![]() The palate is thick, smacking of floral citrus sweetness and nuttiness, leaning to marzipan and a touch of sherry-cum-dried fruits. Some of it was, but the majority comes from ex-sherry casks. The nose is fruity floral, creamy, and laden with cake spice and caramel, the latter so much so that you could be forgiven for thinking the spirit was aged primarily in ex-bourbon barrels. Out of the green glass bottle and into the glass, this 40% abv whiskey has a bright, rich gold coloring, like honey with just the slightest twist of copper in it. This plus the fact that it is the most widely and readily available expression of its kind make it th e single pot still whiskey. Redbreast took international whiskey circles by storm, winning high marks and many, many titles and gold medals. Prior to Redbreast, if one was one of the very few with an interest in pot still whiskey, the best that could be done was to buy a blend with a higher proportion of pot still, such as Powers or Irishman. When it did, it was with Redbreast 12 Year Old that they made the initial shove. Yet it was not until relatively modern times, albeit still under Crockett’s tenure, that the same Cork County distillery that has Jameson as its bread and butter committed to pushing single pot still whiskey. Smooth and supple this is the texture Irish Whiskey is famous for and is winning them new fans left and right.Ī long finish of malt, cinnamon, caramel and wood slowly fades to grain alcohol.When Barry Crockett retired as Master Distiller for Irish Distillers in 2013 after 47 years with the company, his principal legacy was preserving the distinctly Irish style of pot still whiskey. Sherry-like sweetness permeates the entire palate and gives it an almost cloying nature and if it weren’t for the malt and spice notes this would topple over under the weight of the repeating sweetness. Following close behind are notes of butterscotch, grains, spice and vanilla frosting with a kick of grain alcohol rolling about.Ĭaramel and malt pair off with some dark fruit and hard candy which stirs up some toffee, citrus, ‘Nilla Wafers and a bit of grain alcohol. Warm caramel, malt and citrus float out of the glass and up the nose. ![]() What do you think of the Jameson 12 year Special Reserve? Jameson 12 Year Reviewĭistiller: John Jameson & Son / Irish Distillers Limited Midleton It’s definitely not my go-to, but it’s something tasty and mellow that compliments a relaxing afternoon at home. Something that is easy to slowly sip neat and enjoy the mingling of sweet dessert notes with malt and that classic Irish spice. I don’t love it and it has its flaws, but it’s something that I could settle in with over a long weekend. Overall I like the Jameson 12 year Special Reserve. Comforting is the best way I can describe it. No matter what the reason, it always feels a bit like coming home to me when I pour a dram of something Irish. Sure I’ll spend weeks at a time deep in bourbon country or on the Isles of Scotland, but I always find myself back in Ireland. I honestly can’t tell you what it is, but I’m consistently drawn to it. There is something so delightful about Irish Whiskey to me. You’re a solid go-to that is a little over-priced in my mind (Power’s 12 is only $30), but nonetheless, you remain a stalwart bottle that is best enjoyed amongst a group of friends hanging out and playing board games for an afternoon (or whatever you do for fun). You’re made from distillate that has been aged in bourbon barrels and sherry casks before being blended with grain whiskey to lighten things up a bit. You are subtle, tasty and always easy to find.
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