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Jefferson's Straight Rye Whiskey Aged 10 Years

TJ of the North

0 683

@VictorReview by @Victor

12th Aug 2011

0

  • Nose
    22
  • Taste
    20
  • Finish
    21
  • Balance
    20
  • Overall
    83

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

Jefferson's Straight Rye Whiskey, like WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey, is Canadian-produced 100% rye mash whiskey, bottled as US Straight Rye Whiskey in the US. Castle Brands owns the Jefferson's label and has the whiskey bottled by McLain and Kyne in Louisville, Kentucky. Many think that this whiskey, like WhistlePig, is most likely distilled and barreled at Alberta Distilling, Ltd in Calgary, because that is the only distillery known to produce 100% rye mash whiskies in Canada. The reviewed bottle has been open for two days.

Nose: strong intensity maple and oak flavours, including vanilla and caramel, strong rye spices, significant alcohol greeting, and slight to moderate lemon citrus. This is generally quite a pleasant nose, except that the alcohol and the citrus is a little stronger than I would consider optimal.

Taste: sweet maple, plenty of rye spices with contrasting moderate lemon citrus. The alcohol greeting is noticeable but more in balance on the palate than in the nose. The rye and wood flavours are enjoyable enough here, but I just don't care at all for lemon citrus flavour in rye whiskey.

Finish: it is a good long finish here, with the wood and rye flavours holding up well. Because the citrus does fade out a little before the other flavours, I prefer the finish to the delivery of this whiskey.

Balance: if the citrus flavours fade away after this bottle is open 6-12 months, this whiskey will go up 5 points in my ratings. I much prefer WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey to Jefferson's Straight Rye Whiskey. Interestingly, the bottle has no more information on it than that given in my intro and a statement of the ABV. It takes examination of the fine print from a small label on the side of the bottle to discover that this is Canadian-distilled rye. I really do not know whether Castle Brands actively seeks to deceive the US consumer with the name Jefferson on this whiskey, but appearances would suggest that.

Related Jefferson's reviews

6 comments

@Victor
Victor commented

I am revisiting Jefferson's Staight 10 YO Rye Whiskey on today's rye tour, 2 years after the review: much change in the bottle...no citrus now, and this has mellowed out considerably. This is now to the nose and palate very clearly Alberta Distiller's Rye. I was hoping that this would eventually morph into WhistlePig. It didn't do that, but it is pleasant, and what it did do is morph into something very much like Alberta Premium, but with more wood influence. The wood seems stronger here than with Alberta Premium, but that would stand to reason, since it is 10 years old and is a US straight rye matured in new charred oak, compared to 6 Yo Alberta Premium, which would use all or mostly used barrels. As of this tasting, I like this bottle a point or two better than when I first reviewed it.

10 years ago 0

@Victor
Victor commented

I am having some of this same bottle of Jefferson's 10 yo Rye, 47% ABV, 100% rye content, sourced from Alberta Distillers Ltd. which I opened and reviewed 7.5 years ago. 7.5 years of the bottle open later the citrus I did not like at first from this bottle is completely gone. This is the best this rye has tasted to me to date. This rates a full 88 points to me now.

5 years ago 1Who liked this?

@casualtorture
casualtorture commented

@Victor Appreciate the update. I always am interested in how whiskies change with air time and love it when members go back and update old reviews.

5 years ago 0

@Victor
Victor commented

@casualtorture how the whisky changes with air exposure is a large and interesting topic. I love to keep up with my many open bottles to see what has changed, and particularly when those changes have been to the good. Nothing tickles me more than to have some cheap ugly duckling whisk(e)y blossom into a swan months or years later. When the changes are noteworthy I make a point of noting them. Thanks for your interest and for your comment.

5 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

@Victor The question I would like the answer is HOW to keep up with all the open bottles. I must admit I'm overwhelmed...

5 years ago 0

@Victor
Victor commented

@Nozinan it is quite a job if you have a lot of bottles open.

5 years ago 0

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