Jefferson's Presidential Reserve 21 yr Bourbon

[Yeti]

There's a case of Barton for $110 that appeals to me even more.

Squire, I need somebody in my family that's as easy to shop for as you.

[squire]

Easy to please and lucky in love, that's me alright.

[brettckeen]

This is a weird one. I'd like to do it side by side with the Elijah Craig 20 because it doesn't taste like HH at all. Loads of corn, tasted hotter than 94. It's good, but not great.

Thoughts on origin? Rumor mill: I had heard that when MGP bought LDI they had done an audit of inventories and discovered a lot of older bourbons not accounted for and wanted to clear them out, they sold them to some of their best customers, that's why all the sudden things like WH Harrisson grouseland cache 16 yr appeared. I'm wondering if this big corn bourbon is from that.

It is something worth trying there are characteristics that are enjoyable and I wouldn't rule this one out or disrespect it any way. With 2k cases put out though, I'm not rushing to buy bottles at home while there are still JPS 18s I need to stock up on.

[HighInTheMtns]

This is a weird one. I'd like to do it side by side with the Elijah Craig 20 because it doesn't taste like HH at all. Loads of corn, tasted hotter than 94. It's good, but not great.

Thoughts on origin? Rumor mill: I had heard that when MGP bought LDI they had done an audit of inventories and discovered a lot of older bourbons not accounted for and wanted to clear them out, they sold them to some of their best customers, that's why all the sudden things like WH Harrisson grouseland cache 16 yr appeared. I'm wondering if this big corn bourbon is from that.

It is something worth trying there are characteristics that are enjoyable and I wouldn't rule this one out or disrespect it any way. With 2k cases put out though, I'm not rushing to buy bottles at home while there are still JPS 18s I need to stock up on.

It doesn't say Kentucky on the label like JPS 17 and 18 do. LDI might be right.

[brettckeen]

I will also say, I served this last night to a customer after he had EC 20 and he much preferred the JPS21 and ordered 3 more as the night went on.

[johnm13]

something must be wrong with me because I love the tired, old, and woody bourbons.

[brettckeen]

something must be wrong with me because I love the tired, old, and woody bourbons.

Nothing wrong with you at all. That's your preference.

[BFerguson]

Had this a couple of days ago while in Louisville. Figure a pour at the bar, while expensive is still a great opportunity.

While my memory is foggy of the night, I don't think I'd put in in the tired category. Old, yes, but not tired.

It has in droves that classic old mellow whiskey profile. No heat, at least to me, mildly sweet, tons of wood-this one was more in the old damp log in the dirt profile. I know that doesn't seem that appealing, but that's what came to me. smelled like turning over a log in the woods, and smelling that sweet, old dampness, that it not unpleasant. Long, long finish.

Its certainly a mood pour. Your mood and the place need to be right for it I think. It felt right in line sitting at the lobby bar of The Brown, while making some new friends with the fellow traveler's around me.

I'll probably buy another.

B

[P&MLiquorsEric]

Good to see a decent review on it from bferguson. I am looking forward to trying it at a bar also.

Too many people jump into the "it's too expensive" category. It's 21 years old and this is the whiskey bubble, of course it will be expensive. IMO for its age, it is reasonably priced. What else is in its category and where are those priced? Pvw 20, 23, Elijah Craig 20-22, willett 20+, Evan Williams 23? All well north of $100, some north of $200.

And I have no more to sell.

[tanstaafl2]

Good to see a decent review on it from bferguson. I am looking forward to trying it at a bar also.

Too many people jump into the "it's too expensive" category. It's 21 years old and this is the whiskey bubble, of course it will be expensive. IMO for its age, it is reasonably priced. What else is in its category and where are those priced? Pvw 20, 23, Elijah Craig 20-22, willett 20+, Evan Williams 23? All well north of $100, some north of $200.

And I have no more to sell.

I find more and more I am reluctant to make that investment in mystery whiskey without at least being able to try it first. And that is sometimes challenging to do as not all aged whiskey is easy to find in a bar. Having found I have a certain level of woodiness that begins to make the whiskey less enjoyable to me (my particular bottle of EC 21yo for example. Just don't care for it but was willing to take a chance since I knew its "provenance") I just don't have a desire to gamble on an expensive bottle if the bottler can't or won't tell me something about.

Another difference is that all the whiskies you named with the exception of Willett are known whiskey and the source is not hidden in a shrowd of mystery. The mystery bottle may be great whiskey but not buying is about the only option I have to express my dislike for the shroud of secrecy that exists with some of them.

Of course I still cave on occasion and buy a bottle of mystery whiskey. The mind is willing but the body, and taste buds, are weak!

[HighHorse]

I find more and more I am reluctant to make that investment in mystery whiskey without at least being able to try it first. And that is sometimes challenging to do as not all aged whiskey is easy to find in a bar.

I had it on the table at Bill's house when we were in Atlanta. Sorry you missed it. I think I left the bottle remnants with the Restaurant Man .. (a little fuzzy on my memory of that incredible evening) so maybe you can still get a taste. It was/is, IMO, a very expensive bottle that has lived just a little beyond it's time. It's way more expensive than the Jefferson Presidential 18 we get in tallahassee .. and not close to being that wonderful. That being said .. and knowing me .. I'll probably buy another damn bottle! The bottle I had is a private selection we picked from Trey last year in Bardstown.

[wmpevans]

I had it on the table at Bill's house when we were in Atlanta. Sorry you missed it. I think I left the bottle remnants with the Restaurant Man .. (a little fuzzy on my memory of that incredible evening) so maybe you can still get a taste. It was/is, IMO, a very expensive bottle that has lived just a little beyond it's time.

Jon, I agree on several things here. First an incredible evening. Second, "a little fuzzy". An epic 48 hours, though my memory is more than "a little fuzzy" about the particulars, bottles, etc:lol:. Finally, I agree that the JPS 17, and the JPS 18 outshine the JPS 21. Cheaper too, so that's a win-win.

[tanstaafl2]

I had it on the table at Bill's house when we were in Atlanta. Sorry you missed it. I think I left the bottle remnants with the Restaurant Man .. (a little fuzzy on my memory of that incredible evening) so maybe you can still get a taste. It was/is, IMO, a very expensive bottle that has lived just a little beyond it's time. It's way more expensive than the Jefferson Presidential 18 we get in tallahassee .. and not close to being that wonderful. That being said .. and knowing me .. I'll probably buy another damn bottle! The bottle I had is a private selection we picked from Trey last year in Bardstown.

I recall trying the JPS21 private selection bottle you brought and it was OK as I recall (of course a lot of rum had already made its way across my palate by that point!). My recollection is that the 17yo JPS you had was the real winner.

But did you have a standard JPS21 there as well? I seem to recall there was some discussion about whether the private selection bottle JPS21 you had was an older version of the JPS18 wheater series while the standard JPS21 available from retail sources in Atlanta was a rye bourbon from an unnamed source.

But I could easily be "disremembering"!

In any case I do remember the excellent bottles you had with you that night and appreciated the chance to try them!

Bill, any chance that JPS bottle might make an appearance at the upcoming GBS event? :cool:

[HighHorse]

Your recollections about the 21 are correct. And, by the way, I know where it went. I just found it here on my shelf ... and on the shelf across the office is Bill's 17YO Jefferson Presidential! So, Restaurant man can quit trying to figure out what he did with the bottle.

I think it only proper for me to send Bill's bottle back up along with the 21 so that you can revisit both of them. If I have an open 18YO single barrel, I'll try and get that up to you as well. It's damn good hooch!

A month later and we're just now figuring everything out. You Georgia boys know something about bourbon get-togethers.

At least you guys will be able to post some comments on the 21. We were told by Trey's rep that it is the same juice as the 18 ... but .. I'm not completely sold on that. You guys taste .. you decide.

[Restaurant man]

Call me crazy but it seemed like there was old rye recipe and S-w mixed together in that one.

[squire]

Could be Stitzel-Weller rye recipe Bourbon for that matter.

[tanstaafl2]

Your recollections about the 21 are correct. And, by the way, I know where it went. I just found it here on my shelf ... and on the shelf across the office is Bill's 17YO Jefferson Presidential! So, Restaurant man can quit trying to figure out what he did with the bottle.

I think it only proper for me to send Bill's bottle back up along with the 21 so that you can revisit both of them. If I have an open 18YO single barrel, I'll try and get that up to you as well. It's damn good hooch!

A month later and we're just now figuring everything out. You Georgia boys know something about bourbon get-togethers.

At least you guys will be able to post some comments on the 21. We were told by Trey's rep that it is the same juice as the 18 ... but .. I'm not completely sold on that. You guys taste .. you decide.

[brettckeen]

Could be Stitzel-Weller rye recipe Bourbon for that matter.

[tigerlam92]

Could be Stitzel-Weller rye recipe Bourbon for that matter.

[brettckeen]

It's square high corn on the pallet. Nothing about it is wheated on the pallet. I believe it's the lost barrels of LDI discovered when MGPI bought it ... in the same grouping as the harrisons presidential.

[brettckeen]

It doens't say KY!!!!

[Restaurant man]

It doens't say KY!!!!

[brettckeen]

Don't say Indiana either

Not something people normally want to advertise if you are trying to group the product in with SW barrels... Apples and Grapefruit trees

[smknjoe]

It seems like some people have the impression that Jefferson's either started their brand around 2007-2009 when JPS17 came out, or that the brand was built using SW (wheated) juice. Neither is true. The brand was started in the mid 90's and was known primarily for their flagship bourbon Jefferson's Reserve 15yr. which is no longer made and was a rye recipe bourbon, not wheated.

Edited June 19, 2013 by smknjoe

[brettckeen]

It seems like some people have the impression that Jefferson's either started their brand around 2007-2009 when JPS17 came out, or that the brand was built using SW (wheated) juice. Neither is true. The brand was started in the mid 90's and was known primarily for their flagship bourbon Jefferson's Reserve 15yr. which is no longer made and was a rye recipe bourbon, not wheated.

Exactly, none of it was made by them at all, it all has been sourced from assumingly different locations. The SW barrels were at KBD.