger on.  This time, though, I had no excuse.

I didn't know much about Jefferson's Reserve, but as I understood, it is an Indiana company that barreled and blended bourbon sourced from Kentucky.  Even that may not be completely accurate, I still don't know.  (EDIT: Jefferson's was kind enough to thank me for my review and inform me that it is a Kentucky company sourcing American whiskey. I was clearly misinformed, but glad to have it cleared up as I wasn't certain in the first place). Nonetheless, I grabbed the bottle of Very Old Very Small Batch Bourbon.

The name may seem a bit silly (almost as if it's trying too hard to tell the consumer this is something worth paying a few extra dollars for).  However, the name/description aside, I found this to be a seriously good bourbon.

This is a bourbon that I would primarily describe as buttery.  It's somewhere in the middle as far as its body. It's not watery, but it's not too thick either.

The flavor makes this bourbon, and it was honestly unlike any other bourbon I had.  The buttery flavor underscored a nice blend of vanilla and cocoa.  There's a slight hint of coffee, and the oaky wood-tone usually seen in more mature bourbons came through as well.  I couldn't help but be reminded of white chocolate macadamia nut cookies.

This was a bottle that I absolutely devoured.  While I still have plenty of other bottles I want to try, I would not hesitate to grab another bottle of this.  Granted, because they're produced in "very" small batches, there may be some change in flavor from bottle to bottle, but I'd be comfortable in taking that chance.

Grade: A