Jameson Signature Reserve (40%, OB, 2017)

• Category: Blended Pot Still and Grain Irish Whiskey
• Origin: Midleton Distillery
• Bottling: Irish Distillers, Jameson
• ABV: 40%
• Cost: £40.99

What they say:

Aged in American oak barrels and the finest sherry casks, Jameson Signature Reserve delivers our signature taste and smoothness with additional heather and honey sweetness. Exclusive to travel retail, Jameson Signature Reserve allegedly guarantees a warm welcome if you happen to be staying with family or friends after a flight.

Nose:

Sweet floral light perfume notes are followed by underlying spice. Some nuttiness, apples and dried fruits.

Taste:

Initial impression is a mouth coating of heather honey sweetness. This is closely followed by some smooth spicy oils. Additional depth is added with cedar wood from the American oak along with dried fruits which are the primary contribution from the sherry casks.

Finish:

A long, warm sweet finish.

What I say:

Produced by Irish Distillers at the Midleton Distillery, this particular Jameson expression is bottled at 1l for the travel retail market. Thanks to Irish Distillers & Richmond Towers for the official sample.

Colour:

Sauternes gold (8/20), medium-sized tears leave long well-defined medium legs

Nose:

Vanilla and spice, a dusting of icing sugar and light cereals call to mind iced pastries/Danish pastries, cinnamon rolls/buns, vanilla custard, orchard fruits like apple, pear & peach, floral blossom, honey and caramel sweetness, banana split dessert; ripe estery banana, vanilla ice-cream and a touch of both caramel and chocolate sauces

Taste:

Light bodied, a little sharp and tinny/metallic at first, lightly fragrant and floral, vanilla custard, cereal barley, runny honey and caramel sauce deepen into toffee and hazelnut, a light milk chocolate, banana, coconut, cumin and cardamom spices, grape, raisin, fruit cake and malt loaf hints

Finish:

Short and spiced like Christmas pudding, sweet malt and cereal

Overall:

A little more complex than Jameson Original, this blend has slightly more sherry-maturation influences with extra mixed spices but retains that very light & floral nature from the Grain whiskey too.

Score: 83/100

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