Jameson 18 Year Limited Reserve

This Irish whiskey from Midleton Distillery is a balanced blend of two pot still whiskeys and a single grain. It was aged in Oloroso Sherry casks and then finished in Bourbon barrels for six months. On the nose, it's aromatic with scents of orange, apricot, dried fruits, chocolate, bourbon biscuit, hints of wood, and toffee. The palate is smooth, offering notes of caramel, honey, spice, lightly oiled wood, leather, creamy vanilla, Turkish delight, and a Sherry nuttiness. The finish is long and balanced, with hints of oak, spice, toffee, and unmalted barley. March 2019 / September 2022

It feels like Jameson bottles are always appearing for me to review. Tonight, I was offered a dram of this one. The host was really excited about it, and it's genuinely a good whisky. It's quite similar to a Macallan 18yo. It's bottled at 40% ABV with a burnished gold color. The aroma is creamy, with notes of vanilla ice cream, cinnamon, and caramel. Delightful. The taste is like creme brulee, brown sugar, and clove. The finish is medium, with notes of liquorice and spices. Overall, it wasn't life-changing, but it's a good dram. I scored it 88 out of 100.

The aroma presents hints of banana, clove, and vanilla. The initial sip is very smooth yet light, resembling banana custard before revealing notes of clove and very subtle undertones of something bright, perhaps lemon zest or sumac. The finish is almost smoother than the start. Although I don't detect a wide range of flavors in this 18-year-old, I do appreciate its calm character at times.

This has considerably more character than the standard Jameson; I was very impressed! My only reservation is the reduction to 40% ABV – a shame for an 18-year-old of this caliber, especially given the price. I would happily drink this again, but I won't be purchasing a full bottle.

I sampled this alongside Jameson and their Barrel Select, and this one truly stood out. It retains the characteristic Jameson 'bitter' finish, but I found it less harsh. I would certainly drink this neat, on the rocks, or with a splash.

This is solid - it offers more intrigue than regular Jameson, but even an 18-year-old spirit can only reach a certain level when diluted to 40% ABV. I'll keep my money and opt for a Redbreast 12CS or Tyrconnell 16 instead.