To be honest, I am not a big whiskey drinker, but when given the opportunity to try Jameson’s Caskmates, I knew I had to try it.  Jameson took their famous Irish whiskey and did something new with it.  Instead of aging it plain oak casks, they took the chance and aged them in stout casks from Irish local brewery, Franciscan Well.  What turned out in the end was something simply unique.

My usual drink of choice is beer, so I took a similar approach to testing and trying out whiskey.

AROMA: Light vanilla aroma

APPEARANCE: Strong gold color; Brilliantly clear; strong “legs” (high viscosity that clings to the glass)

MOUTHFEEL: Slightly tannic from barrel aging, but not overly woody or charred; Slight burn on the finish; Full bodied

TASTE: Subtle vanilla, chocolate notes and toffee; Light sweetness; Well balanced;

It took awhile to actually notice the subtle hints of the stout, since I am not vastly familiar with Jameson (or other whiskey’s for that matter), it took some time to pick on them.  A trick I have picked up while at a whiskey and beer dinner at The Libertine, was to add small amounts of water to the whiskey to bring out different flavors.  After a 2:1 whiskey-to-water ratio, I was able to notice more of the subtle vanilla and chocolate aromas and flavors in the whiskey.  Any more water quickly diluted the remaining flavors.  Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it though I think I would have enjoyed it more if I was more familiar with whiskey or maybe even had some regular Jameson to try alongside.  Whether you’re a new whiskey drinker or a well-versed connoisseur, you will enjoy this first version of Jameson Caskmates.