Jameson Bow Street 18 Year Cask Strength
In-Depth Review
The Jameson label can elicit a lot of different reactions. Some find Jameson comfortable. Some find it simple. Others are brought back to taking shots at house parties in college. But what happens when you take that famous green bottle and go up market with it? Well, you end up with this – the Jameson Bow Street 18 Year Cask Strength expression.
There’s a lot to unpack in that rather long name. It starts with the famous Jameson label which means that this is a mixture of pot still and grain whiskies that is then rested for at least 18 years in first fill bourbon casks. After spending the majority of its time aging in at Midleton Distillery in County Cork, these barrels are then moved to their final resting place in Dublin – at the site of Jameson’s original Bow Street distillery. After spending their final bit of time at Bow Street, it is then bottled at a natural cask strength and non-chill filtered. Is this the ultimate version of Jameson? Let’s dive in to this Batch 1 bottle and find out.
Age: 18 Year
ABV: 55.3%
Cask: Bourbon Cask
MSRP: $160
Distillery Name: Midleton Distillery
Review Date: 9/14/21
Color: Amber
Nose: The nose immediately hits you with bright, syrupy sweet notes that feature fresh cut lemons, orange zest, with darker layers of demerara sugar. Then come waves of vanilla buttercream frosting and more orange candy slices. While the nose leans heavily into the sweetness, it offers a rich and rewarding experience that takes traditional Irish whiskey notes and cranks them up to 11. The nose is exceptional on this whiskey.
Palate: This 18 year Jameson is lighter on the palate than the nose would lead you to believe. Still rich and buttery, it does loose some of that bright complex mixture of flavors. The palate is more dominated by vanilla buttercream, pastry, and shortbread, with a touch of tang provided by lemon peel and overripe melons. On the back of the palate, there is more of a milk chocolate and peach cream note that mixes well with the lemon and vanilla. Similar to the nose, the palate maintains a nice brightness that is helped by the proof and the lighter, almost tropical flavors. The mouthfeel is good, with a nice oily texture that reminds you that this is Jameson in its ultimate form.
Finish: The finish is long, dry, and spicy with notes of ginger and white pepper. The spice notes linger on the tongue and is a nice departure from the more syrupy, sweet nose and palate.
Final Thoughts: Jameson Bow Street 18 Year isn’t like any Jameson you’ve ever experienced. The nose is a high point, providing a multi-faceted sensory experience that is only slightly let down by the palate. This 18 year Jameson features more orange milk chocolate on the palate and spice on the finish than the venerable Redbreast 12 Cask Strength. So if spice is more up your alley you may enjoy this more than RB12 CS. The presentation of the bottle is great, with a premium design and wooden case that would make a great gift to the Jameson fan in your life. But all of this comes at a price. If you baulk at a $160 price tag for a bottle that says Jameson – I don’t blame you. But if you can get beyond that, it provides an excellent full bodied - albeit very sweet - experience that would reward even a staunch Jameson detractor.
