Jameson 12yo Special Old Irish Whiskey (c.1975)

[TheWhiskeyBro]

This whiskey is a forerunner to the Jameson 1780 which was introduced in the early eighties. This bottling was available from early 1970s to c. 1981/82. The label is Maroon/Brown with Gold lettering. Sample kindly provided by JohnM.

This is an old style heavy pot still blend with some old sherry character, possibly from 2nd or 3rd fill sherry butts.

Colour: Golden Amber

Nose: Light sherry, putty-like linseed oil

Body: A swill in the glass leaves a lovely oily rim clinging to the glass from which fabulous legs descend

Taste: Oily & medicinal, with a dry sherry nose, touch of aniseed, burnt molasses with slightly bitter oaky aftertaste

Finish: Long and brittle with woody notes, very dry finale.

Comment: Enjoyable whiskey, however compared to modern tastes too much wood in evidence for a 12yo. In my view demonstrates why distillers take a lot more care nowadays in the selection, care and management of casks. Rare to find an off wood note in any modern Irish whiskies.

Score: 79/100

[Joel1802]

Colour: gold

Nose: Garden shed, herbicide, oil, floral, compost, spice, oak

Body: thick, coating

Palate: old school pot still, much like Gilbey's Redbreast at times, garden shed, oil, spice, sherry, geranium, perfume,herbicide, something perfumed and floral,bitter, oak.

Finish: oil, compost, metallic, spice, oak.

84

Thanks, John.