McLain & Kyne Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea Double Barrel Rye Whiskey (750ml)

Maturing spirits on board cargo ships is not a new idea. The Northern Europeans have been doing it for over a century, with products such as Linie Aquavit. The length of the trip, the perpetual rolling and the alternation of heat and cold works the spirit into the grain of the oak casks, contributing flavour and colour. Now an American distiller is applying the process to Bourbon: "We're going back to how bourbon was initially aged," says eighth-generation distiller, Trey Zoeller. "... Bourbon was loaded on to ships in Kentucky, and by the time it travelled to the people buying it, the flavor improved." On the sea, Zoeller says there's an additional flavour pick up - namely, brine. The barrels roll about the high seas for three to four years at a time, varying their routes from destinations like Scandinavia to Africa's Cape of Good Hope. Given the early success of the project, more releases are planned. This version lands with a much higher ABV of 48%. Earlier bottlings were closer to 42%. Non-chill filtered.