Jefferson’s Bourbon is known for doing some unconventional things to its whiskey, like sending barrels around the world on container ships or to age in the extreme heat and humidity of Singapore to see what effect it’ll have on the liquid. But one of its best expressions, which debuted in 2023, is an interesting blend of five different whiskeys called Marian McLain, and the brand just announced its return.
Marian McLain is named after Jefferson’s founder Trey Zoeller’s eighth-generation Revolutionary War-era grandmother, a woman who, according to the brand, was an early whiskey distiller and bootlegger (although it’s wise to take things like this with a grain of salt). Apparently she was even arrested in 1799 for the latter, something that Zoeller sees as a source of pride. “I believe it’s proof of her resilience, her entrepreneurial drive, and her role as a trailblazer in American whiskey-making,” he said in a statement. “With Marian McLain, I think we’ve captured that same trailblazing spirit in the bottle. It’s a whiskey that isn’t afraid of taking a little risk, just like the unforgettable character of the woman it honors.”
Like the original, the new Marian McLain is a blend of five whiskeys, but there are key differences. The 2023 release was as follows: 21 percent 14-year-old Tennessee straight bourbon, 40 percent 11-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon, 14 percent wheated double-barrel bourbon, 17 percent rum cask-finished bourbon, and 8 percent 8-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon. The new Marian McLain differs in age, percentages, cask finishes, and sources: 62 percent 13-year-old Kentucky bourbon, 15 percent 11-year-old Indiana wheated bourbon that was double-barreled in new oak, 11 percent Kentucky bourbon finished in rye barrels and wine casks, 6 percent Kentucky bourbon finished in rum-seasoned rye barrels, and 6 percent 9-year-old Kentucky bourbon. The final blend was bottled at cask strength of 106 proof. “Each of the five distinct bourbons was selected for its unique flavor and complexity,” said Jefferson’s master blender Ale Ochoa. “As a woman in the craft today, it’s rewarding to help bring attention to someone like Marian, who helped lay the foundation centuries ago.”
Given the completely different makeup of the new expression, it doesn’t sound like it’ll be anything like the original version. We did not get to try the new Marian McLain yet, but according to the official tasting notes you will find tobacco, fig, brown sugar, soft oak, and coconut on the palate, with a long finish that has notes of leather, red fruit, and cinnamon. Marian McLain is available at retailers around the country now, and you can find the rest of the lineup, as well as the original version, at websites like ReserveBar.
Authors
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Jonah Flicker