Jameson 1780 ~12 Year ~ I'm Going to Stick with the Original
Written: Jan 16 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Pleasant, great balance of sweet and bitter, sherry notes
Cons: Cost twice as much as the original, but twice as pleasant
The Bottom Line: This is a solid performer, but it is not worth the cost. 100% write up off of the younger Jameson but the taste isn't that much better.
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| nchoward's Full Review: Jameson Irish Whiskey 12 year old |
Jameson’s 12 Year (known as Jameson 1780) is better than its Jameson Irish Whiskey brother, but is it worth the money? You can get a bottle of Jameson regular for about 1/2 the price.
I do not own a bottle of Jameson 1780, not because it isn’t great, but because it isn’t worth the money to me. And this is coming from a guy that has a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue on his shelf. There is usually a distinct improvement from a base whiskey to the 12 years, 18 years, or special editions. The difference between the base Jameson Irish Whiskey to Jameson 12 is not enough for me do dish out twice the amount of cash.
JAMESON
John Jameson, a Scot (god bless ‘em), moved to Dublin in the 1770s and soon acquired a local distillery. He went on to found one of the first legal distilleries in Ireland in 1780. He continued to acquire more and more distilleries throughout Ireland and once claimed to have well over a million gallons of whiskey aging under the streets of Dublin.
John Jameson & Son merged with rivals John Power & Son and Cork Distillers Company. The Irish Distillers Group was later acquired in 1989 by Pernod Ricard against other companies (Gilbey’s and Guinness). Some Americans that are on a French Product Ban will refuse to drink products owned by Ricard. You’ll have to miss out on this charm if you play by those rules (also: Powers, Black Bush, Bushmills, Midleton, and Red Breast).
THE POUR
Jameson 1780 pours a light gold color with a slight hint of rose in the color. The later characteristic is mostly attributed to the use of sherry barrels in its 12-year maturation.
THE NOSE
Holding a tumbler o f Jameson and Jameson 1780, the main distinction is that the 1780 does not have such a sweet nose. There is a sugary sense there, but not like most Irish whiskies. The 1780 is oak and nutty. It has more of an earthen nose to it.
THE TASTE
Like the nose, Jameson 1780 is not as sweet as its younger brother. Jameson 1780 is bittersweet with the sherry hints, vanilla, and oak. The more a couple ice cubes cut the 40% ABV, the more the sweetness is released. The whiskey really loses its distinction then. I would recommend drinking this beverage already chilled or only with a single ice cube. You lose the bite, the age between the Jameson and Jameson 1780 as the water cuts it.
THE AFTERTASTE
The Jameson 1780 leaves you with a wonderful glow for several minutes after your sip. The taste turns to a slight spicy burn that is complimented by the fading oak/vanilla sweetness. It is quite pleasant.
The drinking experience is quite pleasurable – for any whiskey drinker. However, I cannot see paying twice as much for the experience. I’ve had to get my drinks at receptions or at some big whiskey fans’ parties. I’ll bring a bottle of $20 bottle of Powers and ask if I can try a couple of the bottles they reserve for themselves. To me, it’s a good return because I don’t have to spend my money on something I really don’t feel like drinking.
If you are on a budget of ~ $20 try:
Jameson Irish Whiskey
Power Irish Whiskey
Johnnie Walker Black Blended Scotch
Recommended:
Yes
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nchoward
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Location: USA
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