Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea Voyage 23

To the best of my knowledge I've never tasted a Jefferson's release before this. There is no particular reason for this; the opportunity just never presented itself. While I've been aware of the Ocean series since its inception (and really think the idea is pretty clever) - and I've been aware of the brand for many years - to date I just haven't had any in a glass. This is especially odd since I have an unopened bottle of Voyage 11 in my bar closet. This is from a bottle of Voyage 23 opened about a week ago. I've had a couple of tastes. This review is sampled neat from a glencairn. About 10 minutes was given for the liquor to rest after the pour. The color is lovely. It is a crystalline light burnt-sienna and it shows substantial viscosity on a swirl. This does have a creamy mouthfeel. The nose is Werther's candy, nougat, vanilla, sweet cream and a trace of fresh ginger. There's a blush of white pepper and a bit of ethanol in the mix as well. It's a pleasant nose, but not terribly complex. It actually reminds me of Jack Daniel's single barrel barrel proof only quite a bit tamer. It's like the color drained from the picture and its washed out when compared to the hyper intense profile of the JDSBBP. For the record, this says more about the gigantic aromas of the JD and shouldn't be construed as a hit on the Jefferson's. I think the JDSBBP is pretty amazing and anything that reminds me of it is likely heading in the right direction. There is a bit more rye and pepper in the taste profile than there is in the aroma. There's also a bloom of brine, vanilla, caramel, burnt sugar, and fresh wood. The mid palate brings the nougat, a bit of sweetness, slight nuttiness, slight baking spice and black pepper. The finish is of medium length and low intensity with a slight warmth in the back of the throat, some oak bitterness, sweetness coating the mouth and a slight tingle in the lips. This is a very nice bourbon. I can absolutely see this being stellar in an Old Fashioned. It's modestly complex, interesting and without any significant flaws. It's a bit saltier than a lot of bourbons I've had, almost reflecting what I get from some coastal scotch whiskey. Tasty and satisfying. It's not a revelation and doesn't achieve new heights, however. The proof is okay, but I'm almost always of the opinion that excellence is exclusively found in over 100 proof in bourbons. The flavor profile is pleasing, but not exceptional. This is a good bourbon, full stop. Now the price. $80+ is a lot for this. Yes, the story is interesting. Yes, each "voyage" will be unique. Perhaps the best part of this whiskey is examining its path across the oceans while enjoying it in the glass. Jefferson's publishes a journey map for this expression -https://jeffersonsbourbon.com/jeffersons-ocean-voyage-23/ Still, we must accept that there are better drams for a third less cash and superior offers for the same money. This is above average, but it's not quite to the level to make it into my permanent rotation, which is generally above 4.0 in my grading system. It's a nice dram and a wonderful gift that I'll certainly enjoy.

Quick eval: A little salty; is that the Sea clouding my brain? Lacquered wood. Caraway seeds, very bitter in the middle palate. I don't know if it's rye, but there is a very bitter aspect. And yet, there is an unusually buttery finish that's unexpected. I wonder if this quote-unquote "smoothness" is what's getting this relatively pedestrian Bourbon so much goodwill. The finish is a little bit of caramel/marzipan. Some hay and black pepper. But there is a flavor that I am not sure I can identify -- Metallic? Mineral? -- that is just slightly off in the finish. It is a decent Bourbon: overpriced for what it is and doesn't quite close the deal.

Very pleasant sipper. Nose is very traditional with notes or vanilla and caramel. Taste follows nose with some spice but nice feel for a 90 proofer. Finish is medium with some back end spice. I can see this as a broad audience crowd pleaser with a little back story as there’s nothing offensive but not nothing wows. It’s good stuff. Not sure what the voyage does … likely a gimmick. I got under MSRP at Costco and though it’s nice and enjoyable I would never pay more than the $55 I laid out. No regrets, but I would not pay full price.

The primary differences I notice between this and the Reserve are a more balanced nose and a much longer, smoother finish. On the palate, both whiskies share similar sweet notes, mainly caramel and cinnamon, but the Ocean Aged has more of a bitterness that persists on the finish, and a touch more salt as well. For the most part, I think the Ocean thing is just a touch on the gimmicky side, though there are some noticeable effects. I have to say though, for the price difference I don’t think it’s all that much better than the Reserve.

The premise of this bourbon is that its voyage at sea would make it subject to a variety of climates (plus the waves agitating the barrels, etc). So you might expect the end result to be a bourbon with some scotch flair, and some Balcones/Texas flair. But really you get neither of those, just some salty bourbon. Now it does taste quite nice, not bad at all. And it makes a great old fashioned, but it’s just not worth the $80 price tag. Have some at a bar before you get a bottle

(Original review on Feb 17, 2022) Voyage 23. Received as gift from McKinley for Valentine’s Day 2022. Color is a beautiful medium amber. Nose is GREAT! Caramel and salinity come through - almost like an ocean breeze! Taste - salty! Butterscoth and carmel with notes of vanilla and a weird spice - almost a salty spice rather than a rye spice! Ginger is present and some berries are, too. Really, really good!