Alcohol in the news; The Jameson 12 Year Reserve

From the Buzz

The Jameson 12 Year Reserve
A light Irish whiskey

Jameson is probably the most iconic and identifiable Irish whiskey. Irish whiskeys are, yeah, from Ireland. They are made from grains, mostly barley, and they must be aged for at least 3 years in oak casks. They are also characterized by being rather light and easy to drink, which may also be why you know Jameson. As far as whiskeys go, Irish is a very drinkable type. This is probably a generalization on my part, but I've noticed that I don't find as much complexity in Irish whiskeys as I do with bourbons or scotches.

Irish isn't necessarily my favorite style of whiskey, I'll go for bourbon or scotch before Irish.

This week I tried the Jameson 12 year Reserve, and I found that it surprised me. The 12 year is a blend, meaning it is a combination of different whiskeys, and the youngest of the blends is aged 12 years. It has a medium amber color and a lot more smoke flavor in the nose than I anticipated. The beginning of the drink is smooth and light, kind of thin, and then the flavors open up. There is a sherry-spiced flavor in the middle, and the finish is pretty quick and much like the start of the drink.

Again, Jeanine does a great job in describing the whiskey. There's color (amber); smell (smoke); mouthfeel (kind of thin); flavor (sherry and spice); and finish (quick). Hits the five main things you need to know to describe a drink.

The last graph is about a mix that is available at Seven Saints called the River Fin.

Good article.