Regular Jameson is a perfectly serviceable whiskey. Being an Irish whisky, it’s made with a combination of malted and un-malted barley. This yields, generally, a lighter whisky with flavors of citrus, vanilla, caramel, sweet grass, even some baking chocolate. A stout beer tends to often have a similar flavor profile, albeit on the darker end of the spectrum, showing things like a coffee bean, licorice, dark chocolate, and more. Aromas of coffee, malt, cocoa, candied citrus, toffee and a rye like spice accompanied by light notes of honey, dried fruit, oatmeal-like grain and brown sugar. All-in-all a nice nose indeed. In 1786, Jameson would be invited to move to Dublin, Ireland and manage the operation of Stein’s Distillery, as a favor to the Haig family. He would later go on to manage the distillery for 19 years before taking ownership of the operation in 1805. John Jameson and his son, John Jameson II, would lead the successful business into a new era in 1810 by renaming it the John Jameson and Son Distillery.

Palate: Orchard fruits, great mouthfeel but the vanilla cream is less prominent, it's more fragrant (hoppy?) and floral on the palate with a touch of bitterness. The Balsa Wood brings strong flavors with distinct ingredients. It starts by making a balsamic syrup with balsamic vinegar and demerara sugar. Then to a glass with ice cubes, add your Jameson Stout Edition, balsamic syrup, a couple of dashes of orange bitters, and orange zest. In the world of wine, beer, and spirits, there are two things that Dublin is primarily known for: Jameson Irish Whisky and dark beer. (Specifically a dark beer produced by a competing spirits company which we won’t name, but you can probably guess). Which makes a collaboration between Jameson and a local craft stout beer distillery a no brainer, and the Jameson Caskmates Stout edition is the result. Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition is a remix of the original triple-distilled Jameson Irish whiskey. So what makes it the Stout Edition?The Bean and Barley from The Gastronom Blog is simple as it uses a coffee stout and simple syrup for a sweet base that gets “cut” by some citrus with freshly squeezed lemon juice and a couple of dashes of Angostura bitters. A swapping of whiskey and beer barrels soon after, resulted in Jameson Stout Edition - triple-distilled, blended Irish Whiskey that has been patiently finished in Irish craft beer-seasoned barrels.

Well-trod quibble aside, this is indeed a good whiskey. It’s fun to drink and carries a compliment of unique and interesting flavors layered on top of the typical Jameson fare. It’s a dark breath of fresh air in a category that’s seen relatively little innovation and I can’t wait for the next release in this series! Jameson Stout Edition is the original Jameson Irish Whiskey that gets aged in stout barrels for a sweet, chocolatey, butterscotch flavor. The Midleton Distillery, as it is known today, was established in 1975. The distillery was the result of a 1966 merger between John Jameson & Son, The Cork Distillery Company and John Power & Son Distillery. This group of distillers would later become known as the Irish Distillers Group. In an effort to create a strategic advantage, the three distilleries agreed to close all of their current distilleries and move into the New Midleton Distillery, which was next door to the home of Jameson & Son’s Old Midleton Distillery. In 1988, the Irish Distiller Group would be taken over by French spirits conglomerate Pernod Ricard ( Source). Nose: There's still cut grass and some fruit alongside delicious oily pot still character, but things are different here too. Is it sweeter? A different sweetness perhaps, more wood spice plus chocolate liqueur. A shift of emphasis.That rich complexity carries over in the taste, where it’s like I just had a gulp of a dark beer and then took a shot of Jameson. There’s the rich dark chocolatey tones of the stout beer and some pleasant malty flavors coming into the mix, and interacting quite well actually with the bright cheerfulness of the Jameson whiskey. It’s just the right balance to make for a deliciously drinkable spirit all by its own. On Ice Mike: This is an easy drinking whiskey.A very simple pour that is not overly complex, which is welcoming.At 80 proof, it is an effortless and refreshing sip.No flavors are overtly pronounced but it is not flavorless.If you visualize drinking bourbon neat as a beverage to warm you up on a cold winter night, this pour is a snap of late spring sunrise brightening your morning. Lovely blend. Creamy and smooth. Skeptical at first but loved it. Now on my third bottle (Spread over time)