Jeffersons Ocean Aged At Sea Small

Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea Small Batch is a Kentucky straight bourbon bottled at 45% ABV (90 proof). Its defining feature is how it matures. Barrels are put on a ship and travel with it, so the whiskey sits through changing temperatures, humidity and sea air for part of its aging. Producers who age at sea say the constant motion and swings in climate push the spirit in and out of the oak more than a stationary warehouse does. Expect that to show up as a rounder, more oak-influenced bourbon. Whether you taste a saline or briny edge is a personal call, but it's worth looking for. As a bourbon, it is built on corn and aged in new charred American oak. Styles like this usually offer caramel and vanilla up front, then toasted oak, a little baking spice and a gentle sweetness from the corn. At 45% it has more body than a 40% bottling without being hot. Nose it first and take a small first sip, then compare the nose and palate to see if any of the maritime character the maker describes comes through. Sipping neat is the best way to judge it, ideally in a Glencairn glass. The tapered bowl gathers the aromas, which suits a bottle whose appeal is partly in the smell. If the alcohol feels sharp, add a few drops of room-temperature water, which often opens up the oak and vanilla. A single large ice cube in a rocks glass is a good alternative. It chills the whiskey and dilutes it slowly, so the flavors stay balanced. In cocktails, the 45% strength holds up well against sugar, bitters and citrus. An Old Fashioned (a sugar cube or a bar spoon of simple syrup, two dashes of Angostura bitters, an orange peel) lets the bourbon's caramel and spice carry the drink. A Manhattan made with sweet vermouth and a cherry suits its oak and sweetness. A Whiskey Sour, with fresh lemon juice and a touch of syrup, shows its fruit and vanilla notes. For a highball, pour over plenty of ice and top with soda or ginger beer, adding a lemon wedge. Because the sea-aging is the point of this bottle, the neat pour and the Old Fashioned are the two that will best show you what sets it apart.