Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea Voyage 3

Taking a break from scotch for a moment to do a bourbon review. This Jeffersons Ocean is from Voyage #4. 45% ABV, and as all Kentucky straight bourbons are it is natural color. This one is an orange amber. I do not know if it is chill filtered or not. Plentiful vanilla and mint initially on the nose. Surprisingly there is a wealth of fruity notes. Orange cranberry juice and red berries. Perhaps some tart apples, but not sure on that. The typical bourbon notes are there as well: oak, toffee and caramel. This dram is quite sweet, with notes of cotton candy and pink bubblegum. The rye content in this bourbon is around 25-30%, but it is very subtle on the nose. A pinch of saltiness. I know some people claim this has huge hits of salt due to the ocean aging, but I believe that to be power of suggestion. These barrels are not laying out in the open on the bow of the boat, soaking in the sea air and getting a tan. No, they are sitting in shipping containers so they don't get the urge to go for a swim. The palate is minty orange rinds and citrus. Lots of oak present and a little peppery spice. Vanilla and toffee. Berries and a strong note of dried apricots (I've been eating dried apricots lately so it's easy for me to detect). Thick and oily mouthfeel that is very pleasant. The finish is medium long with light oak, vanilla and citrus. This is the second Jeffersons Reserve that I've had. This first was the Groth Cask, which was a wonderful wine finished bourbon. This one is good, but wholly forgettable. There are plenty of equal or better bourbons out there for less money. This one, along with the Groth Cask, is $80 locally. I would rather buy a bottle of Elijah Craig and Evan Williams Single Barrel and pocket the remaining $15. I would however purchase the Groth Cask for that price. It's very good. This one is good, don't get me wrong, but will remain off my buy list. Thanks to Ryan for the sample. 3.75

Spicy with hints of carmel and vanilla