Cask Type: Blended Whiskey

Country: Ireland

ABV: 40%

Bottle Size: 70cl

Description:

I was intrigued when I first learned about the Jameson Caskmates Stout Finish. It was an unusual move from a major brand in a category that hasn't seen much innovation, not because I'm a huge lover of stouts, though I occasionally do like one.

Irish whiskey is often recognized for its light, fruity, 80-proof, chill-filtered, high-grain mixes, which results in many different releases tasting extremely similar. Additionally, all Irish whiskey came from the same three operational distilleries until very recently, which didn't exactly contribute to the development of a diverse spectrum of flavors.

The amount of Irish distilleries has virtually doubled over the past nine years, and there are now 11 of them scattered over the Emerald Isle, 7 of which were all constructed within the past four years alone.

This is great because it will provide creativity and variety to the category, and I genuinely believe that this is the reason why we are starting to see big businesses explore and innovate. I don't think the Jameson Caskmates Stout Finish would have ever existed if there were still only Cooley, Bushmills, and Midleton (Jameson) on the island. That would have been a sad, sad thing since it's pretty nice.

Freshly cut hay's initial perfume is complemented with a crisp orchard fruit note of green apples, pears, and lime zest. Spices in the mild pot still start to intensify, moving from milk chocolate and hazelnut to green tea.

The gentle touch of hoppy and cocoa beans from the beer cask finish immediately balances out the first sweet tongue coating usual of the Irish pot still inclusion. The finish is Luxurious & sweet with butterscotch and milk chocolate.