Jameson Bow Street 18 Cask Strength Last Drop Review
Last Drop Review
A review designed to explore how a bottle changes over the time it’s opened.
Age: 18 years
ABV: 55.3%
Cask: Blend of bourbon and sherry casks
MSRP: $160
Distillery Name: Midleton Distillery
Open For: 3.5 Years
Opinion Through the Bottle: I won’t beat around the bush on this one: this was an absolutely fantastic bottle of Jameson. It did take me three and a half years to finish, but it wasn’t for lack of interest. Instead, I wanted to savor this. Hold it for special occasions. But by the last half of the bottle, I was coming back to it regularly, enjoying its warming, delicious nuances on a weekly basis. But like I mentioned in my original review, this isn’t your typical Jameson experience. And for $160 for Batch 1, it damn well shouldn’t be. But boy did it deliver. The 18 years of cask strength goodness puts it close to Redbreast 21 – but is nudged out slightly by the richer and more nuanced Redbreast.
Throughout my time with the bottle, the nose remained fruity and lively; filled with stewed apples and pears. The palate continued to deliver a richer darker experience than another cask strength Irish favorite – Redbreast 12 Cask. It was easy to notice the depth of character that extra 6 years added – creating a much darker, rich experience.
Did the bottle get better after being open three years? I think it remained relatively stable, without much flavor drift – and remained exciting throughout the entire time. This Bow Street 18 year was an approachable and fun departure from many of my other Irish offerings and I would take this at cask strength over the other Jameson 18 year that is sitting on shelves at its more bargain 40% ABV any day. Cranking it up to full strength really makes a world of difference. And if you ever get the chance to tour the Jameson Distillery in Dublin, be sure to grab a tour where you can taste this straight from the cask in their small on site warehouse!
