ContemplativeFox
Jefferson's Reserve Old Rum Cask Finish
Bourbon — USA
Reviewed
July 23, 2023 (edited June 22, 2024)
Rating: 18/23
I got this sample thanks to @Milliardo. I've never tried Jefferson's before and rum-finished bourbon is always interesting, so this should be a good experience.
- Nose -
Rich, toasty wood, with definite vanilla and a surprising hint of salted and roasted pork. A light note of something drying that borders on being slightly tart.
- Palate -
Quite rich, though not the fullest. There's this nice, big, toasty vanilla and caramel sweetness, which touches a hint of that pork from the nose. There are herbal flavors in here as well, which surprises me since they make this taste more like a rye at times.
- Finish -
The sweetness is really decadent, with enough going on to be enjoyable as it lingers into the finish with the light herbal notes.
- Conclusion -
I like the profile that this has. Its rye character reminds me of Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered (18/23), but side by side the Smoke Wagon is sweeter and younger, as well as less nuanced. This is a more mature and sophisticated dram.
The rum cask was a great call here. This is a really standout bourbon, with decadence, complexity, and maturity. The nuance here makes this competitive with my latest bottle of Balcones True Blue Cask Strength (19/23), so I think I'll give this the same rating. I'd like this to be fuller. I did think that this might be a 20, but I'm now confident that it's not. It could be an 18. It's an 18 or a 19. I'm leaning toward an 18 now.
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@Milliardo Thanks! I've been wary of Jefferson's but now I'm intrigued. Thanks again for the samples with interesting finishes - it's a lot of fun going through them :)
Love the review, glad you liked the dram. One of the rare times that (for me) a weak base is finished into something far greater.