Jameson Bow Street 18 Years Cask Strength is a blend of pot still and grain Irish whiskeys, and for the first time in the history of Jameson, this is bottled at cask strength (55,3% ABV).
It was matured in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks at the Midleton distillery, then married in first-fill bourbon barrels for one year, resting at the Bow Street distillery in Dublin (where they have a tiny storage facility of just 84 casks…).
Jameson Bow Street 18 yo ‘Cask Strength’ (55,3%, OB 2018)
Nose: toffee and generous earthy spice (ginger, pepper) right away, as well as some vanilla and bourbon-like aromatic wood. Touches of caramel, sweet banana syrup, buttered popcorn and coconut. A little furniture polish. Less sherry than I was hoping for, but nicely thick.
Mouth: again this has a slight bourbon whiskey feel, with leathery notes, a little toast, plenty of creamy coconut and this grainy, spicy edge. Nutmeg, vanilla custard, bananas and sweet marzipan. Fresh oak shavings and leather towards the end.
Finish: quite long, on charred oak, toffee, nutmeg and a grainy note.
This premium Jameson has a rich wood-driven character, which tends to overtake the fruitiness of the spirit a little. In Ireland you pay € 240, or € 190 from Master of Malt and even less in my part of Europe. It doesn’t disappoint but in my book it doesn’t beat the Redbreast 21 Years either.