Jefferson's Reserve Old Rum Cask Finish

This is my full examination of Jefferson's. Feel free to skip to the tasting portion, as there will be numerous copied introductions. ~~~~~~~~~~ Concept: I enter a liquor store and see a vast amount of Jefferson's bottles, yet I know very little about them. My impression is that I generally dislike their products, but somehow, before starting this project, I already had six different Jefferson's on hand. How did they end up in my possession? ~~~~~~~~~~ Methodology: Step 1: Jefferson’s Very Small Batch. The initial subject. Where did it all begin? I've never had it, so it's an excellent starting point. This was acquired specifically for this undertaking. Step 2: Jefferson’s VSB compared to Jefferson’s Reserve (Very Old Very Small Batch). I already had this one. How did it get into my collection? Step 3: Jefferson’s VSB compared to Jefferson’s Ocean. Is it a marketing ploy? Again, how did this one make its way home? Step 4: Jefferson’s Ocean standard compared to Jefferson’s Ocean wheated mash bill. The same question about its presence in my house applies here. Step 5: Finished Jefferson’s expressions. I have the rum, Sauternes, and Prichard Hill varieties. Let's proceed. Step 6: A blind tasting with all seven. Furthermore, let's include the Chef’s Collaboration. (Seriously, how?) That makes eight total. Can I identify them based on the previous steps? Are there any standout Jefferson's expressions, or is it all just marketing? The stakes are incredibly low, creating palpable tension. ~~~~~~~~~~ Disclaimer: To begin, I don't particularly enjoy Jefferson's overall. There's a peculiar artificial fruitiness that I can't ignore. My hope is to discover a preferred Jefferson's product by the conclusion of this process. ~~~~~~~~~~ Finished Jefferson’s, also known as “Step 5” I have previously tasted and reviewed all of these individually, so this is less of a tasting note and more of a comparison of value and quality for the Old Rum Cask Finish, the Prichard Hill Cabernet Cask Finish, and the Sauternes Cask Finish. Regarding the rum finish: This ranked quite low among other rum finishes I've sampled, but when compared to its counterparts here, this bourbon performs admirably. It's my preferred of these three, by a significant margin. Comparing it to Blood Oath pact 5 and Borough (which I consider unfair matchups) made me overlook the strengths of this whiskey. My previous assessment of this bottling was too harsh, so I am correcting that now. This is genuinely a commendable expression, and Jefferson's executed it well. I intend to keep a bottle of this on hand, provided it's available at retail. Tasting notes: The aroma presents lemon, sea salt, and a subtle fruitiness. The body enhances that fruitiness with the addition of sweet cherries. The finish offers cinnamon, salt, pepper, and more sea salt. Regarding the Prichard Hill: I don't appreciate this one as much as I did previously. I recall experiencing palate fatigue from tasting numerous Cabernet-finished whiskeys, and in that context, this was less unpleasant than some. Now, when compared to other finishes, it's mediocre and considerably less enjoyable than the rum finish. It's interesting how subjective one's palate can be. When this bottle is emptied, I do not plan on repurchasing it. Regarding the Sauternes finish: From my exploration of barrel finishes, I discovered that Sauternes can be executed exceptionally well (like Boone County) and very poorly (like Hillrock). This falls somewhere in between. On its own, it's an interesting choice for slow sipping. However, if you alternate between this and something less intensely sweet, it can genuinely overwhelm your palate. This is challenging to drink at times, and even more difficult to justify its value at its retail price. Based on my experiences with Sauternes finishes, I cannot claim these drawbacks are exclusive to Jefferson's, but they are certainly present here. I will not buy this again, and I would politely decline a free taste from a friend, unless no other options were available. ~~~~~~~~~~ One of my persistent questions at the outset was: “how did these end up in my possession?” For these three, the answer is straightforward. I conducted a barrel-finished comparison event some time ago, and Jefferson's conveniently provided several entries. These three do not even represent the complete selection currently available at my local liquor store. There is another, the French Oak Cask Finish, which was not part of the comparison. Unfortunately, the Groth Cask Finish, which I've heard is outstanding, was not accessible to me. The point is: Jefferson's is a significant player in the distinct realm of barrel-finished spirits, and their availability is noteworthy. If you are prepared to spend a bit more (relatively speaking), you can find these bottles readily. Overall, I am impressed with Jefferson's contributions to the barrel-finished category. They are not the absolute best; my current top choice in that regard is Bardstown. They do not offer the most value for money; I would place Borough, Isaac Bowman, and Angel's Envy above Jefferson's in that aspect. However, Jefferson's explores a wide array of finishing styles, and I anticipate they will produce several successful creations through their experimentation, with this rum finish being one such example.

AND WHAT BARREL DOES A PIRATE FAVOR? Rum? YES, YOU WOULD THINK SO. BUT IT'S ACTUALLY FIRST-FILL AMERICAN OAK THAT HAS BEEN CHARRED. This is the rum barrel-finished entry in my experiment comparing finished bourbons. Tonight, we're doing a blind tasting between Jefferson's Reserve Old Rum Cask Finish and Blood Oath Pact 5. Although I favored the aroma of Jefferson's, BOP5 significantly outperformed it in body and finish. I appreciate how both spirits approached rum barrel finishing, and I believe their methods differed. BOP5 requires more focus to fully appreciate its qualities than JR does, but if you invest the effort, the reward is substantially greater. The next blind tasting will be between Borough and Barrel Dovetail (a big thank you to a friend for the Dovetail!). Tasting notes for Jefferson's Reserve Old Rum Cask Finish: The aroma is the best aspect of this spirit. I could appreciate this smell for a long time. While I don't typically enjoy this specific Jefferson's characteristic scent in my whiskey, this is the finest execution of this aroma profile I've ever encountered. There's the grape jelly note, but it doesn't possess the sickeningly sweet quality it sometimes can. There's also a cherry sweetness present. The aroma has a balancing bitterness. I detect salt and lemon, along with brine. The body is a direct continuation of the aroma, but that excessively sweet mouthfeel persists. Sweet grape jam and cherries are the dominant flavors in the body. The finish is where the saltiness and brine become apparent. I believe a bitter lemon scent was subtly present in that transition, but the flavor itself is undetectable to me. I simply recall the combination of brine and sweetness affecting my taste buds in the past. There's chocolate present. I also get notes of leather, oak, and baking spices. If I had to pick one = chocolate. I don't dislike this spirit. It's one of my preferred Jefferson's expressions to date because they've slightly reduced the grape jelly intensity by incorporating salt and brine. I also think the rum influence had an interesting effect on the sweet body, almost creating a tropical sensation. Nevertheless, I'd classify this more as an "interesting" spirit rather than an "enjoyable" one. At this price point, I will definitely not purchase it again.

This ended up in my cart without much forethought. My past encounters with other bottlings from this brand have been positive. Rather than a story, here are the details: This particular bottle is from Batch 4, No. 03209. It's bottled at the typical 45.1% ABV for this brand and, naturally, spends time in rum barrels for an undefined duration. Nose: Notes of vanilla, toffee, caramel, brown sugar, and butterscotch are present. The rum cask adds a hint of molasses and sugar cane. Some sweet cherry and cocoa are detected. A touch of pumpkin spice and very subtle baking spice. It's a rather standard bourbon aroma with a slight rum character. Palate: The molasses and sugar cane flavors dominate here. The vanilla, toffee, brown sugar, caramel, and butterscotch are now joined by milk chocolate and hazelnut. Hints of graham cracker and toasted marshmallow appear. More pumpkin spice is noticeable, with a bit of ginger and cinnamon towards the end. This is really enjoyable. Finish: The finish is full of spice. Initially, it's more ginger, then a wave of cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and clove. Sweet vanilla is present throughout. It's of medium-long duration, which is quite good given the moderate ABV. This was a significant surprise. I picked it up on a whim, not expecting much, and I must say this is excellent. It's my first experience with a rum cask-finished bourbon/American whiskey, and it's a great combination when done right. For $70, I consider it a worthwhile purchase. I wouldn't spend more, but I believe it holds its own against other spirits at this price. The palate is the standout, but it's excellent from beginning to end. The familiar bourbon character blends with a pleasant amount of rum cask influence, creating a fantastic product. Highly recommended for bourbon enthusiasts seeking something different. It's also a good option for introducing someone to whiskey. Truly great stuff.

Rating: 18/23 I received this sample thanks to a friend. I've never tried this brand before, and rum-finished bourbon is always intriguing, so this should be a good experience. - Nose - Rich, toasty wood, with clear vanilla and a surprising hint of salted and roasted pork. A faint note of something drying that borders on slightly tart. - Palate - Quite rich, though not the fullest. There's a pleasant, strong, toasty vanilla and caramel sweetness, which touches on that pork note from the nose. Herbal flavors are also present, which is surprising as they sometimes make it taste more like a rye. - Finish - The sweetness is truly decadent, with enough complexity to be enjoyable as it lingers into the finish with the light herbal notes. - Conclusion - I like the profile of this. Its rye character reminds me of a specific bourbon (18/23), but comparatively, that one is sweeter and younger, as well as less complex. This is a more mature and sophisticated dram. The rum cask was an excellent choice here. This is a truly outstanding bourbon, with decadence, complexity, and maturity. The nuance makes this competitive with my latest bottle of a specific Balcones (19/23), so I think I'll give this the same rating. I wish it were fuller. I initially thought this might score a 20, but I'm now confident it's not. It could be an 18. It's either an 18 or a 19. I'm leaning towards an 18 now.

Nose: cotton candy, tobacco, cinnamon Taste: a thin mouthfeel, with fruity sweetness - cherry and raspberry, Finish: dry and reminiscent of red wine, cola, sugary cereal After reading other reviews: Flaviar confirms the sweet, fruit, and cinnamon notes I detected. Another reviewer on Whizzky also noted cereal in the finish. Fortunately, the fruit did not come across as banana, which it apparently did for some - I detest bananas. I also did not perceive much caramel, nor would I describe it as spicy as some did. Overall, it's a pleasant, sweeter bourbon with varied flavors, but it lacks the depth of flavor found in higher proof spirits, which I prefer.

Whiskey wash.com: Nose: The aroma lacks any pepper or heat. It certainly possesses that sugary, rum-like quality. Notes of caramelized sugar, butter, and fresh crusty bread. Palate: The flavor is prominent initially with marshmallow and fondant, but this fades quite quickly. Exceptionally smooth. It resembles drinking a very fine rum, not a whiskey. The sweetness is not overwhelming. FINISH A prolonged finish with hints of vanilla, mild allspice, and toasted marshmallow.