Product: Jameson’s 12 Year special Reserve Producer: Jameson Distillery Approximate Retail Value: $40 for 750 ml Category: Whiskey Country of Origin: Ireland Reviewer: D. Kearney Sparano The F Words: Flavor – Spicy, notes of honey Feel – warm, silky Finish – Smooth, minimal bite

Rating:

I believe it was the great philosopher Ed McMahon who said, “God invented whiskey to keep the Irish from ruling the world.” Truth be told it was the Irish themselves that invented whiskey. The word “whiskey” comes from the Gaelic term “uisce beatha,” which means water of life. There are several brands of Irish whiskey, but only one is truly synonymous with the product, and that is Jameson’s.

In a strange bit of irony, Ireland’s most famous distiller, John Jameson, was not born in Ireland, but rather Scotland. It is claimed by the Irish, and neither confirmed nor denied by the Scottish, that Irish monks brought the art of distillation over to Scotland. There are several major differences between the whiskies of the two nations. The first lies in the process of malting barley. Scotch uses only malted barley, while Irish whiskey uses a mix of malted and unmalted, creating the sweetness that Irish whiskies are known for. Also, though both processes heat the barley, the Scots use peat which imparts the smoky flavor, while the Irish use anthracite, a clean smokeless fuel, to dry the barley. Finally, there is the number of times it is distilled. Scotch is typically distilled twice, where most Irish whiskies are triple distilled. It was believed by John Jameson that this created a smoother product.

The Jameson website says of Special Reserve, “Jameson 12 Year Old Special Reserve, with its full-bodied flavour, is like a friendly handshake welcoming you into the world of aged whiskeys. With its pot still whiskeys infused with sherry casks, it’s the best known and most popular of the aged Jameson whiskeys. Exuding great character, its complex yet superbly mellow flavours of toasted wood, spice and sherry and its exquisite taste are a celebration of the enduring heritage of great Jameson whiskeys which began in 1780.”

Do I notice any of this when I taste it? Not immediately. What I notice is that it is good - really good. I first try it with just a little bit of water. Immediately I notice the warmth and the spice. It slides over the tongue very smoothly and finishes with the same level of smoothness. The spiciness is coupled also with a sweetness, like honey or vanilla. I can only imagine that it comes from the sherry casks. Now typically I like to drink my whiskey with a little water and one, just one, ice cube. So I try the Special Reserve this way. I was wrong to drink it that way. It is better with just a dash of water. The ice dilutes the Special Reserve and ruins the intricacies within the whiskey. The warmth is gone and so is the spice. It is a bit smoother and sweeter, but I prefer it with just the water.