Jefferson’s Reserve Nicholas Single Barrel #3 Bourbon Whiskey

The bourbon shortage has hit every distillery without exception. Jefferson’s has been hit harder than most because their reserve can age up to 20 years. Turns out that 20 years ago, nobody was expecting this bourbon boom.

Most of what you see in the market place from Jefferson’s these days is the Voyages or the Pritchard Hill. They are good enough I guess but I don’t really have interest in selecting one of those as a private barrel. I thought for sure last years would be our last Jefferson’s for a long time.

This year when Trey Zoeller asked me if I wanted a barrel, I really had to dance around saying that I really didn’t want the Voyages. He was quick to tell me that they don’t do the Reserve anymore for private barrels. We talked a while and I told him that the most requested bourbon from my bourbon buyers club was his. It’s mostly true as it sells out the fastest but you can’t blame me for buttering him up a bit can you? Before our conversation was over he said he was sending me a bunch of barrel samples & would include a few Reserve samples. They would all be unmarked & I can pick whatever I wanted. Ha! This wasn’t even close. I picked the 3 Reserves out of the bunch in a heartbeat. Actually all 3 were very good but barrel #68 was head and shoulders above the rest.

I can’t promise that there will ever be a Jefferson’s Reserve #4 because Trey told me this is the last private reserve barrel that they are ever releasing.