Jameson Single Pot Nonetheless is again! Sure, for the primary time because the the Sixties, Jameson has launched a single pot nonetheless whiskey. We went to Dublin to see what all of the fuss is about.
No 25 Fitzwilliam Place is without doubt one of the finest preserved Georgian homes in Dublin and a becoming place to recognise the Seventeenth-century beginnings of Jameson Irish whiskey. Whereas his father was the founder, it was John Jameson II who actually turned the Dublin-based distillery into a world model. He did so by making one product and one solely: single pot nonetheless whiskey.
The unique single pot nonetheless whiskey
The signature style of Irish whiskey and the one which made Jameson well-known, single pot nonetheless is a method of Irish whiskey made up of a mash invoice of malted and unmalted barley which is then triple distilled in copper pot stills inside a single distillery. It was a luxurious drink usually reserved for particular events. The unique premium whiskey, favoured by those that drank Champagne and Cognac, and one which was exported so far as China, Uruguay, and India by Jameson whiskey, based on information Jameson archivist Carol Quinn dug up from the 1870s.
She’s in her aspect in No 25 Fitzwilliam Place, setting the scene for the model’s newest launch. Quinn tells us how the unique Bow Road distillery was a small city in and of itself inside Dublin, populated by a military of staff from in-house leather-based makers to distillers working to 1 function: creating single pot nonetheless whiskey.
The unique distillery in Bow Road, Dublin
Introducing: Jameson Single Pot Nonetheless
However with the autumn of Irish whiskey as a powerhouse through the twentieth century, Jameson did what it wanted to do to outlive and responded to shopper expectations. In 1968, Jameson Irish whiskey grew to become an accessible, reasonably priced mix. Then for the second time, it conquered the world, laying down such a basis for achievement that within the final 30 years the workforce at Midleton has had the posh of restoring single pot nonetheless manufacturers like Redbreast and Spot whiskey, all the time with the security web of an enormous promoting core whiskey.
Now Irish Distillers has introduced that its signature model is not only reviving the strategy, however the very blueprint. At Fitzwilliam Place final night time we noticed the reveal of Jameson Single Pot Nonetheless. Each a tribute to Jameson’s previous, and an indication of a class’s wholesome future.
Grasp distiller Kevin O’Gorman
The method of reviving an Irish whiskey
Made with that traditional mashbill of malted and unmalted barley earlier than being triple distilled, the brand new Jameson Single Pot Nonetheless is then matured in ex-bourbon (B1 and B2s) and first-fill oloroso sherry casks, with a parcel additionally being handled to a trio of virgin oak casks: American, European, and Irish. Grasp distiller Kevin O’Gorman and blender Deirdre O’Carroll have been additionally current final night time to run by a tasting, which consisted of making an attempt the brand new liquid in addition to its constituent components.
Every part goes into barrel at 63.4% ABV in Midleton and every pattern was about 60%. Our first was what the distillery phrases as ‘medium type’ pot nonetheless whiskey (clarification right here) aged in ex-bourbon casks for about 4 years. Frankly, I might purchase this alone, as a result of I really like that pure presentation of pure Jameson pot nonetheless character, full of a number of contemporary orchard fruit, vanilla, toffee, and baking spice.
Then got here a exceptional dram matured in first-fill oloroso sherry for about five-and-a-half years full of these dreamy fudge notes in addition to orange peel, espresso, and a forest flooring aspect. Consider it as child Redbreast. The casks come from Antonio Páez Lobato in Jerez, who has a 35-year relationship with the model, and albeit, it’s not arduous to see why. A bit factor to notice for many who love a little bit of a cask chat: there are trials of American oak sherry casks, however nothing has been launched but.
The blended whiskey that conquered the world
Irish oak and cask experimentation
The third pattern was essentially the most intriguing as a result of it was the virgin Irish oak pattern. It’s sourced with the state-owned industrial forestry enterprise Coillte, particularly from Ballydowling in Gleanealy in County Wicklow. About 48 casks of wooden have been despatched to Páez, who gave them a light-to-medium toast. These barrels have been full of ‘medium type’ pot nonetheless which had first been matured in ex-bourbon and oloroso for 4 years earlier than spending an extra three years in Irish oak. The nostril is cracking, with a drenching of vanilla adopted by heaps of salted caramel and wooden spice. The palate is rain-drenched oak and, to be sincere, overpowering, however O’Gorman says it solely makes a delicate contribution to the mix. When he joined 25 years the early virgin oak experiment that was Jameson Gold in addition to future Methodology and Insanity releases which have utilised the difficult wooden. It’s extraordinarily extractive and might usually overpower the whiskey, so when creating this sub-blend inside a mix there have been lots of prototypes and debates during the last three years. “We remoted that spiciness and robustness within the pot nonetheless and needed to raise that, however virgin oak will be too tannic so we settled on it being 20% of the mix,” O’Carroll tells me.
O’ Gorman and O’Carroll each clarify {that a} large focus of making this whiskey was to retain the present Jameson DNA because the constructing block. The old-fashioned stuff would have been extra just like the ‘heavy pot nonetheless’ Midleton makes now, this makes use of ‘medium type’ as an alternative, however 80% of the make-up of the whiskey is similar ex-bourbon and oloroso sherry casks used within the traditional blended Jameson with the remaining made up of that virgin oak-aged spirit.
Jameson Single Pot Nonetheless
The thin on Jameson Single Pot Nonetheless
I ought to underline that this can be a core vary addition, Jameson Single Pot Nonetheless is not any limited-edition. How Irish Distillers manages that quantity with such a posh cask course of, particularly with Irish oak in there shall be attention-grabbing, as the primary batch is simply 3,000 instances. It’s price noting that the Irish oak will grow to be second-fill and likewise that Jameson Single Pot Nonetheless is a mixing train that can have delicate variations from batch to batch.
On first impressions, what stands out initially is the pot nonetheless’s signature silky texture. Then comes all of the nutty, woody, sherried flavours. We all know Midleton distillate and sherry work a deal with because of Redbreast. However that is its personal model, because of the virgin oak part which provides a spicy uplift that helps it stand aside. O’Gorman believes that in a very good mix each whiskey ought to have a say, and that’s definitely true right here.
It has no outer packaging and a classy darkish blue label, not only a accountable transfer to scale back waste but in addition giving it a shelf presence. Then there’s the worth. €60 for a mix this diversified and whiskey this good represents some worth, notably given it’s bottled at 46% ABV. It’s very a lot designed to behave as an entry into pot nonetheless and at that value it’s accessible. O’Carroll makes a fantastic level too that it’s uncommon individuals will get an opportunity to style Irish oak with out paying a premium for the privilege.
Jameson Single Pot Nonetheless is made as a throwback to an period when Irish whiskey reigned supreme, however really what it turns into is an instance of how Midleton Distillery stays on the forefront of whiskey with a capability, curiosity, and experience to create probably the most unequalled choices round. Single pot nonetheless has an extended technique to go to rule the world once more, however step one is ensuring we get into individuals’s palms. The whiskey will do the remaining.
Jameson Single Pot Nonetheless will arrive at MoM Towers quickly. Right here’s a tasting observe
Nostril: Opens with that salted caramel observe I recall from the Irish oak pattern, in addition to wood-driven spice and a few floral, inexperienced apple notes the ex-bourbon cask pattern had. Oloroso sherry brings hazelnut and dried fruit to the get together too. There’s notes of vanilla fudge, nutmeg, and Cadbury Crunchie all through.
Palate: By way of gingery spice there’s darkish chocolate, orange peel, and low fudge. Some delicate tannins prickle by wealthy fruity notes of cherries and damson, so thick they’re paying homage to a jam.
End: Splendidly lengthy and spicy with a fragile collection of orchard fruit.
