Jameson Offers Up 2nd Batch Of 18 Year Old Cask Strength Irish Whiskey

The Jameson Irish Whiskey brand, owned by global spirits juggernaut Pernod Ricard, is riding high on continually increasing interest in all things whiskey from Ireland. It is said to be the world’s fastest growing Irish whiskey, hitting sales of 7.3 million cases last year alone, and the brand is in the middle of both giving their iconic label a fresh look and also massively expanding their whiskey making facilities. It is against all of this going on it was announced that a second batch of a popular 18 year old cask strength bottling is set to come to market.

The Jameson Bow Street 18 Year Old Cask Strength Irish Whiskey, according to those behind it, is the second batch of this expression to be released. It is noted as being the only cask strength Jameson to be available globally, and it is meant to celebrate Jameson’s Dublin, Ireland heritage “by returning a part of the production process to its original home in Smithfield.”

Specifically what one has here is an Irish whiskey that was initially distilled at the Midleton Distillery in County Cork. After spending 18 years in a collection of bourbon and sherry casks, the blend of pot still and grain Irish whiskeys has been married together and re-casked in first-fill ex-bourbon American oak barrels for a final six to 12 months in the Maturation House at the Jameson Distillery Bow Street.

“Marrying,” for those unfamiliar with the term, is described as a “traditional method of re-casking batches of vatted whiskey and re-warehousing it to ensure infusion before bottling.”

“I’ve long had the unique luxury of being able to taste Jameson straight from the barrel at cask strength,” said Billy Leighton, Master Blender at Midleton Distillery, in a prepared statement. “With Jameson Bow Street 18 Years Cask Strength, I’m thrilled that Irish whiskey fans around the world can experience the full intensity of our whiskey or add a few drops of water to enjoy it at their own preferred strength.”

Jameson Bow Street 18 Years Cask Strength, noted the distillery, is presented in a premium bottle design that “features 18 facets, one for each year of maturation, and the wooden presentation box celebrates the traditional pot stills used during the production process. In addition, a unique copper coin located underneath Jameson Bow Street 18 Years Cask Strength bottles provides Jameson fans with access to an exclusive online portal where they can delve deeper into the story of the whiskey which bears the Bow Street name.”

Plans call for this whiskey to price at €240, or around $270 USD. The second batch is presented at 55.1% ABV and without the use of chill filtration.Official tasting notes are below for your consideration.

• Nose: Rich wood-driven influence with deep toffee notes and spice.
• Taste: Toffee and oak remain consistent with hints of leather and vanilla along with a subtle sherry nuttiness creating depth and complexity.
• Finish: Long and full with the sweet toffee notes slowly fading while the toasted oak and spice linger throughout until the very end