jefferson's ocean voyage 28 review

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Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea Blend of Straight Bourbons (Voyage 28), 45%

Price: 85 ● Issue: Spring 2024 ● Reviewer: David Fleming ● Category: Bourbon/Tennessee Whiskey

This Jefferson’s ship-aged bourbon sailed around the world, setting off from Savannah and making ports of call in Panama, New Zealand, Australia, Shanghai, Japan, the North Pacific, Baltimore, Europe, and back to Savannah. The nose offers vanilla, coconut, and balanced musty oak. Orange fruit flavors lead on a palate of cooked fruits, with accents of coconut, honey, cinnamon, raisin cake, and oak, followed by a pleasantly long and spicy finish.

Jefferson's Ocean: Aged at Sea Bourbon

OVERALL RATING

Whiskey Review: Jefferson's Ocean: Aged at Sea Bourbon

• by Jordan Morris
• February 23, 2017

Tasting Notes:

When Jefferson’s Ocean: Aged at Sea bourbon first splashed on the scene in 2012, aging bourbon on an ocean-bound ship seemed a preposterously novel idea. In a Food Republic article on the matter, Jefferson’s Bourbon co-founder, Trey Zoeller, aged three barrels of Jefferson’s bourbon on M.V. Ocean for four years while the crew traveled the Pacific Ocean tagging sharks for research.

The four-year experiment revealed that temperature fluctuations, salt water air exposure, and constant motion of the ship created a unique flavor profile for the bourbon. Due to these conditions, Jefferson’s describes the results as a dark bourbon, with caramel flavors reminiscent of a dark rum, and a briny, savory flavor due to the salt-water air that resembles an Islay Scotch.

Following the success of the initial release, Jefferson’s grew the Ocean product line beyond its humble three-barrel beginnings. Now, Jefferson’s commercialized the process by shipping hundreds of barrels around the world.

For a typical barrel, Jefferson’s states that the barrel crosses the equator at least four times and visits over 30 ports on a voyage. With the increased volume, Jefferson’s makes periodic releases of Ocean bourbon, and some bars and high-end liquor stores even carry single barrel selections (including some cask strength releases).

While Jefferson’s entered a deal with Kentucky Artisan Distillers in 2015, Jefferson’s traditionally sources its bourbon from different distillers. With that in mind, some releases of Jefferson’s Ocean include the Kentucky straight bourbon designation, while other releases, such as the subject of this review, include only the straight designation (no Kentucky reference). Moving on to the important issues, let’s see how Jefferson’s Ocean batch number 14 holds up.

Tasting Notes: Jefferson’s Ocean: Aged at Sea Bourbon

Vital Stats: The subject of this review, Jefferson’s Ocean batch number 14, clocks in at 90 proof. As mentioned above, this batch carries only the straight bourbon designation, so it is safe to assume that at least some non-Kentucky bourbon found its way into this batch. Jefferson’s Ocean retails for $80 to $90.

Appearance: In a glass, Jefferson’s Ocean appears a medium honey brown.

Nose: Since Jefferson’s sources bourbon, the mash bill is unknown. However, the nose for this particular batch lines up with rye grain recipe bourbon with strong floral notes that balance with salted caramel. While I initially chalked up Jefferson’s claims of similarity to an Islay Scotch to marketing fluff, there is certainly a soft salt and light smoke note mixed with the caramel that I cannot recall encountering in any other bourbon.

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Palate: Further supporting my suspicion that this particular batch of Jefferson’s Ocean includes mostly rye grain mash bill bourbon, the front of the palate leads off with floral notes, citrus notes, and a light black pepper spice. In the mid palate, those flavors taper off and the bourbon sweetens with caramel driving most of the flavor. Similar to the nose, soft salt and smoke combine with the caramel, and the finish tapers off with a light dry note of oak combining with the predominant caramel.

To me, the nose seemed to give off more of the possible characteristics derived from aging the barrels at sea than the palate. In addition, the smoke and salt notes were more pronounced upon opening a fresh bottle. After sitting in the glass for 15 minutes, those notes seemed to diminish.

Final Thoughts & Score:

With all that in mind, certainly give Jefferson’s Ocean a try if you see it at a bar. However, if you’re interested in the flavor profile noted above, look for a cask strength release, as that will likely have more pronounced characteristics derived from the sea aging process.

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Whiskey Review: Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Bourbon

Jefferson’s is a brand that made their start bottling a blend of bourbons without doing much of the production or processing themselves. Usually, I’m not that thrilled about a company that doesn’t make an effort to improve the product they took in before shipping it back out. But with their Ocean series, Jefferson’s actually took a legitimate gamble on doing something new and interesting. The question: did it pay off?

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Jefferson’s was founded in 1997 by Trey Zoeller and his father Chet, a bourbon historian. The family claims a tenuous historical connection to the illegal distilling industry by citing their 8th generation grandmother’s 1799 arrest for illegal distilling, but the current business venture started when the father and son pair happened on a stock of delicious bourbon and decided that they should create a brand with which to share it with the world.

Instead of using their family name for this enterprise, though, they decided to pay homage to Thomas Jefferson: founding father, 3rd president of the United States, and someone who has almost nothing whatsoever to do with the state of Kentucky.

Since then, the company continues to innovate and focus on experimenting with different forms of aging and maturation processes.

In the early 2000’s, the company was sold to Castle Brands, Inc, which in turn was purchased by the French alcoholic beverage giant Pernod Ricard in 2019.

• Learn More: What Is Bourbon Whiskey?

Jefferson’s doesn’t actually distill any of its own spirits. From day one, they have always brought their spirits in from other manufacturers, slapped a label on it, and shipped it out the door.

Unlike the Reserve version, this bottle makes no bones about the fact that this is a blend of Kentucky straight bourbons. The original spirits are sourced from different distilleries, none of which are disclosed. So we don’t really know what goes into the barrel for aging.

What makes this interesting and unique is that, while most whiskey is aged at a single location, this bourbon is instead placed on a working ship and aged as that ship sails around the world. This specific bottle came from a batch of barrels that were on board for Voyage 23, which is described in detail on Jefferson’s website . In theory, this process ages the whiskey quicker and with more unpredictably unique results, since the barrels are constantly being jostled around (which should encourage the whiskey to more rapidly take on the flavor of the barrels).

Once the barrels returned from their journey, the contents were bottled and shipped out the door once more.

They definitely saved some startup cash by not actually having a distillery, and instead it looks like they put some considerable time and effort into the branding. And, I must say, it pays off.

The bottle is a flask-esque shape, with a square body sporting some rounded edges. That body quickly rounds into a short neck that is capped off with a wood and cork stopper. It’s a great design that looks appealing on the shelf.

That flat faced design also gives a ton of surface area for the whiskey to shine through, and thankfully the label does not obscure the view at all. This version really trumpets the unique aging process, with an image of a boat on the front for the location where the barrels of whiskey were aged, and a map on the back of the bottle that is visible through the front. It’s a nifty trick for sure and looks very appealing.

There are some subtle but identifiable differences between this and the Reserve we previously reviewed .

Generally speaking, the aroma is pretty boilerplate for a bourbon, with caramel and vanilla notes and a touch of cinnamon spice. But what’s remarkable is actually what’s missing here. It’s a bit smoother and more refined than the Reserve, missing that raw charred oak note and instead leaning heavily towards fresh baked oatmeal raisin cookies.

Taking a sip, the flavor is nice and smooth as well. There’s a good sweet caramel note and a swirl of vanilla up front, followed nicely by some cinnamon spice and finishing with a bit of black pepper. Again, this is normally where we’d expect some of that raw charred oak to pop up, but it stays firmly on the lighter side of that dividing line.

The flavors, when taken neat, are on the lighter and sweeter side of the spectrum… which poses a problem. Usually, with a bit of added ice, the lighter and sweeter components of a drink drop out of the running. And unfortunately… that’s what is happening here as well.

There wasn’t a whole lot going on with this spirit to begin with in terms of darker and richer flavors, and so what we’re left with tastes like raw corn and a bit of brown sugar. There’s now a touch of bitterness from the charred oak flavors going out of balance with each other, but it’s only on the finish for a moment. Overall, this just becomes a very bland and uninteresting spirit with some ice.

Cocktail (Old Fashioned)

Pretty much all of the flavor dropped out of the bourbon when we added some ice cubes. So, as you might expect, there’s nothing left for the bitters to work with and as a result there’s zero balance to this drink.

All I get at this point are diluted bitters. There’s nothing special going on here, and none of the original flavors from the spirit are even trying at this point it seems.

Fizz (Mule)

There’s just nothing here at this point. I might as well have poured myself a glass of straight ginger beer for all the good this bourbon is doing me.

Once again, that added ice seems to be wiping out any additional flavors that might be coming to the party. Everything, down to the last bit of black pepper spice, has been shed from the flavor profile. The ginger beer is left alone on the battlefield with no one to balance against.

Overall Rating

I like the concept here and I really applaud Jefferson’s for trying something new. The idea of putting bourbon on ships seems like it should work. There may be a few unique and interesting things going on in the flavor, but sadly none of it is strong enough to stand up to some ice. To me, this is a bit disappointing when compared to the flavor of other straight bourbon in this category and price range.

Overall Rating: 2/5 What, exactly, do you do with a drunken sailor, anyway?

Least common denominator here is that this is still a blended Bourbon that is selling from between $70 and $80 currently. It’s simply not worth that.

I agree with the overall rating and Bill V.’s comment is well taken. There are a readily available trove of whiskeys at the same price point that blow Jefferson’s out of the water.

I was at the distillery right after it opened in Louisville in, what, 2016? They were introducing this, gave us a “special” pour of at after our tasting, and offered it at a special intro price of $100. Clearly they expected this to explode in demand. It tasted exactly like 1792 to me, leading me to believe they bought cheap juice from Barton, shipped it around the world, and claimed that the equator performed some kind of magic on it (this was the pitch in the tasting room—they didn’t have their marketing statements fully formed)!!! This is bourbon for the easily-duped millennials and cork dorks. The fact that it is now $30-40 less than the original release price confirms. Use your money on Huber’s excellent sherry cask aged single barrel offerings, or many others for the same price.

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Jefferson’s Ocean-Aged Bourbon Review

“Tonight is a good night. No. Tonight is a great night!” That was running through my head as I sat down to write my Jefferson’s Ocean-Aged Bourbon Review.

Patrick "Pops" Garrett

Update: Here’s an update on where Jefferson’s Ocean-Aged Bourbon was released.

“Tonight is a good night. No. Tonight is a great night!”

That was running through my head as I sat down to write my Jefferson’s Ocean-Aged Bourbon Review. I was, in all honesty, as excited as a grade-schooler watching the minute hand on a clock wind down the final minutes til Summer vacation. I was finally going to taste the almost mythical Jefferson’s Ocean-Aged Bourbon. The bourbon has occupied my mind ever since I heard rumors of it last year.

Jefferson’s “Ridiculously Small Batch” bourbons have always been special in my heart. It was the first brand of bourbon that my wife bought for me. It was a sign that despite her lack of interest in drinking bourbon, she could still be trusted with making important purchasing decisions. So when I heard that Jefferson was coming out with something unique and special, I was all ears.

I started digging around on the web and learned all I could about the so-called “Ocean” bourbon and called around to my local connections to see if I had a chance to actually get my hands on a bottle. When you hear that only 600 bottles will be released, you’ve got to put your game face on and call in some favors. Little did I know that I would get a unique opportunity to be one of the first to sample and review the “Bourbon Unicorn,” as I’ve come to call it.

I received my sample last week from the kind folks at McLain & Kyne, and I’ve kept it under lock and key since then.

I’m sure many of you have read up on Jefferson’s Ocean-Aged Bourbon already, but here’s a little more information direct from the source:

Trey carries on the tradition of his ancestors, the McLains and the Kynes, who both have roots deep in the bourbon industry dating back to the late 18th and 19th centuries.  The Jefferson’s Bourbon brand portfolio, which is distributed in 46 states and 9 countries, consists of four “Ridiculously Small Batch” spirits: Jefferson’s Bourbon, Jefferson’s Reserve, Jefferson’s Presidential Select and Jefferson’s Rye.  In the age where small batch bourbons are made from 200-300 bottles in big distilleries, Trey knows good things come in small batches.  He carefully chooses from no more than 8-12 barrels to deliver a unique, yet consistent flavor profile for each of his four whiskies.

This summer, Trey will introduce Jefferson’s Ocean-Aged Bourbon to his line of Ridiculously Small Batch whiskeys. The brand’s new addition is blended in Kentucky, aged in barrels for almost four years on a 126-foot ship, and bottled at a robust 88 proof (44% ABV).  Trey was curious about what effects temperature changes, salt air, and continuous rocking of the sea would have on bourbon’s aging process. The result of the experiment is a dark and rich bourbon which rivals whiskeys aged for much longer. There are only 600 bottles of the rare product available and they’re going to be released nationally.

So without any more delay, here’s my review for your reading enjoyment.

• Bourbon Name: Jefferson’s Ocean-Aged Bourbon
• How I Drank It: Neat, in my special bourbon glass (please don’t be jealous)
• My Nose Noticed: * Leather| Prunes | Cinnamon
• First Sip: Sweet Cherry | Woody | Faintly Briny
• The Burn : The first few sips bite your tongue for a moment. It finishes smooth but returns with a wonderful warmth that caresses your entire throat. It lingers for a minute or two and then disappears like a ship in the fog. A very nice “burn”, but like a woman pining for her seafaring man, I wish it had stuck around a bit longer.
• Neat, Splash or Rocks: I started off drinking it neat for my initial observations. I then added a bit of water. The added water greatly softened the bite till it was all but gone. This allowed me to take time to observe the flavors of the bourbon. I noticed that the delicate flavors of vanilla, cinnamon and prunes quickly gave way to the rough flavors of wood, leather and brine. Is this the result of being hyper-aged for four years at sea? A fleeting glimpse of flavors usually associated with well-aged bourbons. It’s as if this bourbon has two distinct flavor profiles. Curious for sure, but I like it!
• Share With: This is a complex and wonderfully challenging bourbon in many ways. It has a finish that says, “Hey, look I’m only 4 years old but I’ve seen a lot of the world so I’m wiser than my years.” I think it’s best shared with fellow bourbon lovers who can appreciate all the subtleties that this has to offer.
• Worth The Price: I don’t know what the price is going to be when it’s released to the public but, all proceeds will go to support Ocearch – Trey Zoeller’s friend, Chris Fischer’s, ocean conservation non-profit. With only 600 bottles being released to the public, I definitely think it’s worth the price and effort for serious bourbon drinkers to grab a bottle for their collection.
• Bottle, Bar or Bust: If you’re a true collector of bourbon and you can appreciate what Trey’s done with his Ocean-Aged Bourbon, I think you should definitely add it to your collection. But if you are curious to know what it tastes like I think you should skip hunting a bottle down and try to get a glass at a bourbon establishment – if available.

This is a really special bourbon, in my opinion. With its seemingly dual-flavor personality and unique story, it is definitely one of the bourbon highlights of my year. I applaud Trey and his team for their dedication and willingness to try new things and get them into the hands of the American bourbon drinker. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that I get my hands on a full bottle and continue my exploration of Jefferson’s Ocean-Aged Bourbon.

If you have the luck of obtaining a bottle when it’s released, please return and share your thoughts in the comments section.

PS – If you want a little more back story on the bourbon, check out this great write-up on Food Republic.

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Jefferson's Bourbon Ocean Voyage 24 Review

A Caribbean cruise delivers complex results

Jefferson's is known for aging its bourbon at sea, and with this release, the brand takes that practice to new, experimental levels. Ocean Voyage 24's maritime voyage saw the whiskey age exclusively in Caribbean climates, experiencing average temperatures of more than 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Those extreme conditions have pushed the whiskey's profile to a place of rich caramel and ripe, juicy berries, with no lack of complexity. The spirit's spicy finish helps deliver much more flavor than bourbon at this proof.

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Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Rye Voyage 26

In-depth review.

Classification: Double Barrel Rye

Company: Jefferson’s

Distillery: Sourced (from undisclosed distillery[ies] in Canada)

Release Date: April 2022

Age: NAS (Aged at least 4 years based on label requirements set by TTB, though it is said to have been aged for roughly 5 years before undergoing its voyage)

Mashbill: Undisclosed

Color: Dark Amber

Price: $80 (2022)

Official Website

Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea series was created as an experiment to see how much of an impact aging barrels on a ship would have on a bourbon. According to the company, “each voyage of Jefferson’s Ocean typically crosses the equator four times, visits five continents and over 30 ports on an average sailing.” The first Voyage release of Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea consisted of only three barrels. Voyage 26 is the first time the company has released an ocean aged rye, with all previous batches being bourbons of different mashbills and bottled at varying proofs. According to the neck tag, “Jefferson’s Ocean Rye is a rye whiskey aged first in #3 char barrels and then double barrel[ed] in a split between char #3 and toasted barrels. Jefferson’s Ocean Rye was then hyper-aged at sea.” As noted on the label, Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Rye is a product of Canada and is non-chill filtered.

Soft on the nose, the whiskey opens with a bouquet of rye spice, black pepper, and nutmeg. A swirl of the glass brings an aroma akin to cherry cola, which combines with an undertone of fresh bakery scents. Once the initial spice settles it’s surprisingly dessert-like. It has an overall lightness to it that's acceptable, but keeps it from reaching greater heights.

The whiskey springs to life on the palate, with seasoned oak, rye spice, and a touch of ginger up front. A pretzel bun base forms behind the initial flavors, grounding the oak and spice notes. Toasted marshmallow follows, encapsulated by warm caramel. The combination makes for an easy sipping experience, and one that doesn’t scream rye whiskey, instead drinking closer to bourbon. It’s a pleasing combination of flavors, and it’s delivered with a satisfying level of intensity.

As the whiskey transitions into the finish, it turns slightly tannic as seasoned oak comes back into the fold. Leather and charred oak push their way into the mix, followed by a dash of anise and black pepper. Medium length, it becomes increasingly dry as it fades, but not to a fault. Enjoyable but far from perfect, what it lacks in balance it makes up for in complexity.

Aging whiskey at sea ranks pretty high on the uniqueness scale, but is the concept still unique? Jefferson’s is now on their 26th voyage, and although no one has copied the exact concept, companies such as O.H. Ingram aging whiskey on a floating river barge is very close. On the other hand, this is the first rye whiskey Jefferson’s has aged at sea. And while some may be over the concept of aging at sea at this point, this whiskey offers a few notable traits that are worth pointing out and potentially make it stand out even more than its at-sea voyage. First, it’s a product of Canada, which means its mashbill could be as much as 100% rye (though it doesn’t taste like it). Second, the double barrel split, which was a second barreling that occurred before the barrels embarked on their ocean voyage, was a split consisting of 75% new char #3 barrels and 25% toasted barrels. This combination is hardly common, and most likely contributes largely to the whiskey’s final flavor profile, which is quite intriguing. I assume diehard fans of Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Bourbon appreciate the concept, but also appreciate an approachable whiskey, as previous releases of Ocean Aged at Sea have tended to be. Aged at Sea Rye is certainly approachable, and should satisfy fans of its bourbon counterpart with a flavor profile that deviates from more common modern-day in-your-face rye flavor profile to one that is softer and more approachable, but complex and nuanced at the same time. It’s a nice variation from past voyages.

Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea established a $70 price point with its first mainstream release, Voyage 2, back in 2014. Now almost a decade later, the suggested price is just ten dollars more at $80. The additional cost to transport the barrels to port and then onto a ship for finishing undoubtedly adds to the price equation, but the fact remains that Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea’s price point falls squarely in premium American whiskey territory. $80 is a lot for any bottle, especially one that does not carry an age statement. But considering Ocean Aged at Sea Rye’s double barreling and interesting flavor profile, it’s a whiskey worth its premium asking price.

Combine the fact that Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Rye is the first rye aged at sea along with the fact that it’s a Canadian whiskey that was double barreled in split char #3 and toasted barrels, and this whiskey is worthy of your attention.

A concept I initially had a lot of excitement for, now 26 voyages deep I had all but lost interest in the aged at sea bourbons. Enter rye. Not just a run-of-the-mill MGP rye, but instead a double barreled Canadian rye, a trait at first hidden behind the much more prominent “aged at sea” concept. The result, however, is a very well done rye that few will find fault with. Its price tag will turn off some, and others will write it off as gimmicky. But all said and done in the expanding sea of rye whiskeys, Ocean Aged at Sea Rye strikes a flavor note other ryes have yet to hit, and does so with an interesting backstory. Kudos to Jefferson’s for kicking off their aged at sea ryes with a satisfying release.

Written By: Nick Beiter

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Review: Moscow City Ballet’s The Nutcracker at The Regent Theatre*

Last night, we went to see the magical story of The Nutcracker by the Moscow City Ballet at The Regent Theatre . Traditionally a Christmas tale, however, the Moscow City Ballet are currently just starting their UK 2020 Tour, which is due to last the next couple of months. On their roster, is Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and of course the Nutcracker, all being played in various cities around the UK and also three special performances (of each story) in Dublin.

Moscow City Ballet was started back in 1988 by the acclaimed choreographer Victor Smirnov-Golovanov, who sadly passed away in 2013. The company was taken over by his wife Ludmila Nerubashenko as Artistic Director. She had been Principle Ballet Mistress since 1993, therefore, was well equipped to take over his role. Smirnov-Golovanov’s concept was to allow artist licence to his dancers, with certain aspects of the choreography, allowing them the freedom to add in parts to the dance as long as they didn’t sway too far from the original choreographic concept.

What we thought of the Nutcracker

The Nutcracker, originally a story by Prussian writer E.T.A. Hoffman, written in 1814, and then adapted by the famous French writer Alexandre Dumas in 1844. This adaptation, then went onto be the inspiration for  Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Ballet of the same name which was completed in 1892.

Tchaikovsky iconic score of this Ballet is recognisable by all ages through all generations. I am sure you will remember as a child seeing or opening the classic children’s jewellery boxes that contained a dancing ballerina playing the music from this beautiful ballet? You will have heard the music on TV adverts, films and even weaved within nursery rhymes.

The Ballet begins with the Christmas Eve Party, where Clara first sees the Nutcracker. During this time the dancers are introducing you to the characters of the Nutcracker, the doll and the Mouse King. After the loosely choreographed first scene the dancers awoke to their centre stage performance that became a total delight. In scene two you are taken to the enchanted Forest where the blue tutus of the Ballerinas bounce, as their synchronised toes float across the stage.

The orchestra, although quiet at times, played beautifully and perfectly matched the pitter-patter of the ballet dancers movements across the boards of the theatre. As previously mentioned its such an iconic score and so delightful to hear live, however, it was a shame that it did at times lack a bit of oompf you would expect. I am not sure if this was down to the size of the orchestra or the dynamics of The Regent Theatre. That being said – my feet were still tapping at the most recognisable parts.

The second act makes for a truly magical performance, where the dancing flowers and fairies decorate the stage. We see how skilled some of the ballet dancers are as they jump and drift across the floor. It is with this combination of elegant movement and classical music, that makes the Nutcracker the perfect Ballet for those young and old who want to hold onto the magic of Christmas whatever the season.

Each ending in many different productions of this classic tale over the years have been different, and this also includes aspects of the narrative in the middle too. But Each one means that if you have seen this Ballet several times over the years, it means that you more than likely won’t have seen the same one!

Clara – Ksenya Basnet

Nutcracker Prince – Dzimitry Lazovik

Drosselmeier – Daniil Orlov

Flower Fairy – Liliya Orekhova

Mouse King – Mikhailo Tkachuk

Doll – Rachel Hernon

Nutcracker Doll – Sanzhar Omurbaev

Mouse King Doll – Daniyar Dosimbek

Fritz – Anastasiya Krutina

Spanish dance – Polina Tokareva

Russian – Rachel Hernon

Eastern dance – Taisiya Sukhorukova

Chinese dance – Mao Sakai 

Ballet Mistress – Lyudmila Poladkhanova 

With Artists of the Corps de Ballet 

With the Moscow City Ballet Orchestra conducted by Igor Shavruk 

Artistic Director Lyudmila Nerubashchenko 

How much do the tickets cost?

Tickets are priced from £13 to £56.90.

How do I book tickets to watch The Nutcracker?

Tickets are now on sale and available from the Box Office, by calling 0844 871 7649 or by visiting ATG’s website here .

How long is the show for and what are the timings?

The show opened on Monday,  20 January and will run until Wednesday, 22 January 2020. Shows will be at 7pm each night and will run for 1 hour and 50 minutes (including interval).

• Parking is ample either around the public car parks close to The Regent, but do check the rules. Some parking lots might need you to pay even at night. We parked up at intu Potteries and that cost us £1 (its fixed rate after 6pm).
• The Regent also provides binoculars (usually located at the back of each seat) for £1.
• Programme Booklets are usually on sale for £5, full details of the show and cast members are featured on it.
• The Regent is a beautiful theatre with ornate decor and traditional seating. It has plenty of performances out throughout the year and lots of variety.

About Regent Theatre

The Regent Theatre is a theatre in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Constructed in 1929 as a cinema, it is one of several theatres in the city centre and one of two owned by the Ambassador Theatre Group. The building was converted for full-time use as a theatre in 1999, and since then has hosted a number of shows and musicals. The theatre is also the northern base for the Glyndebourne Touring Opera.

About Moscow City Ballet

The Moscow City Ballet was founded in 1988 by the distinguished Russian choreographer Victor Smirnov-Golovanov, with the aim to promote the original ideas of the great 19th and 20th century Russian choreographers.  The birth of the company was a direct outcome of the sweeping changes in the Soviet Union in the late 1980s, where “Glastnost” and “Perestroyka” made the private enterprise legal again and Moscow City Ballet was the first privately owned ballet company in the USSR. It’s original name “The New Ballet of Moscow” was deemed too descriptive and the new name, “The Moscow City Ballet” was adopted in 1990.  The company remains true to its original ideals, showcasing some of the greatest works of the Russian and Soviet ballet heritage.  Its new aim is to preserve the legacy of late Victor Smirnov-Golovanov’s original choreography, with the ballets such as The Nutcracker, Cinderella and Romeo and Juliet having been exclusively choreographed by Victor for the Moscow City Ballet.

The company’s first appearance was in 1989 in Seoul, Korea. Its success outside of Russia makes it one of Russia’s most extensively touring ballet companies. Since 1988, Moscow City Ballet has appeared in Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Germany, Hong-Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Netherlands, People’s Republic of China, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic Korea, R.O.C. Taiwan, Romania, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America and, naturally, in Russia itself.  The company’s greatest success has been in the United Kingdom where it has given more than 1000 performances since 1991, accompanied by the Moscow City Ballet Orchestra.

Moscow City Ballet is one of Russia’s most successful and popular touring ballet companies, highly admired for its distinctive style, dramatic story‐telling, exciting choreography and exceptionally gifted dancers. Under the artistic direction of Victor Smirnov-Golovanov’s widow, Ludmila Neroubashchenko, the company continues to be committed to promoting ballet in the Russian classical tradition to audiences all over the world.

About PMB Presentations

PMB Presentations has a reputation for excellence. The organisation represents ‘high end’ visiting companies of genuine repute and pedigree. PMB personnel have been associated with all genres of live shows especially Dance, Opera and Ballet since 1996, and participated in over 10,000 high-quality performances in the major UK regional theatres; international concert halls; Theatre Champs Elysees Paris, and in London at the Royal Festival Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, Cadogan Hall and London Coliseum. In the UK dance market where theatres and councils attempt to build audiences for dance, particularly contemporary dance, classical ballet touring under the PMB banner remains the most popular audience choice, maintaining consistently large attendance.

Review by: Lex Ward

You may also want to read this:

Review: Fame The Musical at The Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent

Review: Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes at The Lowry in Salford, Manchester

Review: Birmingham Royal Ballet – Beauty and The Beast at The Lowry Theatre

Photo Credit:  Regent Theatre/Moscow City Ballet/PMB Presentations

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Lifestyle blog featuring reviews on travel destinations, food, family activities, gadgets and events in Cheshire, Staffordshire & Manchester.

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I bet this is absolutely incredible to get to see live – especially with the Moscow ballet! There is something magical about The Nutcracker and if I was to go and see a ballet it would definitely be this one.

You are so right Sarah, there were parts in it which was so magical and the ballet dancers were so graceful and the choreography is so wonderful

I would love to see this, I bet it was amazing to watch I have always wanted to see this live, hopefully one day x

Hope you do get to watch it, they are touring around the UK at the moment

Oh that looks abaolutely wonderful. I love going to see the ballet and would really like to see this, what a treat!

Absolutely, we totally enjoyed last night’s show

My girls and I LOVE going to ballets! Having kids in ballet class, I find that going to these only inspire them, as well as entertain. I would love for us to see the Nutcracker!

Hope you all do get a chance to see it, we watched it with our girls and loved it!

I saw this 12 years ago and I still have such fond memories of it.

Despite being heavily pregnant and forced in to a tiny seat, it was just the most wonderful experience x

How wonderful to hear your story Claire, glad our post brought back those memories

I would love to go and see this ballet. Moscow City Ballet and the other similar theaters from Russia have such talented dancers who work a lot to be able to perform so perfectly.

Absolutely! The amount of practise they have put into it shows, it was amazing to watch them perform

I love going to the ballet, such beautiful performances to watch. I haven’t been in so long so would love to see the Moscow City Ballet!

They were so beautiful to watch and we especially our kids totally enjoyed the performance

I’d love to go to the ballet as I’d be mesmerized by the dancers, it’s so impressive what they do. Each Christmas I see the nutcracker on show so maybe next year I’ll need to go x

Hope you get a chance to see the nutcracker when it tours near your place.

The performance was sublime, the company are very accomplished. We thoroughly enjoyed the performance.

I have to agree with you there Kevin, we totally loved it as well. Preferred the second part more to the first

I must admit I am not a ballet fan, although this does look very interesting. My mum is though, so maybe I will have to treat her?! 🙂

You must do, lots of families were there, young and old, men and woman

Its not necessarily my thing however my family, especially the three girls, love performances, theatres and Ballet and would have found this very enjoyable, great Review!

Thank you Liam for taking the time to read our review and leave a comment

A friend of mine teaches ballet and she talked about meeting the Moscow city ballet and lamented on how talented they are, the nutcracker show must have been incredible to watch.

Yes it certainly was, it is a privilege watching them live

Oh wow what a beautiful show, the pictures look amazing! Its a show I would love to see, in fact any of the shows you mentioned above I am sure would be lovely to watch. I find the ballet so elegant to watch and the music is always so beautiful too!

The dancers are such professional and so flawless and graceful when they dance. Such joy to watch them

Oh wow, that looks simply incredible. I’ve never seen a ballet, but would love to watch one one day. What a great experience!

It was a lovely experience to see the show live, hope you get the chance too

Wow it sounds amazing, only ever been to one ballet and I loved it. I would love to be able to go to more.

Hope you get the chance to watch the Nutcracker by the Moscow City Ballet dancers

I would love to see this ballet but mistakenly thought it was being performed in March 2020. So disappointed to have missed it but hopefully it will return to the Regent Theatre sometime in the not too distant future!

They are touring around the UK Rota, so worth checking out their website to see where they are headed to next, not too sure if they will head back to The Regent Theatre this year.

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