Why Oysters with Jefferson’s Ocean Aged At Sea Rye are a Spectacular Slurp
Editor’s note: Oysters offer intriguing options for pairing. We’ve previously looked at pairing oysters with cocktails and a singular oyster and cocktail venue hosted by Georgette Moger-Petraske.
Chilled oysters on a bed of pebble ice bring to mind white wine, an ice-cold martini, vodka shots, maybe a glass of Pilsner. But rye whiskey? Oh yes indeed, especially if that rye happens to have spent a chunk of its maturation time on a maritime voyage. That’s the case with Jefferson’s Ocean Aged At Sea Rye, the latest offering from brand founder Trey Zoeller.
Bourbon, 25: Rye, 1
Bottle of Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Rye
Jefferson’s has been aging bourbon on the waves for a decade, but this is the first of the 26 bottlings so far to use rye. It would be a pretty noteworthy whiskey even without the aging at sea. Sourced from Canada and aged for about five years (it’s officially an NAS), it was then moved into a combination of #3 charred new American oak barrels and new toasted American oak barrels before it set sail. Ocean Rye sailed around the world, crossing the equator multiple times on its 6 month-plus voyage before being bottled at 48% ABV, without chill filtering, within 30 days of returning to shore.
So how do the sea air and rolling waves affect the final product? Trey Zoeller, says, “As with Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Bourbon, the caramel notes in the whiskey will be amplified due to the constant motion in the barrel and fluctuations in air temperature, specifically the extreme heat when we cross the equator. We also get a brininess due to the salt air permeating the barrel. Ultimately, aging at sea will balance out the spice of the rye to deliver a rye with more weight or mouth feel.”
A Twist on Oyster and Whiskey Pairing
Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Rye and Oysters
The oyster/whiskey combo isn’t exactly unheard of. Bowmore, a Scotch single malt distilled on the rocky coast of Islay, has a salinity and a sea air vibe that pairs beautifully with raw oysters; they’ve popularized the “oyster luge,” in which a trickle of whisky is poured into the shell along with the meat and brine, and the three are slurped up together. But pairing oysters with rye is pretty uncommon. If Zoeller has his way, that won’t be the case for long. he observes that “the soft spice, toffee notes and sweetness of the whiskey pick up the brine from the oysters and carry it wonderfully,” He also notes that Ocean Rye makes for a nifty luge: “You cannot help but to have a good time with a Jefferson’s Ocean oyster luge.”
Sweet or Briny?
Trey Zoeller
While brinier oysters from saltwater climes do pair beautifully with the rye, Zoeller prefers sweet freshwater oysters — his favorites are Apalachicolas from Florida. Right now, alas, we’re in the middle of a five year ban on their harvest while their population replenishes. In the meantime, he says, “James River are my favorite, they have great flavor and I have great memories of oyster roasts on the Eastern shore of Virginia.” Found in the Chesapeake Bay, James River oysters are mild, sweet and meaty. If you can’t find them, Kumamotos from the West Coast are smaller but have a similar flavor. If you’re not a fan of raw oysters, Zoeller recommends steaming them with Ocean Rye added to the broth. Ideally, of course, you’ll be able to do both and compare/contrast.