Midleton Distillery has unveiled The Jameson Anthology, a curated collection of unique limited-edition Irish whiskeys which draw inspiration from the past as well as imagining new possibilities. Jameson Remastered, the first volume within The Jameson Anthology, celebrates the spirit of classic discontinued whiskeys, by “reinventing them with modern techniques to deliver a new taste experience,” says the brand. The forthcoming second volume, Jameson Remixed, will “explore and experiment with new tunes” from Jameson for “an altogether different take on the classic Irish icon.”
Jameson 15 Year Old Single Pot Still, the first release within the Jameson Remastered Volume, is a reinvention of a classic whiskey that was last produced in 2000 as a limited edition offering. This award-winning liquid is composed of three exceptional whiskey styles, spanning 15 to 17 years of maturation in carefully selected American bourbon barrels and Oloroso sherry butts. This single pot still whiskey features a significant contribution of sherry casks, paying tribute to traditional whiskey making in Bow Street Distillery.
“It’s been more than two decades since the last Jameson 15 Year Old was created and it has been a great opportunity to remaster this classic whiskey,” said Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman. “For this limited-edition bottling, we seized the opportunity to combine the traditional single pot still style with the strong influence of the sherry casks, which was integral to historic whiskey production. We’re confident to have developed a contemporary iteration of Jameson 15 Year Old that pays tribute to the torch bearers who put Irish whiskey on the map, whilst nodding to the current generation of talented craftspeople at Midleton Distillery. We can’t wait for Jameson fans to sip, savour and enjoy it to the very last drop.”
On the nose, the whiskey offers rich nutty tones, dark berries, and ripe orchard fruits mixed with sweet woodland spices. Underlying hints of oak combine with dried herbs and traditional pot still flavors unveiling a wonderfully balanced and complex whiskey. The palate is robust and spicy with the pot still influences to the fore accompanied by the oak’s tannins alongside silky, textured layers of sweet dairy fudge and vanilla. Soft fruit notes of cherry are intertwined with fig and plum. A rich and lasting finish is characterized by the duo of fruit and spices lingering before the toasted oak’s drying tannins have the last word.
The Jameson 15 Year Old Single Pot Still bottle is wrapped in newspaper, with one side uncovering Jameson’s heritage and the other marking the present day and comes in recyclable honeycomb cardboard packaging.
Blender Deirdre O’Carroll added, “It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with the team to bring Jameson fans a new 15 Year Old that has been remastered for the modern day. The inclusion of the sherry casks creates incredibly rich flavours and an extra-long fusion of fruits and spices, in line with traditional pot still flavours that are known and loved. We’re looking forward to continuing to delight fans with more to come within The Jameson Anthology, which we hope will be music to whiskey fans’ ears.”
Bottled 56.4% ABV, Jameson 15 Year Old Single Pot Still comes in a 500ml bottle and will retail at €300 with a limited quantity of 2,220 bottles available through two online ballots.
The first ballot will open to members of Barrel Club Midleton Distillery at 9am Irish Saving Time (IST) on Monday, April 4th and the second ballot will open to all other whiskey fans at 2pm (IST) on Friday, April 8th. Shipping to successful whiskey fans will take place from the end of April.
For the chance to get your hands on a bottle of Jameson 15 Year Old, head over to the official ballot page.
At the end of November, Jameson celebrated the end of 2021 with the release of Jameson 21 Years. In August, the brand unveiled a new flavored Irish whiskey, Jameson Orange.