In 2008, while aboard the ship of fellow Kentucky native and OCEARCH founder Chris Fischer, Jefferson's Master Blender Trey Zoeller got a wild idea. As he and Chris watched the whiskey swirl in their glasses, compelled by the constant rock of the waves, they pondered: what might happen to a barrel of bourbon if it were aged at sea? The rest, as they say, is history. The constant movement of the ocean and extreme temperature fluctuations as the OCEARCH traversed the globe completely transformed the whiskey. The result is a hyper-aged, darker, richer and caramelized bourbon with incredible depth and complexity. Since this discovery, Trey has sent hundreds of barrels around the world, with each voyage seeing (on average) over 25 ports, 5 continents, and 2 equator crossings.

After meeting strict aroma, taste and finish criteria, a single, mature rack of only 19 barrels is hand selected and begins its journey to become Calumet Farm Single Rack Black 12 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey. All barrels used are aged in a single, center cut rack from the ideal maturation location and conditions inside the rick house. We use a traditional mash bill of corn, rye and malted barley to craft this premium bourbon.