In a quiet bottle that roars of revolution, Jefferson’s Bourbon has released the second expression in its Marian McLain series—a whiskey that wears its past with the kind of swagger only history and heartbreak can distill. At its heart is not just bourbon, but the story of Marian McLain herself: a widow, a mother of five, and—if arrest records are to be trusted—one of the earliest documented women to make and sell American whiskey.
Marian’s tale, as founder Trey Zoeller tells it, begins in the wake of the Revolutionary War. Her husband fallen, Marian turned to what she could: distilling liquor illegally to provide for her family. In 1799, she was arrested, not for rebellion, but for survival. And in doing so, she left a legacy—a spirited defiance—that her 8th-generation grandson now bottles and sends into the world.
“Marian’s arrest isn’t what defines her,” Zoeller said. “It’s proof of her resilience, her entrepreneurial drive, and her role as a trailblazer in American whiskey-making. That resilient spirit has always been in Jefferson’s DNA.”
The new release channels that legacy through a blend of five bourbons, each selected to mirror aspects of Marian’s complex narrative. It’s built on the sturdy shoulders of a 13-year-old Kentucky bourbon (62%), with a supporting cast that includes an 11-year-old wheated bourbon from Indiana finished in double-barreled oak (15%), plus two rare Kentucky rye barrel finishes—one wine-barrel aged (11%), one rum-cask touched (6%)—and rounded off with a 9-year-old Kentucky bourbon (6%).
Master Blender Ale Ochoa, herself a contemporary figure in a historically male-dominated field, described the project as “alive with history and heart.” She added, “As a woman in the craft today, it’s rewarding to help bring attention to someone like Marian, who helped lay the foundation centuries ago.”
Bottled at 106 proof and uncut, Jefferson’s Marian McLain Release No. 2 doesn’t whisper its arrival. It’s bold, unapologetic, and reflective of the woman who inspired it. Available now at select retailers nationwide and online, the release is less a sequel than a continuation—of risk, resilience, and the right to rewrite history one pour at a time.
For more information, head over to Jefferson’s Bourbon’s official website.
