Jefferson’s Presidential Select 17 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Batch 3 Bottle No. 818
47% ABV/ 94 Proof
$80
Available in select U.S. markets
What the Distillery Says:
Jefferson’s Presidential Select is an ultra-rare, ultra-premium bourbon, bottled from the last year in operation of Louisville’s renowned Stitzel-Weller Distillery. This 94-proof, 17 yr old bourbon is a limited offering with a big robust nose and taste balanced with the trademarked Jefferson’s smooth finish.
Nose: Big vanillas with full character, citrus, apple, subtle caramel and assorted nuts
Taste: Balanced and sultry, English toffee, cinnamon, leather
Finish: Long and rounded
What Richard Says:
Nose: Rich and slightly fruity with a floral sweetness.
Palate: Floral (lavender and rosewater) and slightly astringent. It’s rather woody with a noticeable does of cinnamon on a cherry-type fruit. It kind of reminds me of Big Red chewing gum and Luden’s cough drops.
Finish: Notes of lavender with a big dose of cinnamon and oak. Very dry.
Comments: This is a very nice older wheater. It’s not quite as good as Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year or even the 15 Year from a few years back but it’s close. This is the last of the of old stock from the now closed Stitzel-Weller distillery. It’s really sad to see it go. If you’re a fan wheated bourbon I would put this on your buy list.
Rating: Must Try
Side Note: You’ll notice the bottle reviewed here was from Batch 3. I’ve tried several of the batches from the 17 Year bottlings and personally I don’t get much difference. That’s just me. The 18 Year is also the same stuff but they didn’t start bottling it until a year later. I believe the first 25 or 26 batches were 17 years old and then the 18 Year Old picks up there.