Jefferson's Marian McLain Limited Edition Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskey 750ml

Marian McLain carries a genuinely remarkable, real historical story behind it — Trey Zoeller, Jefferson's co-founder, built this expression as a tribute to his own eighth-generation grandmother, cited as the first documented woman in American whiskey history after her arrest for bootlegging in 1799. As Zoeller himself put it: "just like Marian, I took big risks to create something for myself, and for my family, even when it was incredibly hard." The whiskey's own concept reflects her legacy directly: a master blend of five distinct bourbons, one for each of Marian's five children, brought together at Kentucky Artisan Distillery, Jefferson's own home base.

This specific batch is a precisely detailed five-way blend: 21% 14-year-old Tennessee straight bourbon, 40% 11-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon, 14% wheated double-barrel bourbon, 17% rum cask finished bourbon, and 8% 8-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon. Robb Report's own coverage noted that level of transparency around exact sourcing is genuinely more specific than anything else in the Jefferson's lineup — a real selling point for this particular release. True to Jefferson's broader reputation for genuinely experimental whiskey-aging techniques — the brand is perhaps best known for its Ocean Aged series, which literally sails barrels across the Seven Seas — Marian McLain instead puts the focus entirely on the art of blending itself.

Robb Report's tasting found "notes of cinnamon and honey, along with a bit of oaky char" on the nose, with "musty leather" on the palate "buttressed by a bouquet of dried fruits, orange zest, milk chocolate, espresso," calling the resulting whiskey "quite good." The Whiskey Wash's Charles Steele found the nose delivering "caramel and brown sugar, bananas foster, dark cherries and orange zest," with "a delicate note of oak to balance the sweetness," describing the palate as "full bodied, oily," developing "pear, apples," and "toasted nuts like candied walnuts," concluding "each sip brings forward another note you missed the first time around," with "lemon and oranges, aged oak and worn leather, cane sugar and rum" all appearing across the tasting, the finish bringing "the bourbon together" and holding "on your tongue." Jefferson's own official tasting notes describe "citrus notes, bold pepper finish," with "flavors of caramel, brown sugar inspired by baked apples," alongside "vanilla, honey plus flavors of distinctive caramel corn, cinnamon and powerful red fruit." This is genuinely thoughtful, well-reviewed whiskey — real blending craft behind a bottle built to honor a genuine piece of American whiskey history.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Jefferson's Marian McLain Limited Edition Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a master blend of five distinct bourbons, crafted at Kentucky Artisan Distillery, honoring Jefferson's co-founder Trey Zoeller's eighth-generation grandmother, Marian McLain — cited as the first documented woman in American whiskey, arrested for bootlegging in 1799. The blend represents Marian's five children: 21% 14-year-old Tennessee straight bourbon, 40% 11-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon, 14% wheated double-barrel bourbon, 17% rum cask finished bourbon, and 8% 8-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon.

Bottled at 51% ABV / 102 proof, 750ml.

Critics Reviews

Robb Report (extended independent review):
"Notes of cinnamon and honey, along with a bit of oaky char. That tannic note continues into the palate along with some musty leather, but that is buttressed by a bouquet of dried fruits, orange zest, milk chocolate, espresso... the resulting whiskey is quite good."

Charles Steele, The Whiskey Wash (extended independent review):
"This jumps out of the glass with the dessert and sugar notes. I'm greeted with caramel and brown sugar, bananas foster, dark cherries and orange zest. There is a delicate note of oak to balance the sweetness of the nose. It is inviting and just fills a room. The whiskey is full bodied, oily, and it clings to the teeth just holding. We start off where the nose left off, its fruity with pear, apples, suddenly toasted nuts like candied walnuts. This is one that each sip brings forward another note you missed the first time around. Lemon and oranges, aged oak and worn leather, cane sugar and rum. The palate is awash in complexity until the finish which brings the bourbon together and holds on your tongue."

Jefferson's Bourbon (official tasting note):
"Citrus notes, bold pepper finish. Flavors of caramel, brown sugar inspired by baked apples. Vanilla, honey plus flavors of distinctive caramel corn, cinnamon and powerful red fruit."

Trey Zoeller, Co-Founder, Jefferson's Bourbon:
"Just like Marian, I took big risks to create something for myself, and for my family, even when it was incredibly hard. But with big risk comes big reward... that's what being an entrepreneur is all about."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Caramel and brown sugar lead, joined by bananas foster, dark cherry, and orange zest, alongside cinnamon and honey, with a delicate note of oak.

Palate
Full-bodied and oily, with dried fruit, milk chocolate, and espresso carrying the entry, developing pear, apple, and toasted candied walnut, alongside musty leather and citrus.

Finish
Long and complex, closing with bold pepper spice and lingering caramel corn, cane sugar, and warm rum character — genuinely rewarding across multiple sips.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Bananas foster or caramel desserts
• Dark chocolate
• Grilled or smoked meats
• Aged cheddar

Serving Note

Best enjoyed neat, in a Glencairn glass, and taken slowly — reviewers consistently note new flavors emerging across repeated sips.