Distillery: Sourced (a blend of many rye whiskeys)
Proof: 96
Age: Thought to be 4-5 years
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Price: ~$80
Company
Started by father and son duo in 1997, Trey and Chet Zoeller, Jefferson’s was purchased by Pernod Ricard in 2019. They were previously owned by parent company, Castle Brands, Inc.
Production
Jefferson’s Ocean Rye is a blend of rye whiskeys aged at sea. Each voyage crosses the equator 4 times and visits 5 continents on average. The rye is aged first in #3 char barrels and then double barreled in a split of #3 char and toasted barrels.
Jefferson’s Ocean Rye Review: Flavor Profile
Nose
Rich and complex. Salt from the ocean voyage is apparent, along with apple, caramel, and rye. This nose smells a tad like apple juice with salt and rye mixed in. Very interesting.
| Inspector’s Score | Insider’s Score | Average Score |
|---|---|---|
| 4/5 | 3/5 | 3.5/5 |
Palate
Doesn’t have much of a classic rye profile. Jefferson’s Ocean Rye has a buttery mouthfeel with hints of oak, caramel, salt, and rye. The spice comes later in the sip than expected. The sea salt is pretty pronounced again here.
| Inspector’s Score | Insider’s Score | Average Score |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5/5 | 3/5 | 3.25/5 |
Finish
Medium and dry with hints of tannins, oak, and black pepper. Lacking a bit of the classic rye profile. Many bourbon lovers might not even think this is a rye.
| Inspector’s Score | Insider’s Score | Average Score |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5/5 | 3/5 | 3.25/5 |
Value
Jefferson’s Ocean Rye is a solid and unique rye. There’s no doubt about it.
Where things begin to fall apart is with the price. This isn’t an $80 buy in my opinion. It’s probably more appropriate at $40-$50. But it makes sense that it has the $80 price tag with the expensive aging process at sea.
If you like unique and salty ryes, this is worth a try at least once.
| Inspector’s Score | Insider’s Score | Average Score |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5/5 | 2/5 | 2.25/5 |
Jefferson’s Ocean Rye Review…The Verdict
Verdict – 3.06/5
We score each bourbon based on nose, palate, finish, and value.
Scoring System:
- Platinum – 4.25 – 5
- Gold – 3.25 – 4.24
- Silver – 2.75 – 3.24
- Bronze – <2.75
Hunter Branch is the Founder and Director of Editorial for Bourbon Inspector. He has been writing about and professionally reviewing bourbon since 2020 (and has been drinking it for much longer). He’s been able to interview big names in the bourbon industry like Trey Zoeller from Jefferson’s Bourbon and his work has been featured in publications like TastingTable, Mashed, and more.