Jameson Irish Whiskey

If you were to ask 100 people to name an Irish whiskey, the majority of them would say Jameson.  Everybody knows Jameson.  After all, it’s the biggest selling Irish whiskey in the world and available in most bars.

Funny thing about Jameson is it was started by a Scotsman.  Yes, John Jameson was born in Scotland.  He crossed the Irish Sea to manage his wife’s uncle’s distillery.  Jameson’s wife was Margaret Haig (same family who owned Haig Club Scotch whisky).  John Jameson’s son, John, eventually took over the distillery.  Fast forward a couple of company mergers, Jameson is now owned by Pernod Ricard.

JamesonJameson is distilled at the Midleton distillery in Dublin, which also produces Redbreast, Midleton, Powers and other Irish whiskies.  For a while in recent history, there were only three distilleries on Ireland producing all Irish whiskey – Midleton, Cooley and Bushmill’s.  New ones have cropped up in the last couple of years, ushering in a renaissance period in Irish whiskey.

The standard expression of Jameson is the one most folks are familiar with.  There’s no age statement on the label.  What we do know is it’s triple distilled, giving it a light body.  It’s also a blend of grain and potstill whiskies.  The final product is bottled at the minimum 40% abv.

On the nose is a bit of grain alcohol, along with a slight metallic/copper note.  A bit of light honey provides a sweet aroma, while a floral note keeps things a touch fragrant.  The entry is soft and surprisingly fruity.  I’m talking about slightly acidic berries.  Honey from the nose is also present, along with that odd grain alcohol note.  The finish is on the sweeter side, and doesn’t linger long.

This is a light bodied whiskey that seems to be made to sip with ice at a party, which is how I enjoy mine.  What’s in the bottle is just fine.  It’s not phenomenal or particularly memorable, but it serves its purpose.  Jameson does make for a great tasting Irish coffee, which is why I bought the bottle in the first place. That reminds me: Louisiana folks, pick up a free copy of the March/April 2016 My Rouses Everyday magazine at Rouses Supermarkets.  I have a piece on Irish Coffee in that issue.

7/10

The Quiet Man Irish Whiskey

St. Louis-based spirits company Luxco is now in the Irish whiskey game with the launch of The Quiet Man Irish Whiskey in a partnership with Niche Drinks.  The Quiet Man’s founder, Ciaran Mulgrew, created the brand to honor his father who was a Belfast bartender for over 50 years.

The label launched in January 2016 with two expressions, a 4-year-old blended whiskey and an 8-year-old single malt whiskey.  The whiskey itself appears to be sourced, with online rumors mentioning the Cooley distillery.  Both expressions were matured in oak barrels, then finished in first-fill bourbon barrels.  They are also bottled at 40% abv.  Let’s take a look the expressions.

Quiet Man Traditional Blended Irish Whiskey

Photo courtesy of Quiet Man Whiskey

Photo courtesy of Quiet Man Whiskey

A combination of malt and grain whiskies, Quiet Man Traditional Blended whiskey has a higher malt percentage, giving it a bit more body than other blends.  Retail pricing is $39.99.

Aged four years, the blend smells young and vibrant in a great way.  Light bourbon aromas (vanilla and caramel) lightly pepper the honeyed cereal grains found here.  The entry is light.  Very soft, in fact.  There’s a nice sweetness provided by a combination of bourbon barrel maturation and spirit character.  To balance, there’s a touch of spice and some apple & pear.  The finish is slightly warm, with some tongue-tingling spice and oak.

Quiet Man Traditional Blended whiskey is a no-frills easy-drinker.  It’s a tad on the sweet side, but there’s enough else happening the keep things interesting.  Neat or with some ice, it’s a decent pour.  Give it a go.

7.5/10

Quiet Man Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Photo courtesy of Quiet Man.

Photo courtesy of Quiet Man.

This expression from Quiet Man is distilled in pot stills and aged at least eight years in bourbon barrels.  It’s twice the age of the blended whiskey and features only malted barley.  Retail for this expression is $49.99.

That extra aging is evident on the nose.  In addition to stewed fruit, toffee and malt, a nice wave of oak presents itself.  A lighter, fragrant floral note also pops up.  Taste-wise, clove honey prominently sits atop some vanilla and light spices.  Some malty notes and oak sit in the background.  The medium finish is relatively clean, leaving behind some sweetness and spice.

Quiet Man Single Malt whiskey has a syrupy mouthfeel that’s missing in their Blended whiskey.  Like that other expression, this Single Malt is flavorful and satisfying pour.  It’s also much richer, providing a different drinking experience.  It may be slightly overpriced at almost $50, but the juice in the bottle comes with my recommendation.  I think you’ll like what you taste.

8.0/10
(Note: Review samples were provided by The Quiet Man Irish Whiskey)

High West Releases 14-year-old Light Whiskey
Photo courtesy of High West.

Photo courtesy of High West.

Utah-based distillery High West announced a limited edition 14-year-old light whiskey.  This offering is available starting today at their distillery at Blue Sky Ranch for $99.99.

Light whiskey is whiskey distilled higher than 80% abv and up to 95% abv.  Anything distilled above 95% is considered a grain neutral spirit (i.e. vodka).  High West aged this distillate in used barrels, essentially lowering the amount of barrel influence during maturation.

Read the full press release below:

PARK CITY, Utah (March 17, 2016) — Come see the light! High West Distillery, Utah’s first legal distillery since 1870, releases a limited edition 14-Year Light Whiskey. Beginning March 19, this special bottling is available exclusively to visitors at the High West Distillery at Blue Sky Ranch, followed by a roll out at the High West Saloon & Distillery in historic Old Town Park City on April 16.

“At High West, we believe education leads to appreciation so we wanted to shed some light on this rarely discussed type of whiskey,” says High West founder David Perkins. “This is a spirit that’s not likely to be available again for a long time.”

Light whiskey denotes a grain spirit that’s been distilled at a higher proof than a straight whiskey — between 80-95% alcohol by volume (ABV) versus less than 80% ABV respectively. It’s typically used as a component in about 95% of the world’s blended whiskeys. In the U.K., what they call grain whiskey is essentially the same thing as light whiskey.

“This whiskey was distilled at a higher proof on the still, which reduces the heaviness of the flavors, and reveals more floral and fruit subtleties,” said High West master distiller Brendan Coyle. “It was aged in used barrels, as opposed to first-use charred barrels, which lends more elegant complexities with a spirit-forward character.”

High West discovered 100 stunning barrels of light whiskey at MGP made from corn that was distilled between 1999 and 2001, aged in second-fill barrels. That wood aging imparted a traditionally light spirit with lovely vanilla and white chocolate notes, and an intriguing Concord grape overlay—to anything but typical results.

High West encourages you to indulge in this special offering all on its own—neat, with a touch of water, or on the rocks. The 14-Year Light Whiskey will retail for $99.95.