In 1997, when Jefferson’s was first starting out, we found a 15-year-old bourbon that we immediately knew was rich, complex and needed to be brought to market. It was in 2003 that we decided to bring in other bourbons to marry with the original Jefferson’s Reserve. Similar to Jefferson’s, we still use over 50% of that mash bill and add up to 3 more bourbons to create more flavor and complexities. Jefferson’s Reserve is a big, sophisticated bourbon that has a lot of flavor up front, a lot of weight mid palate and a deep, wonderful finish.
This bourbon started out as an experiment with just three bourbon barrels on Trey’s friend, Chris Fischer of OCEARCH’s ship, in a curious effort to discover what would happen if bourbon was left to weather the extreme elements: temperature fluctuations, salt air and the gentle rocking of the ship. The result was a thick, dark bourbon that showcases complex flavors reminiscent of other spirits; the almost black color and caramel flavors resemble a dark rum as the sugars within the barrels caramelized; the briny, savory taste from the barrels breathing the sea air is reminiscent of Islay Scotch; and at its core, it’s a true bourbon. Due to a massive demand from consumers, Trey has now commercialized this experiment and sent hundreds of barrels around the world. Each voyage of Jefferson’s Ocean typically crosses the equator four times, visits five continents and over 30 ports on an average sailing.
In 1997, when Jefferson’s was first starting out, we found a 15-year-old bourbon that we immediately knew was rich, complex and needed to be brought to market. It was in 2003 that we decided to bring in other bourbons to marry with the original Jefferson’s Reserve. Similar to Jefferson’s, we still use over 50% of that mash bill and add up to 3 more bourbons to create more flavor and complexities. Jefferson’s Reserve is a big, sophisticated bourbon that has a lot of flavor up front, a lot of weight mid palate and a deep, wonderful finish.
Thomas Jefferson, our third president, was a wine aficionado. He was America’s first ambassador to France and, while there, fell in love with the finest wines of Bordeaux. Once of his favorites was the Chateau Pichon Baron, an exceptional red wine. Based on our experience finishing Jefferson’s in creative ways and in various types of casks, we felt strongly that the Pichon Baron wine and the toasted staves of the French oak wine casks would complement our well age, complex Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey. After hand selecting a limited number of Pichon Baron barrels, refilling them with Jefferson’s Reserve bourbon and extra aging them in our proprietary “hot box” environment, we have created a one-of-a-kind whiskey that combines the robust flavors of the Bordeaux, the wood notes of both American and French oak and the grain of a premium bourbon in a delicious, complex and balanced final product.
Jefferson's Bourbon was founded in 1997 by father and son team Trey and Chet Zoller and is distributed by Castle Brands, which develops and markets a variety of other spirts. Blended from just 15 casks of Bourbon aged 21 to 24 years, Jefferson's 21 Year Old bourbon pays homage to one of America's most important founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson. A distiller in his own right, Jefferson routinely turned excess grains from his farm into drinkable spirits. Colored a dark saffron, today's 21 Year Old Jefferson bourbon displays aromas of vanilla, caramel and rye spice on the nose, while the palate is covered in flavors of honey, warm pecan pie, cinnamon and oak. The finish is long and elegant, with slight floral and citrus notes complemented by a creamy vanilla finish.
“This is precious bourbon since there are very few bottles of this age with this complexity,” says Jefferson’s founder and master blender Trey Zoeller. “This limited release whiskey aged beautifully. Because of the nuanced flavor profile, this Jefferson’s Presidential Select Straight Bourbon Whiskey is sure to become one of our most coveted bottlings.”