The Riches Of Midleton - Barry Crockett - Irish Whiskey's Superstar

As anyone who has visited a distillery before will tell you whisk(e)y making, wherever it is produced, is not just about the liquid, the processes and the location but also the people behind it.  

Visit any of the picture postcard distilleries on Islay in Scotland and the above is very much on show:  from Iain McArthur at Lagavulin, the cheeky warehouseman, whose guiding influence on the selection of the whisky has been instrumental in making Lagavulin one of the best loved distilleries in Scotland.  Iain recently celebrated his 40th year working in whisky, many of them spent at Lagavulin, every year honing his knowledge and his ability to pick a winning cask.  The same story applies to the Bowmore distillery. Manager Eddie MacAffer began his tenure at the distillery back in July 1966 and is without doubt, the most learned person on the planet when it comes to the whisky produced by this hugely popular distillery.  

In Ireland the story remains the same and last week, we were lucky enough to be part of a very special double celebration at the Midleton distillery in Cork.  For those unfamiliar with the Midleton name, the distillery, which was re-developed on the old Midleton site back in 1975 produces, Jameson Irish whiskey- available in almost every bar in every town in every country around the globe.  Such is the popularity of the brand, alongside the recently revived excellence of Green Spot and Redbreast (the 12 year old sells around 30,000 cases a year), that Irish Distillers who own the vast complex of still rooms and warehouses (to give you some idea of the scale of the brand, we counted nearly 50 aircraft hanger sized facilities, full of maturing casks) have just completed an ambitious expansion plan, taking the capacity of the distillery to somewhere in the region of 60 million litres of whiskey a year.  

Yes, they're really this big...

The Midleton 'Housewarming' was a celebration of just why Irish whiskey is currently the fastest growing dark spirit category in the world and for two days, nearly 1000 writers, journalists, bartenders and whiskey enthusiasts desended on the small town, where the distillery had transformed itself into effectively an Irish whiskey theme park - not only to celebrate the huge expansion, but also to give a fond farewell to Barry Crockett, master distiller for Irish Distillers, who retired at the event, handing the reins over to Brian Nation. 

The Midleton distillery has received a substantial facelift and in addition to the impressive construction  of the Garden Still House (with quite easily the biggest pot stills we have ever seen, with an overall capacity of 80,000 litres, typically running at up to 40k)the distillery is now catering more for consumers, with the addition of a whiskey academy, complete with old school chairs and desks, blackboards and some seriously impressive working glass stills at the back of the room, that brilliantly highlight the potstill distillation process.  The academy is intended to be as detailed or as light on knowledge as needed, for instance catering for groups of bartenders, keen to know more about Irish whiskey and its DNA compared to other whiskies, or simply for visitors to the Midleton site to get a feel for what is to come when they visit the full sized stills on their tour. We like... A lot. 

Barry & his newly named Stillhouse

And as to the whiskeys themselves.  Well, here at Caskstrength we'd heard quite few rumours concerning a brace of new Redbreast releases (steady on, not those sort of rumours) so were keen to see if there was any new liquid on offer during our trip. Alas not, but we hear there is to be some substance to the rumours shortly -  watch this space. What we did get to try again was the range of single potstill whiskeys, which Midleton have been steadily building into a strong category of its own (see our previous feature here for more information) 

Seeing as it was Barry Crockett's final day at the site, a healthy dram of his legacy whiskey seemed the most fitting send off -  and without a doubt, the Crockett, totally rocked it... 

Barry Crocket Legacy -  46% - 70cl

Nose: A sensational balancing act of fresh orchard fruit, vanilla, some tropical notes (mango and passion fruit) whipped cream with a drizzle of honey and del seasoned, spicy oak.  As Irish whiskeys go, this has everything -  depth of character, a spicy backbone, delicate notes and a very fruity personality -  much like the real life Barry Crockett.  Triumphant just about sums this up.

Palate: The tropical fruits of the nose develop further on the palate, with the seasoned oak starting to develop a presence. The taste is full on and zesty initially, but with a little water the calmer vanillas develop alongside soft ripe plums, some peppery notes and a creamy oakiness.  

Finish: Lingering notes of the soft fruit, with a little touch of spicier, dried fruits and a delicious creaminess which fades with time. 

Overall: Whilst it's sad to see Barry Crockett retire, he has passed the tasting glass on to a more than capable distiller in the shape of Brian Nation.  Not only that, but he has left a truly great legacy behind in this wonderful whiskey.  Alongside Redbreast 15 year old, this is easily our favourite Irish whiskey and that is saying something.  Enjoy your spare time, Barry -  and make sure you leave with a few cases of this in your car...

You can learn more about the Midleton distillery by visiting: www.singlepotstill.com

Irish Eyes

Well, it's been a few weeks since we were there, but our thoughts are still very much on the fun we had in Dublin just before St Patrick's Day. As with last years festivities, we were both on hand during the Jameson Global Broadcast to offer a vaguely English take on Irish whiskey for the assembled DJ's who travelled from across America, Scandinavia, South America and for the first time, India!

However, before the event kicked off, Jameson threw one of their famed Cult Cinema nights to entertain the DJs and this year, the theme was The Blues Brothers. Arriving at a huge warehouse, made to look like the Chicago State Penitentiary, the guests were herded in by surly looking prison guards (and not so surly, as you'll see from these pictures).

Canteen food was served, whilst the legendary film played out on a huge screen, diners flanked by guards with guns. It gave the whole film a new dimension of realism. Then, just when we weren't expecting it- James Brown arrived on stage! (Obviously not THE James Brown but a pretty accurate reproduction named Buck from Texas). From here on in, people were dancing on tables, Jameson cocktails in hand and the strains of Everybody Needs Somebody are probably still echoing around the warehouse today- all in all a superb night!

It was great catching up with our old friend Henry, the John Peel of Boston, proudly residing over the airwaves of WFNX in Boston. Henry knows a few things or two about music (he was probably the first person in America to play U2, Adele and Mumford & Sons) so we had a good catch up about his tips for the future and his choice of St Patrick's Day soundtrack, which you can see below:

Next on the Caskstrength interview trail was a newcomer to the Jameson Global Broadcast- Michelle Patrao from Radio Indigo in Mumbai. Despite the rain, Michelle had some big plans for larging it Dublin style on St Patrick's day.

After meeting so many fantastic people from across the globe, we relaxed with measure of Jameson to discuss the merits of Irish whiskey with Liam Donegan, one of Jameson Distillers, who treated us to this excellent bottling:

Jameson - Select Reserve - Black Barrel - 40% abv

Nose: Obviously Irish, obviously Jameson but this whiskey has come from oak casks which have been heavily charred, giving the nose more punch than normal for a triple distilled offering. Some spices, reduced sugars and red fruit jams are apparent.

Palate: The palate delivers what the nose promises, with the rich red fruits (reduced with sugar in pan) being backed with some creamy notes, toasted wholemeal bread and slowly melting butter.

Finish: Smooth and rich, this whiskey really is a level above.

Overall: Seems as rare as hens teeth, but if you get a chance, grab a taste. Well worth it.

Next on the list was a meeting with Paul Daly. Artist, cocktail bar owner and designer of the new limited release St Patricks Day bottling of Jameson Original, five bottles of which we gave away in our competition in February, it was fantastic to hear from this Hoxton Sq based creative about his Irish background and how he was influecned to create the unique bottling he did, drawing mainly on the concept of updating the classic imagery from the Irish book of Kells.

The Global Broadcast really brings home that on a day like St Patrick's Day, no matter where you are, get the right group of people together in a room and the fun will start to kick off... and clearly, a few drams of Jameson may help to lubricate the whole thing, just to be sure.

St Practice Day: win some Jameson Irish Whiskey

It is fast approaching that time of year once again when the Irish throw one, huge global party. Forget the pints being thrown back on St Patrick’s Day, for here at Caskstrength HQ we’re all about the whiskey. With the posh new ‘Single Pot Still’ bottlings such as Green Spot, Redbreast and Powers John’s Lane all coming out of the Midleton Distillery in County Cork, Irish whiskey is undergoing somewhat of a revival. Latest figures show Irish whiskey sales flying at an all time high and leading the assault is the cousin of these posh new offerings, the Captain of the team, the flagship for the Emerald Isle... Jameson Irish Whiskey.

Last year we attended their knees-up bash at the Old Jameson Distillery in Dublin on St Patrick’s Day. A fantastic event from start to finish, the whole atmosphere embraced the Irish spirit in more ways than one.

This year will see a similar affair take place in the city, on 16^th March 2012, representing the convivial and community-minded aspect of whiskey, which seems to come so easily to those making Jameson. Being exactly a month away from St Patrick's Day itself, this gives us a wonderful opportunity to do three things on the site:

Firstly, we have very kindly been given FIVE special edition bottles Jameson Irish Whiskey to give away to five of our readers. All you have to do is answer this cheeky little question:

Which leaf used to celebrate Ireland and St Patrick’s Day?

A. Maple leaf / B. Ivy leaf / C. Shamrock / D. Oak leaf

Send your answer in on an email to:

jameson@caskstrength.net

The closing date is 12pm GMT on the 15^th March 2012. The usual T&C’s apply and you MUST be over the legal drinking age in your country to enter. Please also include your name, age and address - them's the rules.

Secondly, we couldn’t offer up a whiskey without writing some tasting notes on it, so you know exactly what you’re in line to potentially win. Here are our thoughts on this market-leading Irish whiskey:

Jameson Blended Irish Whiskey – NAS - 40% abv

Nose: Aromas of toasted marshmallow, light lemon zest and toasted wood underpin some delicate sherry notes all backed with a light-hearted spice top line.

Palate: Slight herbal and mint tones mix well with freshly cracked hazelnuts and some cinnamon, but a smooth vanilla base gives this blend the idea palate for sipping on or partnering with stronger flavours.

Finish: Short and immediate, this dram gets straight to the point of being easy and an all-rounder in the flavour department.

Overall: A great whiskey to get started on in the Jameson range, this liquid is versatile in cocktails too.

Which leads us on to our third and final bag of fun. As mentioned above, Jameson goes well in cocktails, so we’ve been playing in the labs at Caskstrength HQ to come up with a refreshing St Patrick’s Day cocktail that is easy to make at home, especially if you get to practice today- St Practice Day! Our concoction is a simple Mint Julep with an Irish twist.

Mint Julep - Dublin Style.

You’ll need: a handful of fresh mint leaves, sugar syrup (Monin Pure Cane Sugar Syrup is good, or you can easily make your own), Jameson Irish Whiskey, some Green Chartreuse and lots of crushed ice.

To make the drink, pull some of the mint leaves from the bunch, putting them in to a cup with ice on top. Muddle the leaves to release their flavour and aroma. To this, add 40ml of Jameson Irish Whiskey, 10ml of sugar syrup and 5ml of green chartreuse. Add more ice and stir. Garnish with a sprig of mint clapped between the hands to release the aroma and serve in a tin cup from the freezer. Simple and delicious, to-be-sure-to-be-sure-to-be-sure!

Hot Pot

The whisk(e)y business is constantly evolving. New bottle shapes seem to be popping up everywhere, new finishing and maturation techniques are being employed and every so often there are even brand new distilleries announced, pumping out spirit with gusto, from tens of millions of litres, to those filling single digit numbers of casks a day.

But it isn't every day that a whole new category is launched.

As we know, the growth of Single Malt Scotch Whisky is not to be ignored, even if the market is still underpinned by huge sales of Blended Whisky, both at home and abroad. In Scotland, the distinction between Single Malts and Blends is guarded in legislation written and passed by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) and published in their latest 2009 regulations.

As you can see from the diagram above, taken from the 2009 regulations document, it is all fairly straightforward with Scotch. If the word “malt” or "grain" appears on a bottle of Scotch, it refers to the fact that no less than 100% of the ingredients is either Malted Barley or Grain; hence the terms Single Malt or Single Grain whisky.

A short hop over the sea to Ireland and things become very different. In 1682, Ireland was ruled by a British Government who, in trying to keep its grip on the unruly country, introduced a Malt Tax. As a result, many Irish distillers of the day hit back by making their whiskey with a mixture of malted and (non-taxable) un-malted barley, giving whiskey produced in Ireland its own unique flavour profile.

This means that in Ireland there are four different styles of whiskey made; Single Malt (example, Bushmills 10yo), Single Grain (example, Greenore 8yo), Blended (example, Jameson) and Pure Pot Still (example, Red Breast). The expression least familiar to Scotch drinkers would be "Pure Pot Still", a term used to refer to Irish Whiskeys triple distilled only in copper pot stills, from a mash made using mixture of malted and un-malted barley.

Why shouldn't the Irish have a definitive category which draws a real distinction between Blended, Single Malt or Single Grain whisky and that produced only in a Copper Pot Still using both malted and un-malted barley? The middle of the Venn diagram between Single Malt / Single Grain and Blended, if you like. A category that can do for this style of Irish whiskey, what Single Malt has done for Scotch. And so, in April 2011 the term "Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey" was introduced, creating a more definitive, new category of Irish Whiskey and replacing the little used term "Pure Pot Still".

Still with us? If not, click here.

("every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain")

One does wonder, with the introduction of the "single" moniker by the chaps down at Midleton, if we'll see any of the blends, all made on the one site, labelled "Single Blended Whiskey"...??

As a result of the new term Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, Irish Distillers, owners of the Midleton Distillery in Cork have decided to expand two new whiskeys into this range and rejuvenate three others which were already in the now renamed Pure Pot Still category.

Getting a make over are the excellent Red Breast 12yo & 15yo as well as Green Spot, a whisky which has been produced exclusively for the Mitchell Family, wine brokers from Dublin, since the 1800's. All three of these whiskeys are at the very top of our list of favoured Irish drams, so it is fantastic to see a greater emphasis put on these releases. It has also been announced by Alex Ricard, CEO of Irish Distillers, that there will be additions to the range within the year-possibly older versions of Red Breast (?) and other extensions to the 'Spot' range. Although yet to be confirmed, the prospect has got us very excited at Caskstrength HQ.

Let's take a look at the Red Breast 12yo and the Green Spot whiskeys:

Red Breast - 12 Years Old - Single Pot Still - 40% ABV

Apparently 27% of the whiskey in this offering is matured in first fill sherry barrels

Nose: Honey, dry wood and oak, sherry tones. Still a little green on the nose, but that is probably because we're so used to the more mature 15 Year Old. The aroma dies down with dark chocolate liquours and a wiff of red flowers in bloom.

Palate: Light spices, some cherry notes, toasted pine nuts, hazelnuts all underpinned by some very light but juicy tropical fruit juices.

Finish: Those light wood spices again, some copper tones, ginger and digestive biscuits.

Overall: An excellent offering from the folk at Midleton. This has always jostled for position with Green Spot for our number two Pot Still Whiskey behind Red Breast 15yo.

Green Spot - NAS - Single Pot Still - 40% abv

traditionally released in very small batches and hard to find, Green Spot has been given a new lease of life with a new bottle and, for the first time, a box as well.

Nose: Freshly cut pine, strong vanilla tones which support orchard fruits.

Palate: Very grainy initially, with licorice chews, stewed soft fruits, a big hit of light curry spices ending with cardamon and fennel.

Finish: Dry oakiness with increased licorice, the same spices as the palate yet also with crushed almonds and hazelnuts.

Overall: A fantastic whiskey, which we wish was more widely available and at a cheaper price - we just bought a bottle for nearly £40. A lot of money for a No Age Statement whiskey.

Onto a brace of brand new releases from the Midleton distillery. Powers is a hugely popular whiskey in Ireland and this release commemorates the original 'spiritual home' of the Powers distillery on John's Lane in Dublin. The whiskey has a high proportion of first fill bourbon cask influence, as well as a a smattering of Oloroso sherry casks thrown in for good measure.

Powers - John's Lane Release - 12yo - 46% abv - NCF

Nose: Very heavy on the nose initially, with all-spice, dark honey, dried apricots and damsons.

Palate: Sweet cereal notes hit the palate first, followed by a very juicy fresh fruit salad (apples, bananas and a hint of tropical fruit, similar to an aged grain whiskey)

Finish: Creamy swathes, which linger on the palate and a return of some of the fruity notes.

Overall: A welcome edition to the Powers range, highlighting the differences in the spirit. This is a very different beast to that of the Red Breast and the Green Spot.

The final whiskey pays homage to an Irish whiskey legend, Barry Crockett, Midleton's Master Distiller responsible for developing the character of Midleton and helping bring it to a wider audience. This bottling includes a selection of first fill bourbon casks hand picked by Mr Crockett and also the inclusion of whiskey matured in unseasoned American oak.

Midleton - Barry Crockett Legacy - First Batch - 46% - limited to around 2500 bottles

Nose: Peppery, with pronounced citrus notes (grapefruit), gooseberries, passion fruit and a hint of wet cardboard.

Palate: More of the passion fruit, with a crisp zesty top note, some sweet cereal notes and a light creaminess. Exceedingly well balanced.

Finish: The sweet fruits linger, with hints of fizzy cherry drops and more of the creamy cereal.

Overall: Brilliantly put together, this whiskey in particular demonstrates how the category of single pot still Irish whiskey can develop into something with a distinct voice of its own.

The Single Pot Still category is set to grow over in the immediate future and, according to Alex Ricard, over the next 22 Years. Big plans indeed. As always with whiskey, consistency will be the key and if the SPS category can feature a range of price and availability, it could well become established as a new dawn in Irish Whiskey.

Kiss My Blarney

Ever felt like you've needed a weekend to recover from the weekend you just had? Well, you can pretty much guarantee that a trip to Dublin for St Patrick's Day will leave you owing somebody several weekends. As we mentioned in our last post, Caskstrength was over for the St Patrick's Day celebrations and specifically to try our hand at a little bit of presenting on Jameson FM, a radio station set up within the old Distillery building in the centre of Dublin. And what a blast we had. Thank you to everyone who tuned in, sent emails and generally made the experience a lot of fun indeed.

On the night before, we met up with one of the most knowledgable chaps we've come across when it comes to Irish whiskey - Kobus Van Zyl, head barman at the Four Seasons Hotel. Kobus was one of our guests on Jameson FM and we thought it would be fun to challenge him to a live nosing competition on the day. After meeting him and seeing the incredible selection of whiskies he has at the bar, we were very scared indeed. Kobus has assembled a dream list of Irish whiskey from rare and vintage bottlings, through to some excellent single cask releases, which are well worth seeking out. Our highlight was one of Connemara's 1992 single casks:

Connemara - Irish Whiskey - Single Cask release - Cask 4293 K92/35 - distilled 4th September 1992 - bottled 28th November 2006 - 46%

Nose: Soft notes of vintage peat (old Ardbeg style), cream soda, fudge, white chocolate and an abundance of fresh vanilla pods. It screams brilliantly matured first fill bourbon cask from every pore.

Palate: The soft peat lingers, with a creamy cereal note following closely, a dash of water revealing some citrus notes and a rich vanilla fudge sweetness.

Finish: More soft gentle peat lingering for a very long time.

Overall: A superb bottling all round. well worth seeking out.

After getting that all too familiar kid-in-a-candy-store feeling, we decided to beat a hasty retreat due to our early start, so headed for a quiet Guinness at our hotel. Anyone who's heading to Dublin looking for a few whiskey gems should visit the Four Seasons- and many thanks to Kobus for being such a good sport!!

Post the mountain of Irish breakfast from a local cafe, (white pudding...Mmmm ) we were ready for the onslaught at the Old Jameson Distillery. The Global Broadcast is now in its 8th year and it's clear that the distillery have a well oiled machine in place. When we arrived, the place looked completely different to how it did the day before; over 30 international radio stations from Chile to Finland had assembled themselves around a multitude of tables in the main distillery building and the place was buzzing with the call signs and jingles from the likes of Boston WFNX, Tampa WSUN and good old XFM from London. It was completely bewildering sight and we decided to have a dram of Irish courage before we went on air- Red Breast 12yo seemed to be the order of the day and after a few sips we were ready for action.

We managed to sneak off for a few minutes in the afternoon to try something rather interesting indeed- sample from a 1996 Jameson 1st fill bourbon cask, which had been bought over from the Midleton Distillery for St Patricks Day.

Jameson - Single cask 42680- 1996- first fill bourbon - 63%

Nose: Soft gingerbread, hints of fresh coconut, milk chocolate, marshmallows and a distinctly peppery fire, from the spirit.

Palate: A very rich mouthfeel, with a hint of spicy liquorice on the tip of the tongue, into soft chocolate covered caramels, creamy fudge and light zesty orange notes. Direct, yet very complex. A dash of water opens up the spice and the soft ginger notes develop superbly.

Finish: Light and fruity.

Overall: A real insight into the maturation process. Jameson fill their casks at hellishly high strengths (we're told around 82%) but the quality of this cask demonstrates just how the wood can temper such ferocity.

Before we knew it, it was 5pm and some very special guests had arrived to close the radio show, which sent a real buzz round the distillery. Mumford & Sons played a perfectly formed, spine-tingling acoustic session version of their album opener, Timshel, which summed up the ethos of the day and got everyone in the mood for the St Patricks day parties, happening all over the world. But there was only one place to be in our opinion- slap bang in the centre of Dublin with a pint of the black stuff in one hand and a whiskey in the other.

See you again next year Dublin!!

St Patrick's Day Fun

Quick update to y'all. Joel and I are over in Dublin for the next few days enjoying the St Patrick's Day festivities, which also include appearing as guests on Jameson FM, an online radio station which is broadcasting throughout the day. We'll be conducting a live tasting challenge on air, plus reading out a few of your Sine Metu 'Have You Got The Bottle' competition entries (there's still time to enter here!)

So where ever you happen yo be, uncork your favourite whiskey and raise a generously filled glass one of the greatest and undoubtedly fun saintly celebrations in the world!!

Slainte...

Neil + Joel

Have You Got The Bottle?

Guess what?! It’s competition time again here on CaskStrength.net

You lucky devils, you.....

In celebration of our brand new facebook page, we’ve partnered up with Jameson Irish Whiskey to offer a bespoke bottle to one lucky reader. But it's going to take a lot of 'bottle' to win it....

Sine Metu is the Jameson motto. Translated, it means 'Without Fear'. According to legend, John Jameson was so fearless, that he once jumped overboard to save a barrel of his beloved whiskey which broke loose on a treacherous ocean voyage. John Jameson's courageous spirit lives on through his smooth Irish whiskey and he earned the right to have his name on every single bottle of Jameson.

And now you can too!

Courage is defined as "The state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes with self-possession, confidence, and resolution; bravery." And now we want to hear from you about your most courageous moment!

It could be an extreme display of bravery, chivalry or just something downright amusing and absurd.

One lucky winner will win a bottle of Jameson 12 Year Old Distillery Reserve, with your name earning its place alongside John Jameson's famous signature on the label. The winner will be announced by us on Jameson FM on St Patrick's Day, March 17^th.

To enter, send your most courageous moment, in no more than 200 words, to:

courage@caskstrength.net

In your email, please make sure you include your name, age, location and contact details.

Terms and Conditions Apply. Please see here for further details.

In the meantime, to start you thinking, you can read about our most courageous moments, starting with Neil’s very own boys-own adventure, on the Caskstrength facebook page. For further information on Jameson, check out their facebook page too!

Good luck and above all else...Sine Metu....

E's are good. Our First WhiskEy reviews.

Caskstrength.net has found itself in rainy / sunny / rainy Dublin. One of our fav cities in Europe, it would be a crime whilst here not to visit the Old Jameson Distillery (http://www.oldjamesondistillery.com) to try some of their famous Irish whiskey.


Jameson Distillery Reserve - 12 Years Old - 40% - 700ml - only available at the distillery

"This is a special selection by the master blender of old triple distilled Jameson matured in both Oloroso and ex-Bourbon barrels."
Additional information tells me that the whiskey in this release is between 12 - 21 years old.

Nose- A waft of fresh hazelnuts. Honey roast ham with cloves and open log fires.

Palate- There is a real sweetness to this on initial tasting. Full Cream milk and rich heather and lavender notes.

Finish- The finish takes in toffee, heather, figs. Quite long for a 40% whiskey and it fades just brilliantly, leaving warming and sweet tones.

Overall- this is a fab whiskey. Retailing at €45 a bottle at the distillery or €55 to have your name on the bottle and the box. This really should be on general release. A fabulously balanced blend. Damn the hand luggage restrictions on liquids, or my bags would be weight down with the stuff.


Jameson Gold - NAS - 700ml - 40% vol

"Jameson Gold is a deluxe Irish whiskey of exceptional harmony. It take unique character from the small selection of traditional pot still whiskeys matured in virgin oak used in the blend."

12 months ago this bottling was only available in duty free, but has now found its way to a general release.

N- A strong and pungent nose of cigars, roast chicken, clear apple juice and coffee.

P- The apple juice flavour really streams through with light touches of coffee.

F- A surprisingly long finish that lingers both with spice and sweetness; brown sugar. Red chillies.

O- this whiskey is far too weak, but that's Jameson for you. From an island where politics has always been a hot topic, this is a distillery that makes whiskey to sit firmly on the fence. At €75 a bottle and clearly their attempt at stealing some of the JW Gold market (see our previous notes on the JW Gold and Blue) I'd go for the distillery reserve every time over this.


Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve (2007) - Big old wooden box with tasting note pamphlet - 700ml - 40% vol

What luck. Caskstrength.net is treated to a small, but exciting dram of the Jameson Rarest Reserve. Launched in 2007 this hits the market at €400 a bottle. Their marketing blurb reads thus:

"Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve is Jameson's most exclusive whiskey. Launched in 2007 it embodies all that is great about Jameson. The pick of some of our oldest & rarest whiskeys that were available for individual selection, have been carefully brought together & married by the 4 Jameson Masters to create what is essentially, the ultimate expression of Jameson craftsmanship."

N- Loads and loads of fruit. Water Melons, a hint of over ripe bananas and plums. Some lime in there too with that hint of coffee again. Just Beautiful.

P- Fudge, black cherries dipped in dark chocolate. The wood finish leave a subtle dryness in the mouth.

F- heathers, lavenders, copper delicate.

O- This is a really cracking dram that has everything going for it on the nose, but it so let down by the lack of power in the palate. Great flavours but the need to be bolstered by more than 40% spirit. At €400 a bottle, give the serious whiskey drinkers some respect and bottle this at cask strength or at least up towards 50% vol.


Jameson Signature Reserve - 40% vol - 1ltr - Travel retail only.

A new addition to the Jameson range, this is currently only available in Duty Free.

N- now we are really getting somewhere! Huge, huge liquorice notes. Pot still? Oh, yes! Strong, powerful and just wonderful.

P- I was expecting more. Think those little sweets that you get in liquorice allsorts with the blue bobbles over them. One of those soaked in Bombay Safire gin. Very nice but quite one dimensional.

F- Leaves menthol, spearmint and liquorice. Medium in length.

O- Totally different from any of the other drams above. Much meatier, the fruit and spices of the previous bottles gives way to more mints and herbs. It hits with strength in flavour but the palate is once again let down by the 40% vol!!! Argh!!!



A huge thanks to Michael Flanagan and his staff for their generosity.