Jameson Irish Whiskey Review

First impressions

Jameson is the world's best-selling Irish whiskey, and for a lot of people it's the first Irish whiskey they try. It's a blend of pot still and grain whiskey, triple distilled at Midleton in County Cork and bottled at 40%, and it's built for smoothness rather than big flavour.

We tasted it to see where it really fits. It turned out to be a good all-purpose mixing whisky and a decent bottle to keep around for the price, though it isn't one we'd reach for neat very often.

Nose

Rich golden apple comes through first. It's soft, pleasant and quite light overall. There's a decent sweetness to it, mostly honey, crisp vanilla bean and green apple, followed by vanilla ice cream and a touch of icing sugar. You get a little wood influence as well, but nothing harsh or overly tannic. From there it moves into more of a baking character, with warm bread rolls, nutmeg and cinnamon. Overall, though, the nose stays fairly clean and gentle.

Palate

Soft and cool on arrival, although the mouthfeel is definitely on the thinner side and can feel a little watery at times. There's more of that light honey, plenty of vanilla and a lot of apple. It feels slightly less sweet than the nose, which actually gives it a bit more balance. Butterscotch starts to appear after that, along with a more noticeable bready character.

Finish

Medium-short, clean and easy-going. There's a little warmth, some light oak, but thankfully no real astringency. The honey and mild apple sweetness hangs around for a while, before a bit more oak vanillin comes through towards the end.

Verdict

This works really well as an all-purpose mixing whisky. It probably isn't going to impress too many people if you're looking for big flavours or plenty of strength, but that isn't really where its value lies. It mixes easily into a wide range of cocktails and works just as well with soda or over ice. We're unlikely to reach for it neat very often, but for the price it's a decent bottle to keep around, particularly when making drinks for friends and family.

If you like the style and want a bit more depth without leaving the range, Jameson Black Barrel is the natural next step, as it's matured in double-charred bourbon barrels for a richer, sweeter profile. For something fuller again, Redbreast 12 is a single pot still whiskey, which is a heavier and spicier style of Irish whiskey than a blend like this.