Would Like Opinions About Jefferson's Presidential Select 18Yr

[MyOldKyDram]

I read that it's a rye recipe bourbon, so it's really anyone's guess what the hell this stuff is.

[clingman71]

That's an inside baseball question clingman. The short answer is all the majors have aged stock but more to your point when SW stopped distilling in 91-92 they didn't empty the warehouses so how much aged whisky is still there? That answer is not yet apparent.

If all the majors have aged (15+year) stock, most are hiding it well. Beam just announced a 12 year, Maker's doesn't seem to care about anything over 7ish, if that, 4R has some for LEs and Gift Shop bottlings, Turkey may have some, they've had some mid-teen releases. This leaves BT and HH, who consistently seem to have aged stock. Between VW, Weller and Old Fitz through the '90's and early 2000's, and recently JPS 17&18, how much SW could be left. Remember, the SW stocks were still being pulled from until Bernheim and BT/Weller wheated distillate were ready. It is one thing to have had warehouses full of barrels when production ceased, but 20+ years have passed. With ultra-aged whiskeys being a hot item right now, and in seemingly very limited supply, I would think if Beam, Maker's, Turkey, or 4R had any real amount of aged stock(15+), they'd bottle and sell it at a premium price. With everyone clamoring for Pappy 15, 20, and 23, and there not being nearly enough supply for the demand, this would be a lucrative opportunity for anyone with aged stock.

I still wonder about other distilleries who ceased production in that era beyond SW. I don't have the knowledge of bourbon history as some here do.

A thought just popped in the old head, could this be HH barrels that were originally slated for EC18, aged longer for EC20, but didn't make the cut when barrels were selected?

Edited March 8, 2013 by clingman71

[jeffrey r]

On FB today in announcing the 21, Jefferson's said not a wheater, not S-W, and priced around $120.

[Tico]

Wow, considering the ridiculous prices of the aged michters releases recently, $120 seems pretty tame generally speaking for a 21 yr old bourbon

[Bmac]

For the 21 year, i would place my bets on Heaven Hill. I saw a video interview recently where they talked to the Master Distiller and he claimed to have 30 year bourbon aging away in the lower regions. I doubt BT has enough 20+ year juice to provide it. They would keep all that for GTS batching.

[mosugoji64]

For the 21 year, i would place my bets on Heaven Hill. I saw a video interview recently where they talked to the Master Distiller and he claimed to have 30 year bourbon aging away in the lower regions. I doubt BT has enough 20+ year juice to provide it. They would keep all that for GTS batching.

I recall them talking about their ancient barrels when we toured a couple of years ago. I thought, "Would that even be drinkable?" Anyone here tried bourbon in the 30+ range? Thoughts?

[p_elliott]

Before I plopped down $120 I better know a hell of a lot more about this whiskey or had a try of it. I don't care if they said it came out of king Tut's tomb.

[squire]

Clingman my thoughts are the major distillers have been making whisky since Prohibition (Brown-Forman never stopped) and over the last 75+ years, yes, there is some old stock around but only they can say what they're doing with it.

[Smokewagon]

Will the 21yo be cut with a rye bourbon too like the 18yo? Was the 17yo cut or was it straight S-W juice?

I know the bottle of Pres Select I purchased wasn't cut, it's a single barrel version, picked by and and bottled for the Loch & K(e)y Society. It was pretty dang tasty, I nabbed a bottle during Go Whisky Weekend, and I'm hoping to nab another before it is all gone.

As a side note, the L&K group can really pick out some fantastic barrels. Of everything I purchased during GWW, 80% were single barrels with L&K labels. I'm hoping to get in on their next bourbon barrel picking trip (Would love to go on their next Scotch barrel trip too).

~SW

[smknjoe]

Will the 21yo be cut with a rye bourbon too like the 18yo? Was the 17yo cut or was it straight S-W juice?

Who says that the 17 and 18 were blended (other than one person that got his info second hand?) Jefferson's has been a strickly ryed bourbon brand anyway except for the 17 and 18 yr. So, I would assume all of their bourbons were ryed unless stated otherwise.

On FB today in announcing the 21, Jefferson's said not a wheater, not S-W, and priced around $120.

Edited March 11, 2013 by smknjoe

[HighHorse]

Before I plopped down $120 I better know a hell of a lot more about this whiskey or had a try of it. I don't care if they said it came out of king Tut's tomb.

Agreed. I'm looking at delicious offerings in line for purchase at the $80-$90 level - bunkerable. The JPS18 is one as is the 2012 FRSMLE. $120 and others higher than that will just have to be ready pickin's for the wealthy 1%!

[squire]

Getting back on topic I think after 7 pages the opening post has been answered.

[Borchard]

This is now becoming one of my all-time favorite bourbons

[Borchard]

I guess it's just that some things grow on you. The JPS 18 STILL has that woody taste that was a little off-putting when i first tried it, but now I actually see it as a defining characteristic that I am starting to enjoy, and that i DON'T taste in other bourbons.

[WsmataU]

Who says that the 17 and 18 were blended (other than one person that got his info second hand?) Jefferson's has been a strickly ryed bourbon brand anyway except for the 17 and 18 yr. So, I would assume all of their bourbons were ryed unless stated otherwise.

Joe, this is news to me. I was under the impression that Jefferson's has generally used primarily wheated bourbon for their bottlings. In fact that is the reason I actively seek out older dusty Jefferson's Reserve with the 15 yr age statement. It was one of my first "premium" bourbons...and I don't really care for rye. I can pick it up pretty quickly and avoid high rye content boubons (I blame a bad experience with Wild Turkey in my younger days....but that is a different story).:grin:

[Richnimrod]

Not wishing to trash anyone's efforts; and always mindful of the reputation (hard-won; easily lost) I have to say the one and only bottle of JeffPresSelect I ever risked alot of money on was a huge disappointment to me personally. I can't say if many or few others would've been so un-moved; but I sure was. Veeeeery red color, overarching scent of rancid walnuts, the only flavor was also rancid; I guess kinda walnutty, too. I can't recall if it was 17 or 18 year old juice; but at $90 it wasn't even a good mixer. Again, I hate to be so negative in a public forum; and I will say; to their credit, the Jefferson folks offered to replace the bottle (however, not worth doing, as I bought it 960 miles from home).

[squire]

No harm in stating your experience Rich, you're not the only member here who has found Jefferson not worth the price.

[Borchard]

It may have just been a bad bottle or maybe you just don't like that particular bourbon. Sounds more like it was a bad bottle. When I first opened my bottle of JPS18 I didn't particularly like it. As I have said above it had a very woody taste that I didn't initially like. The morei drank it though, the better it got. Don't know why.

i have a friend who really likes $c0tch, and one of his favorites is Laphroag. I absolutely despise it! It smells like iodine, and tastes like dirt. But he loves it