JAMESON GOLD Reserve 40%

Nose:
More bourbon-like than ever with pleasant nutmeg-ish oak shaking hands with the pot-still. A honey-fruit theme grows in stature as the glass becomes warmer.




Palate:
A sort of Yin & Yang experience with two contrasting forces on display. One being a robust alliance of oak and pot-still. The other a fusion of dried fruit, honey and toffee. They proceed to amalgamate in splendid fashion.





Nose:
Figs and stewed apples amidst some nicely balanced wood flavours. A faint echo of pot still at the end.

Comment:
An immaculate balance of flavours with some new oak aging giving it an extra edge. Better than the earlier, slightly spirity bottling. Perhaps not as engrossing as the true pot-stills (Redbreast, Green Spot) but certainly the most enjoyable Jameson that I know of.

Rating: 8,5/10

JAMESON Pure pot still "Millenium" 15 years old 40%

Nose:
Light strawberry sweetness and soft honey. Polished, almost cuddly oak offers a pinch of woodsmoke.




Palate:
Vibrant yet gentle pot still character, aided by sweet sherry and soft almost apologetic oak. The latter produces some modest but appetising spices.




Finish:
Medium length. Fruit and sharp spices interweaved.


Comment:
A limited edition produced for the Millenium shift. I guess they chose to call it Jameson instead of Redbreast for marketing reasons. Not bad at all but somehow comes across as flat compared to the Redbreasts. A little more dynamics wouldn´t have gone amiss. My third bottle of this and most definitely the last I will get for a humane sum. For the price it commands today, I can only recommend it to pot still and Jameson completists. Bottle number: 07040

Rating: 8/10

BUSHMILLS Single cask 1989 Bourbon barrel 56,5%

Nose:

Refined oak, malt concentrate and liquid honey helt to take the Bushmills character to new heights.




Palate:
Vanilla, honey, sophisticated malt and just a hint of marzipan make for a potent breed, indeed. Short burts of oaky pepperines accompanies it along the way.





Finish:
Literally grabs you by the throat. At first, dry and expansive oak followed by a wave of honeyed malt.


Comment:
Liquid gold is the nearest way I can describe this whiskey. Ample prooof that Bushmills don´t need "artificial" casks to thrive.

Rating: 8/10

KNAPPOGUE CASTLE 1995 40%

Nose:
Mealy and gristy malt with vanilla and apple sweetness. Freshly cut grass.




Palate:
A soft landing with vanilla and gentle lemon. Gradually overtaken by a "dark" coffee-like maltiness which, in turn, becomes almost black pepper-ish.





Finish:
Wave upon wave of pulsating heavy malt with coffee and dark spices. Brilliant!


Comment:
From the Bushmills distillery. Once again a whiskey which will be embraced warmly by those allergic to Sherry. The earliest vintages came from the Cooley distillery and although the Bushmills character is all over this one, I still think that they managed to retain the style it bore when the brand was introduced.

Rating: 8/10

BUSHMILLS 1608 Anniversary edition 46%

Nose:
Sherry and freshly baked bread, eventually merging into something rosy. Seem to recall it as more vivid when brand new.




Palate:
Sweet and sour fruitiness. Cherries and raspberries. Hefty spices rumble in the background. As smooth as the label promises but certainly not bland. Somewhat oily (or is it the caramel?).




Finish:
Dry candy-laced oak. Quite tasty.


Comment:
A special bottling made for the supposed 400th anniversary. Some quality sherry casks put to good use here.

Rating: 8/10

CONNEMARA cask strength 58,6%

Nose:
Aggressive. Peat. Faint charcoal. Lots of sugar cane. Possibly cardamom. After warming something chemical or glue-like emerges.



Palate:
Refined sugar theme continues and almost in full domination. Initially something charcoal-ish. Peat certainly present but somewhat overshadowed by that massive sweetness.




Finish:
Massive wall of peat. Dry.

Comment:
Not sure what to think of this one. Certainly an enjoyable whiskey but there is room for improvement. The peat could do with acting a bit more "extrovert".

Rating: 7,5/10

GREEN SPOT 40%

Nose:
Very earthy. Herbs zigzagging amidst the glorious pot still character. Vanilla.




Palate:
Full bodied. Unknown herbs picked from a hidden moor. Honey mixed with just a smudge of sherry. Pot still at its most vibrant.




Finish:
Enormously long and complex. Life-affirming.



Comment:

At the end of the 90´s this was so scarce, I had to order it from a small Internet shop in Ireland. Since then it has become much more visible and even managed to pop up once at my local store. A transition which must mean increased production. Despite this, it has managed to retain all of its great qualities. No mean feat.


Rating: 9/10