Reviewed: For St. Patrick's Day, Jameson Limited Reserve 18 year old

Forget the green beer this St. Patrick’s Day and compliment your corned beef and cabbage with a uniquely Irish drink that instead comes in a shamrock green bottle. While American whiskey’s are the usual focus here it doesn’t hurt to point out, once in a while, some of the wonderful whiskey’s available to us from Scotland, Ireland and elsewhere in the world, and St. Paddy’s Day provides one of those perfect opportunities.

Jameson Limited Reserve 18 year old is a blended malt whiskey produced in the Jameson Distillery in Midleton, Ireland. The older and original distillery in Dublin is still open and has a rich history that dates back to the mid 18th century. Using a combination of malted and unmalted barley’s that are dried using a closed kiln process, in contrast to scotch which is dried over open peat fires, Jameson claims this retains the natural flavors of the grain. JLR is triple distilled using traditional copper pot stills ensuring a very smooth, sweet and approachable whiskey. Scotch is typically distilled twice and American whiskey once. Jameson employs various techniques in the aging of their whiskey’s. For the Limited Reserve it is matured for 18 years in Spanish Oloroso Sherry casks. It is then finish aged for 6 months in American bourbon barrels.

Let's Drink

The wearin’ of the green. Distinctly Irish and no doubt in honor of the Emerald Isle, Jameson offers their Limited Reserve 18 year old in an attractive deep green collectors box with magnetic clasp. The bottle is equally complimenting and uses the same shade of green. Whiskey color is a rich gold to amber with staggering clarity. Aromas are more reminiscent of a typical American whiskey with vanilla, toffee and a distinct note of Kahlua or Chocolate Liqueur rounding out the nose. Tasting immediately alerts you to how smooth and mellow this whiskey is, it is light and actually felt a little flat on the front of the tongue but opens nicely in the mouth with floral notes and a hint of the sherry from the casks it was aged in. The finish is stronger with malt invading the senses and a subtle hint of smoke. A very drinkable whiskey, sweet and mellow enough to enjoy neat. (40% ALC/80 proof).

A perfect salute to St. Patrick as John Jameson, like Patrick himself, was not Irish. Both are now engrained in the Fabric of Ireland and are considered more Irish than the Irish. So raise your glass on St. Patrick's Day and toast them both. Did you do the right thing switching from green beer to Irish whiskey? Of course you did, and you can end your toast with the Jameson family motto ‘Sine Metu’ (without fear). Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

In Nashville celebrate the day at Whiskey Kitchen in the Gulch where along with JLR 18yo they have a wide variety of Irish whiskey’s for you to enjoy.