Jameson 18 year old Bow Street, Cask Strength 2019 edition

I was really REALLY excited in 2018 when I'd heard that Jameson was releasing a full strength version of their 18 year old. Five minutes later I realized this was really only a half-step up from cask strength grain whiskey, and my enthusiasm subsided. Then I had to keep reminding myself of that for more than a year before I truly lost interest in a whole bottle. The stories we tell ourselves...

This did not stop me from taking part in a bottle split of the 2019 edition, though. And so here it is, four years later, cask strength Jameson with age...

Distillery: Midleton

Owner: Pernod Ricard

Brand: Jameson

Type: Irish Blended Whiskey (grain + pot stillwhiskey)

Age: at least 18 years old

Maturation: a mix of bourbon and sherry casks
Release year: 2019

Alcohol by Volume: 55.1%

Chillfiltered? No
e150a? No

(from a bottle split)

NEAT

All dessert things on the nose. Vanilla, salt water taffy, candy corn, coconut cream (active oak + grain whiskey), cheese danish and crème brûlée.

The palate begins with baking spices, nectarines and salty popcorn up front, tapioca pudding in the back. It picks up a dash of Madeira with time, and more than a dash of wheated bourbon (Old Weller).

The finish is a pairing of Madeira with an egg custard and a shot of OWA 107.

DILUTED to ~40%abv, or ¾ tbsp of water per 30mL whiskey

Now it noses of coconut cream, rosewater, vanilla and shortbread.

The palate is hotter, bitter, very rough, coated with simple syrup and imitation vanilla extract.

It finishes with Nillas, raw grain whiskey and pepper sauce.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I've never had a whisk(e)y drop from a B to a D+ with dilution, until now. Once I watered this thing it sprouted weeds. The high grain content and aggressive casks may have been the culprits. BUT, I found the whiskey to be very enjoyable when neat, something to indulge in with or for dessert. It's better than most 18yo scotch blends, but then again there aren't any cask strength 18yo scotch blends offered by the majors. Whether it's worth the price is up for debate but, per Winesearcher, Bow Street averages only a 20% premium over the standard diluted, dyed and filtered Jameson 18. And that is unusually reasonable.

Availability - three editions can be found at specialty retailers in the US and Europe
Pricing - $160-$250 (US); $140-$240 (Europe w/VAT)
Rating - 84 (do not dilute)

Things I Really Drink: Three Jamesons

I was too wrapped up in Scotch whisky reviews to honor St. Pat's Day with Irish whiskey reviews this year. So you're gonna get them now.

CASKMATES BACKGROUND

In an early attempt to expand the Jameson blended whiskey range, Pernod Ricard rolled out the Caskmates sub-range, which included the standard blend finished in beer-seasoned refill casks. The series began and ended with two whiskies. One finished in Cork's Franciscan Well stout casks, and one finished in "craft" IPA barrels.

Though I'm apparently the only one who thinks Jameson Black Barrel was a large step down from the standard expression, I was interested in these two beery whiskies because I've enjoyed the interplay of whisky and beer on my palate and in my tummy, more so than whisky and wine.

BOTTLE BACKGROUND

Jameson and I have been chums for nearly a quarter of a century, but we've grown apart over the past eight years or so. Either my palate or the whiskey's recipe has changed because my opinion of it has dropped precipitously. Jameson was always grain-heavy, but it seems to have crossed into 80-90% 3-year-old grain content territory. The 375mL bottle I'm reviewing today was purchased more than two years ago, but has barely been touched.

I also bought the stout edition two years ago and drank it rather swiftly. And there was good reason for that, as it paired really well with Guinness. The 375mL bottle being reviewed today was opened on 3/17 of this year and will be reviewed only with its two mates, no Guinness.

The IPA Edition was also opened on St. Patrick's Day this year. It registered so foully on my palate that night that I haven't touched the whiskey since.

So that is where we begin.

Irish Triplets:

Jameson bottled 2020 - 40%abv	Jameson IPA Edition bottled 2018 - 40%abv	Jameson Stout Edition bottled 2018 - 40%abv
This stuff is getting closer to Canadian Club every year. The nose is mostly just Nillas soaked in vodka, with hints of citrons, cherry blossoms and Powers-style machinery in the background.	IPA dominates the nose at first, all grapefuity hops and old bong water. It picks up lemon zest and lemon candy with time. No vodka.	This has a much better integrated nose. The gentle stout element forms the foundation, balancing ripe peaches, toffee, and a hint of vanilla bean. Like the old Gold Reserve, it's what I wish Jameson actually smelled like.
Neutral grain spirit, imitation vanilla extract and corn whiskey lead the palate, with occasional notes of flowers and peppercorns appearing occasionally.	The manic palate starts with lemon candy, Lucky Charms, flowers, vanilla and hoppy bitterness. It goes Full IPA after 15 minutes with only the vanilla and lemon candy clinging on for dear life.	Mild roasted grain and mellow bitterness from the stout registers first in the palate, with a slight pencil shaving note that almost makes this read like a French oak thing. It has the mildest vanilla and sweetness of the trio.
Heat, vanilla and black pepper in the finish.	The bitterness starts tilting towards woodiness in the finish, mixing awkwardly with a cloying sweetness and lots of vanilla.	It finishes with lemons, peppercorns and vanilla porter.
On the Rocks: The vanilla and corn notes grow, the vodka vanishes. An improvement.	On the Rocks: Ah, this is that note I didn't like when I tried the whiskey three weeks ago. An ugly bitterness mixed with vodka.	On the Rocks: This one also loses all of its good aspects, turning it into something close to the regular Jameson.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Jameson - As referenced in the notes, this has become almost interchangeable with Canadian Club, which is quite a descent. Though ice helps it out, I don't really see any need to use this bottle's contents again, especially with the Stout Edition on hand.

IPA Edition - There's no doubt this version will appeal to IPA fans since the end result is so close a moderate India Pale Ale. The palate is a weird goulash of flavors, which winds up being the whiskey's best attribute. Sadly the parts didn't come together as well as Glenfiddich's IPA Experiment. Perhaps a 43%abv single malt has more backbone than a grain-heavy 40%abv blend.

Stout Edition - The best of the trio by some distance, though I was surprised to see it take to ice so poorly. Otherwise, it's the only one of the three I'd buy again. Heck, it's the only one I want to drink again. My bottle was on the clearance shelves here in Ohio, so I hope this expression is not being phased out.

RATINGS:

Jameson, bottled in 2020 - 70 (and that's being generous)

Caskmates IPA Edition, bottled in 2018 - 76 (keep it neat)

Caskmates Stout Edition, bottled in 2018 - 82 (keep it neat)

Things I Really Drink: Speyburn 15 year old (bottled 2017)

I'll always give Speyburn a try. A decade ago their 10 year old single malt provided surprising quality for $15, though they have since doubled its price and lowered its ABV. Priced well in Europe, the 18 year old is a very solid pour. But the 15yo is my favorite of their standard range. I enjoyed my sample of it so much that I bought an entire bottle. Crazy, right?

Well, I've finished the bottle and have set aside a substantial quantity for this review. I have a picture of the bottle to prove that it's a real TIRD.....somewhere around here......ah, here it is:

You're welcome.

Distillery: Speyburn
Ownership: Inver House (via Thai Beverages plc via International Beverage Holdings Ltd.)
Region: Speyside (Rothes)
Age: at least 15 years old
Maturation: American oak casks and Spanish oak casks
Outturn: 3500 cases per year
Bottle code: L17/346
Alcohol by Volume: 46%
Chillfiltered? No
e150a? No
(from the bottom third of my bottle)

NEAT

The nose begins with lychee-laced oloroso casks filled with lavender blossoms, anise and Granny Smith apples. It slowly picks up hints of dijon mustard, dunnage, milk chocolate and rum cake. Classic Speyside-style sherry casks appear first in the palate. Think Aberlour with a squeeze of tart lemons. Black pepper and sweet oranges develop in the midground. It has a decent mouthfeel throughout, but some woody bitterness starts to show at the 30 minute mark. It finishes with tart citrus, tart apples and black pepper.

DILUTED to ~40%abv, or <1 tsp of water per 30mL whisky

Now I'm getting Balvenie with lime on the nose. (These distillery references are a bit lazy and not terribly helpful, sorry about that.) Stones and barley in the middle, flowers and caramel in the back. The palate starts off with a mix of dark and milk chocolates teamed with unripe plums, tart blackberries, flowers and some of that woody bitterness. The milk chocolate and wood carry into the finish.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

This works much better as a casual drinker than a thing to dissect. I noticed very little of the bitterness during the life of the bottle, usually finding it to be comparable or better than more-famous sherried Speysiders. Perhaps that's because the whisky usually found its way to my mouth not via Glencairn, nor the bottle neck, but in a heavy tumbler. And that is how I'd recommend the thing be consumed, while keeping it undiluted. (Mr. Opinions reviewed a pour from this same bottle just last week and was less enthusiastic about it than I.) Though I'm happy to have tossed some coin to Speyburn and finished this bottle, I don't anticipate getting another any time soon.

Availability - many specialty retailers in the US and Europe
Pricing - $60-$80, essentially unchanged in 4 years
Rating - 84

Vega 40 year old 1977 blended malt, North Star Spirits

The North Star Spirits Quartet wraps up with the eldest, a 40 year old blended malt from 1977. It's un-Sirius in that it had a small outturn (400) and was built from sherry cask whiskies. Yet it possesses a matching ABV, 43.1%abv. I'm curious to see if the different casks and extra time gave it more oomph than the 31yo vatting, pushing it into the 90+ point arena.

This is 40

Company: North Star

Range: Vega

Type: Blended (or Vatted) Malt

Distilleries: in Scotland

Age: 40 years (October 1977 - January 2018)

Maturation: "Spanish and American oak"
Outturn: 400 700mL bottles

Alcohol by Volume: 43.1%
Chillfiltered? No
Color added? No
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

The nose feels like old Glenfarclas. Dunnage, furniture polish, antique stores, carob, cloves, dates, very dark chocolate, pipe tobacco, dried currants, dried blueberries and on and on and on.

Meanwhile, the palate is reminiscent of 1970s Johnnie Walker Black Label, but a little thinner and less peaty. There's dust and dunnage and a dash of gooey paxarette. Bitter citrus peels and dried apricots in the middle. A hint of pipe tobacco in the background.

Bold bitterness dances with moderate sweetness in the finish. Baking chocolate meets brown sugar? Hints of clementines and dried apricots drift in the distance.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Though this one is sure to win more fans, I may pick Sirius over this Vega. I will not dispute the utter joy in the whisky's nose. The glories of the casks' old age do not carry over to the palate as the vessels have long overtaken the spirit they'd carried.

(Considering the raves this whisky has received, I drank the second half of the sample while typing up my notes, just to make sure I wasn't crazy. While I can't guarantee my sanity, I can say Vega's finish is shorter and simpler than any other 40+ year old whisky I've tried. Again I wonder if one of the two(?) casks involved had dropped below 40%abv.)

Availability - It might still exist in Europe, or the night sky (recycled joke)
Pricing - somewhere between €400 and €600, maybe?
Rating - 86 (gorgeous nose, though)

Sirius 31 year old 1988 blended malt, North Star Spirits

North Star Spirits Week continues. The 11 year old Caol Ila was terrific, while the 20 year old Clynelish was hard to get a handle on, just beyond reach, slipping beyond my grasp. And so on.

Today it's a 31 year old blended malt, distilled in 1988. I'm unsure of its ingredients, but with its large outturn and 43.1%abv cask strength, Sirius likely included a number of casks that had dropped below the legal strength. That's not a problem as long as the whisky tastes good and the price is under €200. The latter was true. Time to check out the former.

This is Sirius.

Company: North Star

Range: Cask Series 009

Type: Blended (or Vatted) Malt

Distilleries: in Scotland

Age: 31 years (1988-2019)
Maturation: first fill bourbon barrels
Outturn: 3,582 700mL bottles

Alcohol by Volume: 43.1%
Chillfiltered? No
Color added? No
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

Immediately, the nose brings to mind milk chocolate bubbling in a double boiler. Then cassis and Good 'n Plenty candies. Hay and charred corn drift through the background. It gets fruiter with time, gaining nectarines, honeydew, creamsicles and roses. Something slightly meaty too.

The palate first registers medicinal with toasted oak spices around the sides. But then it goes to dessert. Vanilla ice cream, peaches, plums and yuzu candy. Very gentle, though, so I won't add water.

It finishes with lots of honey, peaches and bitter lemon soda.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Sirius would be a great casual sipper, and I do mean casual. That's no sin, but if its ABV went any lower the palate and finish would vaporize. Frankly, it's more like ...... Canis Minor.  *wink*

When I tasted this whisky, I thought it was a blend of refill sherry casks, specifically due to the nose notes but, alas, first fill American oak barrels were its homes for more than three decades. In any case, I really like the style. Sadly we can't expect a matching sequel batch at a higher strength, but perhaps another North Star blended malt...

Availability - It might still exist in Europe, or the night sky
Pricing - less than €200
Rating - 87

Caol Ila 11 year old 2009 North Star Spirits

The original plan was to review four North Star Spirits malts this week, but the Clynelish didn't quite follow the script. So now I'm down to three: one youngin' and two oldies. It has also been brought to my attention (by me) that I haven't written about a Caol Ila in nearly 16 months. So here we go, one single sherry cask of Caol Ila!

Distillery: Caol Ila
Region: Islay
Owner: Diageo
Independent Bottler: North Star Spirits
Range: Cask Series 011
Age: 11 years (Sept 2009 - Oct 2020)
Maturation: first fill sherry butt
Outturn: 410 (possibly part of a bottle split?)
Alcohol by Volume: 58.2%
Chillfiltered? No
Caramel Colorant? No
(from a bottle split)

NEAT

Ocean, bacon and band-aids (Spring Break, bruh, amirite?) on the nose. Peaches and almond butter fill in the midground, hints of iron and lemon in the background. The zippy, zesty palate is almost effervescent, glowing with sooty peat, herbal peat, citrus peels and salt. Lemons and soot take over the finish, with chiles and salt around the edges.

I'm not going to water this one down too much.

DILUTED TO ~50%abv, or 1 tsp of water per 30mL whisky

More of the ocean, mixed with wet peat, leads the nose now. Soil, mint leaves and newspaper print appear after some time. The palate loses none of its power. More chiles and more earth up front. Salt and lemons highlight the rest. The finish might be a little shorter, and slightly heavier on the chiles, but it matches the neat finish otherwise.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

There aren't many better contemporary whiskies than proper Caol Ila sherry casks. This one sticks the landing, then shouts about it. Angus calls it, "Kind of like a bar brawl captured in a tasting glass," and I think I can allow that poetry today. Really, this is an excellent enormous whisky that would thump any of CI's Islay cousins' special releases.

Availability - Gone :(
Pricing - was under €80 two years ago (yeah, we missed it)
Rating - 90

A short story about a 20 year old Clynelish

 I'm doing a tasting of this sample of 20 year old Clynelish, er, Lynch Isle:

Distilled in 2000 and bottled by North Star Spirits in 2020, the whisky spent its life in a sherry butt, then a Portuguese brandy butt. Seems like a whole lotta effort to murder a Clynelish, but I'll keep an open mind, especially since I know squat about Portuguese brandy. That's Randy's realm.

It does have a nice medium gold color to it, once it fills the bottom half of the Glencairn bowl.

Lots of cocoa, raw walnuts, raw Brazil nuts and very dry sherry on the nose. Some hot driveway gravel, a bit of brine, some white flour--

Fuck.

I just.

I just knocked the glass off the table, spilling all the whisky onto the floor.

20 year old Clynelish. At least the living room will smell nice for a while.

I mean, I'm not the kind of person who'd get on his hands and knees to suck it out of the carpet.