Jameson 18 Year Old Bow Street Cask Strength (2019)

Jameson 18 Year Old Bow Street Cask Strength (2019)

Region: Ireland

ABV: 55.1%

Price: £165.00 (Auction)

A blend of pot still and grain whiskeys from Midleton, matured up to 18 years in ex bourbon and ex sherry casks, then re casked for 6 to 12 months in first fill bourbon barrels at Bow Street, Dublin, before bottling at cask strength. No outturn stated. 

Nose

The nose opens with creamy marshmallow sweetness, lots of white chocolate and a little nail varnish remover. There's also some fresh green apple, brown sugar, stroopwaffles, runny honey alongside a little lemon balm and aloe vera in the background. Time and air brings out more of a nutty, spiced aroma, think cinnamon sticks, clove and a touch of coriander too. There's a warmth to the nose, prickly, not overpowering but you can definitely get the alcohol coming through. 

Palate

The palate opens with a bit of a rough spirituous character, but shortly after we get lots of butterscotch, coconut milk, caramel chocolate bars and a bit of honeycomb too. Going back, we're also finding some fruitier flavours - melon balls, green grapes, and a little mushy apple flesh. The mouthfeel is decent, it's not overly viscous or thick, but there's a certain weight to this. It is, however, a little warm and spicy, quite a bit of an alcohol kick, black pepper spice and a little chill heat too. 

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose feels a little simpler, simple sugars, a little toffee and chocolate, pressed grape juice, light honey and lemon zest. It's lost some of that nuttiness, and feels a little flatter now. There's still a bit of spice in the background that hasn't really been tamed.

Palate (with water)

The reduced palate has a lot of that grain-like spirit upfront, moving into those sugars and a bit of spice. Lots of vanilla lingers on the finish, a little butterscotch and caramel apple slices. There's a bit of an astringent note that also lingers, so we'd probably avoid adding water here.

Conclusion

Before a friend gifted us this bottle, we didn't know Jameson even did aged whisky, forget about cask strength! We're not overly experienced with Irish whisky, but this reminds us of well aged Scottish grain whisky - and that's no bad thing at all. It's a bit spirit-y in character, and can be a bit rough around the edges, but it's a good dram and we're having no issue polishing off the bottle.

Score: 7/10

Value

While not cheap the auction price is sitting a little under the original RRP.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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