Jefferson's Marian McLain bottle

Jefferson’s Bourbon debuts the Marian McLain blend

Later this month you might see a new Jefferson’s Bourbon on the shelf — if you’re lucky. The Marian McLain expression is a tribute to founder Trey Zoeller’s eighth-generation grandmother who has the distinction of being one of the first women in history to get arrested for bootlegging in 1799.

Trey Zoeller with the Marian McLain bottle
Trey Zoeller, founder of Jefferson’s, shows off the Marian McLain bottle. | Courtesy

The whiskey is a blend of five bourbons, which correlates to the number of children McLain had and raised on her own after her husband died in the Revolutionary War. That unique blend consists of:

  • 21% 14-Year-Old Tennessee Straight Bourbon
  • 40% 11-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon 
  • 14% Wheated Double-Barrel
  • 17% Rum Cask Finish
  • 8% 8-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon 

That intricate blend took Trey and his father Chet, a bourbon historian and co-founder of Jefferson’s, months to perfect.

“The Marian McLain expression is a tribute to our family history and a celebration of the pioneering persona that defines our brand,” says Trey in a news release. “This is not just a bottle of bourbon; it is a legacy. What better way to show appreciation for my past than by creating this liquid that can be enjoyed for years to come. I brought my dad, Chet, out of retirement to help create this nod to our heritage. We are honored to share Marian’s spirit through this exceptionally bold and balanced blend.”

I can tell you so much more about this release, but I’ve written a piece for Alcohol Professor that does just that — so I don’t want to steal my own thunder, so to speak. I’ll be sure to post a link to that article here when it gets published.

Just know that the bourbon is incredible and should start popping up around town (and nationwide) at the end of April/early May. It’s 102 proof and retails for about $300.

Jefferson's Reserve

Liege & Dairy partners with Jefferson’s Reserve for Bourbon Heritage Month!

Jefferson's Reserve

Yes, yes, yes! | Courtesy of Liege & Dairy

Of course bourbon goes with everything — yes, even A-1 sauce.

I’ve tried it.

The pairing of ice cream and bourbon is nothing new, but what is new is the creative concoctions that come from the two.

For instance, in honor of September being National Bourbon Heritage Month, Trey Zoeller of Jefferson’s Bourbon got together with Andrew Llewellyn of Liége & Dairy to create three month-watering combinations of bourbon and ice cream.

Let’s take a look at those flavors:

• Trey-Fecta: What’s better than s’mores, bacon and bourbon? This has a graham cracker bourbon ice cream base with notes of marshmallow and bacon pieces. Holy cow (or pig?)!

• Papa Chet: Bourbon honey ice cream with pralines and caramel. (Chet is Zoeller’s father’s name with whom he started Jefferson’s Bourbon, and it’s also his son’s name. Zoeller also loves pralines since he went to Tulane University in New Orleans.)

Jefferson’s Manhattan: Chocolate bourbon ice cream with cherries and chocolate chunks, which features Jefferson’s Manhattan cocktail mix in the recipe.

Personally, I’d like to try all three. But if I could only choose one, it would be the Trey-Fecta because I love anything with marshmallow in it (except for Peeps).

The flavors are available at both Liége & Dairy locations — one in Holiday Manor (2212 Holiday Manor Center) and one in Middletown (12003 Shelbyville Road) — through September, unless they sell out.

So run, don’t walk, before the chance for this bourbon bliss melts away …

ice cream

Check out the Jefferson’s Manhattan! | Courtesy