Jefferson’s - Very Small Batch
Nose: This bourbon has a very light floral scent, with a little bit of fruit notes. Palate: This is a light bourbon with no harshness nor burn and only a very small amount of heat, mostly in the finish. It was very hard to pick out any discernible flavors in this one. I find Jefferson’s to be rather bland. It is an easy drink but it also doesn’t leave much of an impression. It has a very light mouthfeel and a short finish. In fact, it is probably the shortest finish of anything I’ve had so far in this series. I find it to be a little bitter, with a very light rye spiciness that comes through near the finish. After finishing this one, I had no desire to pour myself another glass, as I have with other bourbons. Comments: I stated before that I’m not a big fan of any of the different Jefferson’s I’ve tried and this one is no different. It doesn’t have enough rye spice to appeal to rye lovers and it isn’t really all that sweet, for those who prefer that. Jefferson’s is a sourced bourbon that is a blend of four different bourbons. This batch clocks in at an odd 82.3 proof. On the positive side, I do like the bottle, both the shape and design. And, I will give Jefferson’s credit for their experimentation, doing things like aging at sea, but I think you need to have a good base product first. Unfortunately, they don’t. This costs in the $30 range and I think there are plenty of other bourbons in the same price range that represent a better investment. I know Jefferson’s has it’s fans and if you’re one, that isn’t a bad thing, it just means you have a different taste than I do. What I find interesting, according to one Internet source, is that the bourbons used to make this small batch are supposedly in the 8 - 12 year old range. If that is true, I think they must be some really mediocre barrels that nobody else wants. Lastly, one of the other guys stated it well, I think, when he said that “Jefferson’s may very well be the definition of “average bourbon”…and “”Underwhelming” sums this bourbon up perfectly”.
