Jefferson’s was founded in 1997 by Trey Zoeller and his father Chet — a famed Bourbon historian who wrote the book on Kentucky Distilleries. Yes, an actual book called "Bourbon in Kentucky: A History of Distilleries in Kentucky." Heck, distilling is in their blood. In fact, eight generations ago, their super-great grandmother was arrested for the "production and sales of Spirituous liquors" in 1799. Which probably makes her the coolest ancestor ever!
The "official" story is that they named their Jefferson’s Bourbon after Thomas Jefferson because of "his curiosity and experimental Spirit." It likely didn’t hurt that Jefferson allegedly ran a still on his farm when he retired from public life… so did George Washington for that matter. Anyway, this is the mindset to which they dedicated themselves,pushing the boundaries of the definition of Bourbon. Upholding tradition, yet always discovering new possibilities. They make a range of specialty Bourbons and Rye Whiskeys in small batches, all special, all interesting in their own way. Making common Spirits is not their game, no sir.
Jefferson’s makes quality products, we established that. But even amidst their impressive product line, the Jefferson’s Reserve Bourbon stands out as the cream of the crop. Let’s just say it defines their taste and quality in the most obvious way. It’s a "very small batch and very old"Bourbon, like the bottle suggests, comprised of 3 straight Bourbons aged up to 20 years and bottled at 45,1 % ABV. Each bottled is classified by number and batch ID. It’s polished and balanced and offer excellent value for such a rich product. We consider itthe perfect all-rounder, a gateway into the world of premium, top class Bourbon.
What does Jefferson's Reserve Very Old Small Batch Bourbon taste like?
The Flavor Spiral™ shows the most common flavors that you'll taste in Jefferson's Reserve Very Old Small Batch Bourbon and gives you a chance to have a taste of it before actually tasting it.
We invented Flavor Spiral™ here at Flaviar to get all your senses involved in tasting drinks and, frankly, because we think that classic tasting notes are boring.
Dog Dogson's
Smartass Corner
Bourbons have very prominent notes of vanilla, as American White Oak is naturally high in vanillins.
Had for the first time, and was pleasantly surprised
Josh,
One of the smoothest and most flavorful bourbons I have tried. A must have for my home bar.
Michael,
glad I tried it, would get it again, like it with one cube
Justin,
Makes a great old fashioned but not as good straight
Anthony,
Sweet, Leather, Tobacco. Good juice!
guest,
Best I’ve tried so far!
Michael,
great first impression, good value for the high quality, one to 'have on the shelf' to rotate in or have for a guest who is hesitant to have Bourbon
BRIAN,
Love it
Brian,
Loved it. Nice flavor profile, smooth, easy to drink.
Jordan,
Something about this that I’m not a fan of. Too much corn?
Meredith,
This is my favorite new bottle. It is smooth, peppery, and can be drunk straight. Very very good
Michael,
Very nice good age smooth
Ray,
Excellent sipping bourbon. Smooth and full of flavor. I'll definitely buy it again.
Lisa,
Very nice nose with just a hint of brown sugar and oak. Some nice spice and heat when tasted neat. A small splash of water really changes the profile up. I would buy again.
Maren,
I love this Bourbon. Its incredibly smooth and not terribly priced. This delicious Jefferson's bottle is my new favorite!
Jeffrey,
Wow. What a good Bourbon. All the classic flavors I know and love with a lovely, sweet nose. Plenty of good oak/leather/tobacco chew on the palate without being overpowering... followed by a very crisp, slightly sweet finish.
This was my first foray into Jefferson's but most certainly will not be my last.
Mike,
Enjoyed. Liked all flavors and great with my Cohiba
Judy,
Not "Very Special". I expected more. It was fine, but I gave it to a friend who appreciated this profile more. I love other Jefferson's bourbons, but this one felt very tobacco/flannel/leather/Stetson cologne/masculine in a way that I don't love to drink.
Edinson,
Definitely one of the best Bourbons i have had.
John,
Love this one! There is a strong flavor of caramel and butterscotch right from the start. It has a nice smooth finish
Judy,
It took a couple of tastes for me to get a handle on it. I love the Jefferson: this one was a bit metallic and might not be my personal favorite but I enjoyed trying it.
Lincoln,
Very smooth and a nice spice note
Daniel,
Simple and Delicious
stephen,
Best I have ever tasted.
Mark,
This Bourbon was the smoothest that I have tested yet. This is now my favorite Bourbon.
Charles,
Amazingly smooth yet not sweet. All too often the bourbons that are smooth seem too sweet for me. This on is a 45% , 90 proof so it is a bit less intense than many of the bourbons I drink, like Willet Reserve that come in at 115. Great sipping bourbon with just a touch of water to let it open up and let your pallet fully enjoy the taste. Wish they would put on the bottle the actual age of the bourbon rather than just Very Old. https://jeffersonsbourbon.com/jeffersons-very-small-batch
Matt,
One of my favorite bourbons. Super smooth, with just a touch of sweetness up front. It has a nice mouthfeel and texture. Not too sharp. The burn is appropriate and not too intense.
Gary,
Very smooth and well balanced one of my favorites
Travis,
This is good...real good. Complex flavors and has that ability to be sweet yet give a alcohol kick to boot. For the price is is definitely a top contender.
Tegan,
I liked it
Greg,
I’m actually pretty disappointed with this bourbon after all the hype. It lacks the caramely sweetness I love in bourbon, has an odd grapefruit flavor on the tongue, and even more odd, a medicine flavor like some scotch. I don’t like this ... and that in itself is saying a lot!
John,
Might be my all around favorite bourbon. Very smooth, great mouthfeel, tons of depth
Steven,
Love this! Smooth and flavorful.
Ajay,
Excellent Bourbon for the Price. Entry Level Top-Shelf Bourbon. 8.0/10 if I could give tenths of a point. For a true bourbon enthusiast this is an excellent go to. Before buying more expensive bourbon it’ would be best to understand what sets this one apart from it’s less sophisticated and less expensive counterparts.
Marisa,
Smooth, flavorful, delicious. Will definitely buy again!
JOSEPH,
My daily drinker. Can't beat it at the price. almost as good as the Ocean without the story.
Matthew,
Very enjoyable, unfortunately it didn’t last long....... but that’s because it was enjoyable
Kent,
Nothing special
William,
The aroma of this bourbon takes me right into the rickhouse with that musty goodness. The bourbon itself is good, a bit thin, but worth it at the price.
Greg,
One of my favorites. Great balance of strength, smoothness and a semi-sweet finish.
Tyler,
Smooth as can be. Slight orange taste and finish. Definitely a favorite.
Tom,
Butterscotch, vanilla and oak. Very smooth. Feels good in the mouth and better going down. Subtle but satisfying warmth lingers on the finish. A well crafted quality reserve that delivers well beyond it's price point. Straight up or rocks, this bourbon had me going back for "just one more" pour. Really good.
Adam,
Very nice and smooth bourbon
Jerry,
smooth, nice Bourbon, I like it with an ice cube.
Gregory,
Smooth vanilla taste, creamy. Definitely a bargain considering how amazing it tastes.
Christina,
I have not received this bottle or the other one I purchased. I can not say if I like it or not.
Blair,
This is a very smooth and good flavor drink.
Jeffery,
Great and smooth
Raymond,
Very smooth, excellent straight up or on the rocks.
Brian,
Smooth finish flavor spiral on point.
guest,
Pretty good bottle. Very smooth and nice flavors of vanilla and spices. I bought the NH barrel buy edition and was very impressed.
Patrick,
Smooth, smooth, smooth! A very pleasant flavor combination with buttery elements, vanilla and cinnamon yet somehow not too sweet or one dimensional. Did I mention that it's really smooth?
Conner,
I am not typically a bourbon guy, usually prefer my scotch. But this is making me reevaluate everything, very pleasantly spiced without being overbearing and the finish is so easy! Drinking it neat or with a couple stones and enjoying every drop!
Jeff,
This is one of my favorites. I got it for Christmas and it was amazing. It got a lot of flavor and is a great relaxing sipping bourbon. Highly recommended.
Paul,
Very enjoyable and smooth.
Timothy,
Dining a side by side comparison with Jefferson’s Ocean, and found the reserve has the same base notes but the upper flavor and nose are very different. Listening to the interview with Trey Zoeller, saying that you can taste the Ocean in East barrel, I though Ya, right... however it has a very unique taste. Jefferson reserve is an amazing bourbon and is amazingly smooth. I will always have one in my collection.
Scott,
This is a great little after work and relax drink . It has a slight bite at the beginning but finished smooth . Thr flavor spiral is right on point and I highly enjoyed this .
Erik,
This is one of the best bourbon's I have ever had. Smooth... very smooth, no after bit.. not over bearing...
Scott,
I like it ... I dont love it but I like it . It's great neat and the flavor notes are pretty spot on you can definitely taste the butterscotch overtones and the after burn isnt bad at all ( over a few rocks takes that burn right away ). Its a nice little sipper after a long day at work . I'm happy i took the shot and bought this bottle .
Jeff,
My end of day go to
David,
Impressive and flavorful with just the right amount of burn.
William,
First time drink of the bottle was very tinny, but since, I've not noticed that at all. It is nice neat and brings a little heat at the end. It wil stay in my bar.
Sean,
Nice flavor, easy to drink.
Richard,
Very smooth taste, great just straight up
Alex,
Forever a favorite. Something everyone can enjoy. It’s strong enough to satisfy those who crave a more intense flavor, but the vanilla and butterscotch keeps it from overpowering the more sensitive palates
JAMES,
Solid bourbon smell, with a hint of molasses. Slightly over proof but very smooth, best sipped neat.
Ryan,
Extremely smooth and simple taste, perfect for an Old Fashioned.
Justin,
This is my favorite. Great flavor with just enough heat.
Pam,
Great
Pam,
Great
Timothy,
One of the best BourbonS I have tasted so far since I started this club. I would buy this again without any questions.
Darryl,
Great very smooth
WESLEY,
Good bourbon, I would like to try other Jefferson Reserve. This is the first I have tried. It is a nice and sweet taste.
Frank,
Awesome. Smooth and complex
Val,
Bomb.com/dank. For real tho this bourbon is to die for
Val,
Super good and sweet. Beautiful amber color.
Laurie,
Very smooth and light with a great finish
George,
This is a high quality, old, and delicious bourbon. You can taste the sophistication in the aging and get a variety of flavors followed by a slow burn and a smooth finish. It is excellent and finds itself in my regular rotation.
Jennifer,
Very smooth and drinkable. Lacks the complexity of some other bourbons in this price range.
Christopher,
I think it’s the best I tried so far.
guest,
Very nice bite at the end. Very rich and smooth. Overall a very solid bourbon.
Ryan,
One of my favorites. Made me a bourbon drinker after drinking scotch for years.
Jernique,
Love this. Very smooth and stiff. It tastes great neat or on the rocks. I am becoming a lover of the Jeffersons brand. Try some of the the other small batch and I loved that as well.
Charlie,
Nice bourbon. Has almost a floral taste to it. Smooth and sweet.
Brian,
I'm new to whiskey but have been tasting for 6 months. I'm being open minded that I may be more a rum person, but I like smoke. I find this of quality but I can't pick out many flavors. Larceny seems smoother. Maybe if I allow this to oxygenate for a bit the flavors may develop more.
Robert,
One of the best $50 Bourbons I've ever had.
Thomas,
Great overall, loved the notes of red peppers, mixed well with the butterscotch, great to pair with any decent cigar
Stephen,
Great for celebrations. Smooth, nicely balanced.
Matt,
Super smooth
Ro,
Didn’t like it quite as much as expected.
Will,
Smooth!
Patrick,
I’ve had better
Robert,
Smooth Very good- solid choice
Mitch,
Smooth
Jeff,
Very good- solid choice Drinks higher proof than it is, benefits from some time in the glass or a few drops of water
Eileen,
Delicious with a very nice smooth and slightly sweet finish.
Patrick,
Great flavor profile that just keeps giving. Excellent for those that love their whiskey neat. Clean and short finish.
Jaime,
Mine is aged in a rum cask.
Terry,
Love it. I drink it with a cube.
Bradley,
Very smooth and easy to drink. Will be ordering again soon.
Kevin,
Delicious bourbon. Very easy to sip.
Christopher,
This is the simplest, smoothest, most enjoyable bourbon I've had yet! Caramel with a clean, smooth finish. My new nightly sipper.
Stephen,
Nosed up very well. Good sipping whiskey for sure.
Tim,
Really enjoy this one, very smooth .
Corey,
Very smooth and drinkable. No struggling with this one, easily an every day bourbon.
Blake,
This is a favorite and I would definitely purchase again.
Allen,
This was the first one to give me a real appreciation for good bourbon.
Amy,
Best bourbon I've tried so far, smooth and slightly sweet, great to drink neat, caramel, vanilla, and oak
Chazz,
As previous reviews have stated, it's incredibly smooth with a great finish. Fantastic straight or in a cocktail!
Shawn,
The best bourbon I have tasted
Ben,
Arrived spilled!!! I was so sad! But anxiously awaiting replacement!!!
Ervin,
Surprisingly smooth with a great after taste.
Nice bottle to display.
Kamil,
Very nice Bourbon. A great bottle to own
Jason,
Excellent. Very smooth and great after taste.
Jason,
Smooth and delicious. My favorite end of night sipping bourbon.
Matt,
A great cigar companion
Chris,
Smooth
Jedediah,
Great drink, it's smoky and sweet taste. Very nice.
guest,
Fabulous!
Louis,
It's the finest....................
James,
This is my go to daily drinker. It is subtle, yet complex and smooth. It's great in cocktails or neat. Excellent bourbon.