Jefferson’s Ocean Whiskey

Jefferson’s Ocean Whiskey stands out from the rest. In 1997, when the idea of sending bourbon on a journey around the world occurred to founder Trey Zoeller and his father, they were onto something that would quickly expand the possibilities of what whiskey, particularly bourbon, can be. 

Key Takeaways

  • Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea is a straight bourdon that is aged on a ship in casks as it travels around the globe.
  • Each voyage is different from the last, imparting unique characteristics
  • Jefferson’s Ocean doesn’t distill its own whisky – instead, they use a collection of Kentucky whiskies from other distillers 
  • Limited editions are also available, but act quickly – they are hard to keep in stock 
  • Purchase Jefferson’s Ocean at your local liquor store, or you can opt for delivery in most areas

Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Whiskey

Jerfferson’s Ocean is a unique product in the world of spirits. The bourbon from Jefferson’s Ocean isn’t actually distilled by them. Instead, Jefferson’s Ocean collects whiskey from other distilleries and prepares them for their voyage in small barrels.

The idea behind Jefferson’s Aged at Sea Whiskey was to try something new and see if it worked. What’s life without taking a few chances, right? 

In this case, it seems to have paid off. Jefferson’s Ocean has become a popular choice among whiskey connoisseurs and novices alike. While Jefferson’s offers a complete line of bottles and voyages, the journeys each have taken do seem to lend nice flavor nuances compared to other spirits that are aged in more traditional ways. 

Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Whiskey is perfect for sipping neat or over ice, although the bourbons do nicely in a cocktail, too, such as a bourbon old-fashioned. 

What It Means To Be Aged at Sea

To be honest, at first, we thought the whole aged-at-sea idea was a little gimmicky, but upon further research and tasting, our ideas about this have changed. The constant motion as the sea churns lend unique and nuanced flavor to the bourbon. 

The length of time that bourbon is aged at sea as the ships visit ports along the way influences the flavor notes, along with the wood barrel it is aged in. 

Another thing that makes Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Whiskey unique, and this might be a plus or minus for you, is that you never really know what’s inside the bottle. 

Jefferson’s uses a blend of straight bourbon from different Kentucky bourbon distillers. They don’t state where they source their bourbon, so it’s sort of a mystery bottle, so to speak. 

What you can count on is a true bourbon that’s smooth, with noticeable notes of salted caramel, vanilla oak, and brown sugar. While we might not know what goes into each wood barrel before it’s bottled, we do know that the unique aging process on the ship offers a unique palate that’s easy to drink. 

Voyages

One really fun detail about Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Whiskey is that you can track the details of every single sea voyage that has resulted in a bottle of fine whiskey. Currently, there are 29 journeys on the log. 

You can open each one up and review the details, including every stop and destination around the globe. There’s also a log of the temperature, sea conditions, and weather conditions – all of which can affect what happens inside the barrels. 

The Captain’s Log offers an interesting view into the journey and provides details on the flavor and nose characteristics of the whiskey and the details which created the unique result. 

Jefferson’s Oceans Whiskeys

Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Whiskey

When you open a bottle of Jeffersons Ocean-Aged Bourbon, keep in mind that each voyage is different from the others. Some characteristics remain consistent throughout each voyage, but there are also nuanced differences in the palate, nose, and deeper, more complex flavors. 

You can read all the reviews there are but still find that what you’re drinking is a little different from what was described by others. 

In our experience, Jeffersons Ocean Aged at Sea Bourbon gets its complex flavors and aroma from how it reacts with the barrels when at sea. The tossing around inside draws out more sugars from the casks, which affects the flavor. There are temperature changes – sometimes drastic, and the salty sea air.

You can really pick up a bit of the briny sea air in the nose, along with a bit of butterscotch and tobacco. This is a naturally colored, dark bourbon, which gets its hue from the casks as the whiskey is tossed around inside while at sea. 

Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Rye

Jefferson Rye is a double-barrel rye whiskey that offers a slightly sweet nose up front, reminding us a bit of making smores around a campfire. We notice hints of vanilla and a bit of spice. 

As far as the taste, you can distinguish how the voyage of the ship is reflected in the glass. We noticed tobacco and a bit of woodiness, along with more spice and a bit of butterscotch or toffee. The finish is really nice, with hints of spice lingering. 

Jefferson’s Reserve

This is the oldest whiskey from Jefferson, and it’s ideal for bourbon lovers who appreciate a more forward and robust true bourbon. The nose is both sweet and spicy, with hints of nutmeg that invite you to explore further. Not one to turn down an invite, we took a sip.

The taste doesn’t disappoint. This is refined and smooth, with caramelized notes. This could be brown sugar, vanilla caramel, or toffee – it’s hard to tell. Some of the nutmeg remains from the nose, along with a bit of cinnamon. 

The finish is deep and lingering. The caramelization fades into the background and is replaced by tobacco and oak. 

Jefferson’s Very Small Batch

Of all the bottles we sampled, we think this one, in particular, makes a really nice gift. Plus, the image of Thomas Jefferson etched on the bottle makes this one distinct from the others. 

This is a refined straight bourbon from Jefferson’s lineup and is a special blend of up to four hand-selected Kentucky whiskies.

At first, the nose makes this seem like maybe it’s on the lighter side, but our minds quickly changed once we started to pick up the aroma of caramelized sugar and citrus. 

The flavor is really nice for a whiskey at this price point. The taste is a bit sweeter than the others, with noticeable fresh fruit, especially peach and maybe a bit of cherry. The classic vanilla and caramel is also there. 

The finish is easy. We noticed a hint of burnt matches at first, but that quickly dissipated and was replaced with warm honey and lingering sweetness. 

FAQs

Is Jefferson’s Ocean actually aged at sea?

Yes, Jefferson’s Ocean really is aged at sea, which lends wonderfully complex flavors to the finished project. If you visit the Jeffersons Ocean website, you can find “captain’s log” details for each batch and voyage. 

Is Jefferson good whiskey?

Each rating filter we used has Jefferson’s Ocean ranked as a good whiskey, but that doesn’t account for everyone’s personal preference. Overall, Jefferson’s Ocean is smooth and easy to drink, with noticeable hints of vanilla and caramelized sugars. 

What type of Whiskey is Jefferson’s Ocean?

Jefferson’s Ocean is a Kentucky straight bourbon that’s aged at sea. 

What distillery makes Jefferson’s Ocean Bourbon?

This is a mystery. Jefferson’s Ocean acquires whiskies from other distillers, which are undisclosed. Jefferson’s does not distill the whiskey itself. 

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