Taste Test: Jefferson’s Blended 5 Bourbons to Make One of Its Best Whiskeys Yet

Jefferson’s Bourbon is known for its whiskey aging experiments—namely, putting a bunch of barrels on a container ship to sail the Seven Seas as part of its Ocean Aged series. But the new Marian McLain release foregoes any maritime adventures, and instead just focuses on the art of blending—and the resulting whiskey is quite good. Jefferson’s was founded in 1997 by Trey Zoeller, an interesting and enthusiastic presence in the American whiskey world.

The brand is owned by French drinks giant Pernod Ricard , which got some bad press recently and faced boycotts for its decision to resume exports of Jameson Irish whiskey and Beefeater gin to Russia. Pernod, along with many other companies, suspended sales to Russia after it invaded Ukraine. But by the end of this past week, the company reversed course and suspended exports once again.

Of course, all of this doesn’t really have much to do with the bourbon in question, but it would remiss not to at least address this controversy. Marian McLain is named after Zoeller’s eighth generation grandmother, a distant relative who the brand claims was one of the first female bootleggers who was arrested in 1799, making her one of the first women to be convicted of this crime. “The Marian McLain expression is a tribute to our family history and a celebration of the pioneering persona that defines our brand,” said Zoeller in a statement.

“What better way to show appreciation for my past than by creating this liquid that can be enjoyed for years to come. I brought my dad, Chet, out of retirement to help create this nod to our heritage. ” That story is interesting, especially if all the facts line up.

But what’s more interesting is what is actually in this bottle—a blend of five different bourbons (that number comes from the fact that McLain had five children). Here is the precise formula: 21 percent 14-year-old Tennessee straight bourbon, 40 percent 11-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon, 14 percent wheated double-barrel bourbon, 17 percent rum cask finished bourbon, and eight percent eight-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon. The fact that this is a blend of sourced bourbons isn’t anything new, as the brand is not a distillery and relies on others to supply its whiskey.

Currently, Kentucky Artisan Distillery is Jefferson’s home base, which is where this blend came together (the older whiskey must have been distilled elsewhere, given the fact that KAD opened a decade ago). But the details of exactly what went into this whiskey are more specific than anything else in the Jefferson’s lineup, which seems to be the selling point here. Marian McLain is bottled at higher 102 proof, but that doesn’t leap out at you on the nose.

Instead, there are notes of cinnamon and honey, along with a bit of oaky char. That tannic note continues into the palate along with some musty leather, but that is buttressed by a bouquet of dried fruits, orange zest, milk chocolate, espresso, and even some banana and a hint of mango. You could call this a “back to basics” bourbon , except that this interesting blend of different liquids is anything but.

Each particular age statement, cask finish, and state of origin brings a specific flavor to the whiskey, and this precise construction has yielded great results. Jefferson’s Marian McLain is just rolling out at specialty retailers around the country this month with an SRP of $300. That puts this well above other Jefferson’s releases as far as price, but this is one bottle that is worth it.

Every week Jonah Flicker tastes the most buzzworthy and interesting whiskeys in the world. Check back each Friday for his latest review . .