Irish Distillers Teams Up With Eight Degrees Brewing For Second Jameson Crested Collaboration

Irish Distillers recently partnered up with Eight Degrees Brewing to create a second experimental limited edition of Jameson Crested.

Jameson Crested Finished in Devil’s Ladder Belgian Tripel Barrels is the result of Jameson Crested maturing in the beer-soaked barrels of Eight Degree’s Devil’s Ladder Belgian Tripel for four months, allowing for a taste profile of abundant spices, floral hops and sweetness, while the oak and malt work in tandem to add a toasted cereal character, according to official tasting notes.

“We are delighted that in recent years our relationship and indeed proximity to Eight Degrees Brewing here in Cork has created a canvas for collaboration and experimentation in this space, both as part of the Jameson Caskmates Series and beyond,” Irish Distillers’ Blender Dave McCabe said in a prepared statement. “The Belgian Tripel beer finish brings a balanced contribution to Jameson Crested, accentuating elements such as sweetness in the form of vanilla and brown sugar, as well as a roasted malt character and elevated clove notes.”

The second collaboration between the distillers, the new release follows 2020’s Devil’s Ladder, the result of Eight Degrees’ Belgian Tripel craft beer finished in Jameson sherry casks.

“It was in the spirit of innovation that we decided to rest Devil’s Ladder in Jameson sherry casks, adding sweetness and Christmas cake notes to our Belgian Tripel,” Head Brewer at Eight Degrees Brewing Daniel O’Shea said. “We are thrilled that the story has now come full circle, with our beer imparting a delicate hoppy character to this iconic Irish whiskey.”

With fewer than 6,000 bottles available, Jameson Crested Finished in Devil’s Ladder Belgian Tripel Barrels can be found at select Irish retailers and also select markets through Jameson’s online shop with a retail price of €50 (around $60 USD). Official tasting notes are below.

• Nose: Initial notes of clove spice and cinnamon along with rich caramelized brown sugar and a roasted malt character that complements the sherry casks’ influence of toasted oak and dried fruits.
• Taste: Round with abundant spices and a delicate floral hoppy character. Vanilla sweetness comes to the fore with a soft fruit note lingering in the background while the oak and malt work in tandem adding a toasted cereal element to the whiskey.
• Finish: Lingering with the spices slowly fading, allowing the sweet nature of the oak and malt to remain until the very end.