Jefferson’s Very Small Batch Bourbon Review

We’re celebrating the 4th with a Founding Father – or at least a bourbon named for one.

Jefferson’s Bourbon has been making a splash in the bourbon world since it was founded in 1997 by Trey Zoeller and his father Chet. After only 8 years, their small distillery was purchased by Castle Brands, who opened the doors to Copperhead Distillery Company and Kentucky Artisan Distillery. Since then, the exact source and/or sourcing ratio of Jefferson’s product has gotten a bit murky, but all that takes a backseat to their latest innovation – aging bourbon at sea.

To date, this oceanic experiment is the brand’s biggest claim to fame and has earned the distillery a reputation for innovation and risk. So then in this sea of innovation, does Jefferson’s Very Small Batch make waves?

Well…it’s more like ripples than waves. Though the beginning oak and vanilla smell of Jefferson’s is great, it’s a bit disappointing once you realize oak and vanilla are all you’re getting. From the starting sip to the finish, those two flavors are the quiet, subtle stars of the show. The rather watery, thin viscosity (most likely brought on by the meager 82.3 proof) doesn’t exactly help either. The finish is incredibly, haltingly short still leaving you with only a whisper of vanilla and oak. All in all, it’s a bit underwhelming.

The idea of having a “very small” small batch bourbon may have been Jefferson’s innovative take on the small batch trend. But with all that focus on the batch size, it seems they overlooked the batch taste.

Jefferson’s Bourbon has certainly gained an innovative name for itself in the bourbon community. However, unlike the Jefferson presidency, Jefferson’s Very Small Batch bourbon is still far from remarkable.