This is my official deep dive into Jefferson’s. Feel free to skip ahead to the tasting, because there are going to be a bunch of these cheesy intros, all copy/paste. ~~~~~~~~~~ Concept: I walk into a liquor store and see like a billion different Jefferson’s bottles, yet my knowledge of them is minimal. My perception is that I typically don’t care for their stuff, but somehow, before choosing to start this experiment, I already had six different Jefferson’s on my shelf. How did they invade my house? ~~~~~~~~~~ Methodology: Step 1: Jefferson’s Very Small Batch. Patient 0. Where it all started? Never had it, so a damn good place to start. This one was bought specifically for this experiment. Step 2: Jefferson’s VSB vs Jefferson’s Reserve (Very Old Very Small Batch). I already had this one. How did this get in my house? Step 3: Jefferson’s VSB vs Jefferson’s Ocean. Is it a gimmick? Again, how did this get in my house? Step 4: Jefferson’s Ocean standard vs Jefferson’s Ocean wheated mash bill. Repeat house question. Step 5: Finished Jefferson’s. I got rum, Sauternes, and Prichard Hill. Let’s do this. Step 6: Blind taste test with all 7. Hell, throw in Chef’s Collaboration. (Seriously, how?) So there’s 8. Can I pick them out based on steps 1-5? Are there any standout Jefferson’s expressions, or is it all marketing? The stakes are so low, the tension is palpable. ~~~~~~~~~~ Disclaimer: Starting this, I don’t much care for Jefferson’s in general. There’s this weird gummy-bear-ness that I can’t shake. Hoping to find my Jefferson’s product by the time this is over. ~~~~~~~~~~ Jefferson’s Ocean, aka “Step 3” Is this a gimmick? This was one of my main questions coming into this experiment. I’ve been drinking this one side by side with Jefferson’s Very Small Batch over multiple days. I don’t have a drinking problem. I’m a scientist. This is voyage 17, for those counting. And holy hell is this dark compared to the VSB. If you really want to compare the noses of these guys, Glencairn is the way to go. They are related, but this one drops the leather and the nuttiness. It’s still very sweet and floral. I’m sticking with honeysuckle as the main takeaway, but there’s caramel and sugar too. Great nose. The body is a different world. While solid for what it aims to do, Jefferson’s VSB is oily and entry level, very bottom-shelven in taste. Just made up a word, and I think I’m gonna keep it. This body is creamy and thick feeling, like milk. The flavors that stand out are simple, but well done. I get salt, caramel, cane sugar, and bitter chocolate. Well presented, very different from VSB, and special. Finish is salty, but when combined with the residual chocolate you get a praline flavor. It’s phenomenal. The VSB cinnamon is there, but that praline note takes the cake for me. Multiple times during this review, I had to make an effort to avoid being that guy. I was tempted on more than one occasion to say “sea salt” instead of “salt.” I weathered that storm. However, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that this really does make me reminisce about trips to the beach. Just sitting here now, at least 5 minutes since my last sip, I lick my lips and it reminds me of what it feels like lick your lips at the end of a long day swimming at the beach. I literally hate myself a bit for typing that just now, I’m just being honest with you fine people. According to their website, this magic is due to the motion of the ocean. Here’s the rub: could you accomplish the same flavors without traveling around in a boat, bumping into rubber duckies? I don’t see why not. I’ve had all these flavors before. Not trying to take away from the value of the product here, just pointing out that this whiskey is a strong performer in an existing flavor profile space. From a tasting note perspective, there’s nothing truly revolutionary here, even though this is a very delicious bourbon. Is there something about this sea-aged process that truly takes your mind back to the ocean, or is it merely the power of suggestion? I honesty don’t know, and I’m pissed off about that. I still strongly dislike most Jefferson’s products I’ve tried. However, I like Jefferson’s VSB. Moreover, I freakin love this. I hate reviews that say, “this tastes like a warm, summer day.” But I’ll be damned if this doesn’t taste like a warm, summer day at the beach. I hate myself so much right now. Nonetheless... so far, this is my Jefferson’s. Is it a gimmick? Who the $&@% cares? It’s delicious. They could age a barrel in the trunk of a 2001 Ford Focus for all I care. If it tastes like this, I’m down. Speaking of gimmicks: I liked this drink so much I bought a color-changing rocks glass that says Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea. It turns light blue with ice. I have no regrets. Moreover, this gives me a chance to give notes on the rocks: As expected, ice kills most of the nose. I can still get caramel and salt, with effort. The body has an amazing, even more creamy feel, and milk and chocolate take over. The body is very easy to drink and enjoyable this way. A praline finish is still there, but without the heat. On the rocks is very delicious with this bourbon. Conspicuous problem: since voyage 17 is good, do I need to collect them all? My brain went there, and I immediately shut it down. The answer might be yes, but even though this product line is going to be a new permanent resident of my shelf, I simply don’t care enough to track down earlier voyages. I’m not going to spend my bourbon capital that way, and I don’t think those that do will see return on investment. I’d be interested to hear from a true Jefferson’s fan if I’m wrong there. Regardless, I absolutely will grab future voyages, should they pop up in my local stores. Like Booker’s, I strongly believe that these are made to drink, not hoard.