Jameson 18 Year

Trying something different for St. Patrick's: side-by-side of 18 and 18 Bow Street Batch One 18 N: Sweet fruit, wood, cherry, bit too much ethanol, maybe some citrus, shaving soap. 18 Bow Street N: Rich vanilla and caramel, orchard fruit, soft oak, touch of tropical fruit, butterscotch candy and/or butterscotch bread pudding. 18 P: Caramel, vanilla, sour cherry, baking spice, butterscotch, round tropical fruit flavors, peaches and cream, honey. Bit thin and watery on the mouthfeel. 18 Bow Street P: Fuller, rounder, richer - tropical fruit, sweet cereal malt, much bigger spice profile, cinnamon, peaches and cream again, some earth, some herbs, touch of pine, bit of cherry cough syrup, blonde coffee notes. 18 F: Smooth, mild, sweet, touch of that shaving soap, vanilla cream, floral notes. 18 Bow Street F: Long with oak, barrel spice, pot still spice, cinnamon, plenty of heat, cherry, lingering sweetness, touch of copper, some tannin bitterness. The lineage of both is apparent - they are both Jameson. That said, would I have pegged that blind - maybe is the best I can say - probably not if not writing tasting notes that I can compare against before deciding. The 80 proof 18 year is (expectedly) thinner and in some ways less appealing, but it also has some more delicate notes that are powered out in the 112 proof Bow Street. Most of the time, the more robust nature of the Bow Street is probably preferable, but there are definitely nights where the lighter proof and profile of the 18 would be better. I have to wonder what a 90 or even 100 proof of this would be like. Pretty damn good, I suspect. Final judgment: since I somehow managed to pay less for the cask strength, it's the obvious winner here. Taking VFM out, it's a closer call, but the Bow Street is richer with a longer finish, more complexity, and a better mouthfeel. Bow Street is the clear winner 9 times out of 10. In comparing to other Irish whiskies of similar age, the sad reality is this is that neither of these is a match for, for example, Red Spot (15 year age statement, I think) or the Redbreast 12 or 15. It not the same thing - this is blended, those are single pot still - but those cost less and taste better. However that happens, it is what it is. As to proof, Blue Spot or Redbreast CS are both better than the Bow Street. Hard to justify the price of the Bow Street. It's interesting, the kind of thing you don't regret buying and trying once, but don't likely return to. ____________ Please come join an unofficial Distiller community on Discord (now one whole year old!): https://discord.gg/4nfePCdyKM. We chat spirits (and other things) in real time while being a great resource to each other for recommendations, finding deals, and generally enjoying the journey together. (If the link is expired - it shouldn't be - please post a comment and I will gladly and usually quickly provide a new one.)

Nose: Sweet oak and gentle woodiness lead the way, followed by toffee and vanilla. There is no harshness at all, just a smooth, inviting aroma that feels refined and well-aged. Palate: Matches the nose closely with the same oak, toffee, and vanilla notes. The mouthfeel is soft and mature, offering a sweetness that feels natural and well-integrated. Finish: Sweet and smooth from start to finish. No burn, no rough edges. The pleasant flavors linger lightly, making it easy to keep sipping. Overall: A perfected version of classic Jameson in both nose and palate. While it does not offer new layers or evolving complexity, what it delivers is consistently enjoyable. The more you drink it, the better it gets. I normally do not like regular Jameson, but this one is an easy and reliable favorite. Would definitely buy again.

On a blind nosing, I probably wouldn’t guess this was Irish whiskey; I’d probably guess it was a young U.S. whiskey experimental expression of some sort. But on the palate it reveals itself as a U.S. whiskey “poser” and the malt and cereal notes start showing up after a little hunting, followed by a nutty dusting on top. The finish lasts about 15 seconds for me, shorter than I would like, but does bring some mint and saltwater taffy into the mix. Overall it was nice… but not $150 nice.

The most complex Jameson Whiskey I've tasted ever. Woody, spicy, toffee on the nose. The aroma that impresses me the most, however, is of very sweet, ripe yellow apples and pears. Complex mouthfeel as well - oily, toffee, spicy, nutty fruit juice, woody notes, vanilla and a little salt as well. Finishing amazing with taste of wood, spice and ripe fruits and toffee. Amazing dram! Very well done!

It has an aromatic birth with notes of grain, wood, candied & dried fruits, flowers, nuts, herbs & spices; while a rich & delicate life adds hints of Bourbon biscuit, Turkish delight, rum-soaked raisins, toffee, honeycomb & Sherry; that led to a balanced death of medium length with notes of orange zest, unmalted barley, toasted oak, chocolate, leafy coriander, ginger, new leather,

Light colored dram brings a honey/vanilla forward nose - soft oak on the edges. Nothing complex...simply calm and inviting. More honey/vanilla on the palate - sugar cookies, hint of caramel, and soft toasted oak. This is too easy to drink for the price! Happy to enjoy this now/then as a treat - great example of the pot still!