Forbes, Oct 4, 2016 (III)

choi

Abram Brown, The Marco Polo of Bourbon; Jefferson's has journeyed into uncharted waters in whiskey-making by aging small batches on the world's oceans, rivers and lakes.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/abra ... -aged/#2a340b981847

Note:
(a) "Steering the vessel is a one-person crew, a young man scruffily bearded after sleeping aboard for almost three months. Once across, the captain [Ted Gray] anchors ]the boat] * * * [whiskey owner, Trey Zoeller, came by] The [two] barrels [of bourbon], secured on [boat] deck by steel cages, contain six-month-old whiskey. At that tender age, whiskey is normally as clear as water, tastes overly sweet and singes the palate. Instead, tapping the barrel with a power drill, Zoeller siphons out a liquid with the familiar chestnut color of far older bourbon. After they raise glasses of it to their mouths, the captain finishes Zoeller's next thought.  'There's no … ,' Zoeller says.  '… bite at all,' Gray says."

wine terminology:
* bite (n): "Tasting term used to indicate a powerful initial sensation of acidity or tannin, which grabs attention immediately the wine is tasted"
http://www.decanter.com/learn/bite-45186

Good whiskey should be smooth, no bite.
* mellow: "A descriptor for a likely well-aged wine that's soft and smooth, with no bite or harshness"

(b) "Fine bourbon is well-aged bourbon, and on a whim Zoeller began experimenting with aging by stashing barrels (he also prefers Cabernet casks from Napa Valley's well-regarded Groth Vineyard) in duck blinds to expose them to changing weather. * * * the concept of aging whiskey on water emerged after several rounds of drinks [on a boat]. * * * As the ship swayed, Zoeller watched whiskey slosh around in glasses, and he imagined barreled whiskey doing the same. In theory a boat’s rocking would speed up the aging as the bourbon came into repeated contact with the barrel–and the elements. (Any high temperatures encountered would have a similar super-aging effect.) * * * Jefferson’s Ocean debuted in 2012 after a journey of more than 10,000 nautical miles. Zoeller priced the 300 bottles at $200 and says they were soon reselling for ten times that."

(c) "Sea air gives Jefferson's Ocean an unmistakable salted caramel finish. Zoeller wanted to develop a less saline version while sticking with nautical maturation, so why not float it from Louisville to New Orleans [fresh water 淡水]–the way America's first distilleries shipped bourbon in the 19th century?  The bourbon [matured in barrels atop boats on fresh water] will be released in time for Christmas as Jefferson's Journey, and Zoeller has yet to set a price; he's mulling a figure around $70 for one 200ml bottle combined with a 200ml bottle of another Jefferson's small batch."