Jameson whiskey is Ireland's export hit. The soft and fruity blend has shaped the image of Irish whiskey worldwide. Without Jameson, there might not even be any Irish whiskey today. If you are looking for a non-smoky, mild whiskey, Jameson is the right place for you. Discover the variety of light sipping whiskey here and enjoy a piece of Irish lightness. Get theJameson Black Barrel right away and get started!

About Jameson Irish Whiskey

Why is Jameson THE Irish Whiskey? You could write a whole book about Jameson and its history. Hardly any other whiskey has had as much history and influence on the whiskey history of its country as Jameson Irish Whiskey. Jameson is regarded as the prime example of Irish whiskey and represents the Emerald Isle worldwide with its fruity, light whiskey style. Jameson is an Irish blended whiskey with some special features.

Unlike most blended whiskeys, Jameson is not a blend of single malt and grain whiskey. Jameson is a marriage of aromatic, triple-distilledpot still whiskey and light, sweet grain whiskey. Jameson therefore carries the soul of Irish whiskey culture. This is because single pot still whiskey is a special type of whiskey that only exists in Ireland. Triple distillation is also an Irish speciality. It makes Jameson whiskeys exceptionally smooth and mild.

Why is Jameson so important to the history of Irish whiskey? In the 19th century, Irish whiskey was a real export hit and dominated the world market. Irish whiskey was particularly popular in the USA. However, history was not kind to the Irish whiskey industry. The combination of the First World War, the subsequent Prohibition in the USA and the Irish War of Independence almost broke the back of Irish whiskey. Almost all Irish whiskey distilleries were forced to close in the following decades.

In the end, only Jameson, John Powers and the Cork Distillers Company remained. To prevent the demise of Irish whiskey, the former rivals merged to form the Irish Distillers Group. Jameson was chosen as the flagship brand to be presented to the world as Irish whiskey from then on. The success was to prove the decision of the three Irish whiskey dynasties right. The bold move to merge almost certainly ensured the survival of Irish whiskey. "The rest is history" as they say - the rest is history.

Want to know something funny about Jameson? The legendary John Jameson, to whom the whiskey brand goes back, was not Irish by birth. And even worse: he was Scottish! However, you should probably keep that to yourself in an Irish pub.

3 reasons to love Jameson

1) Because Jameson is Ireland in a glass.

2) Because thanks to Jameson, the Irish whiskey landscape is flourishing again today.

3) Because it's so light and delicious.

What does Jameson Whiskey taste like?

Jameson is a light Irish blended whiskey with good flavour. The house style is light fruity and sweetish with light biscuit notes. As no peat is used in the production of Jameson, Jameson is a non-smoky whiskey. Depending on the bottling, sometimes the fruity accents, sometimes the citrus notes and sometimes the creamy-sweet flavours are emphasised. Jameson therefore perfectly reflects the reputation of Irish whiskey: light, drinkable, fruity and not smoky. Jameson is therefore a great party whiskey, a summer whiskey, a whiskey to sip and enjoy and not too bad for the odd whiskey cocktail.

Recommendations in the Jameson range

The classic Jameson Irish Whiskey is a must in every Irish pub and bar. The Gassenhauer is not only the flagship of the Jameson brand, but also an affordable and relaxed whiskey. Its fruity, light-footed character makes it ideal for enjoying in spring and summer. The inexpensive Jameson Standard is also well suited as a long drink or whiskey cocktail mixer.

A really classy premium variant is the Jameson 18 years. As the name suggests, this fine drop has spent a whole 18 years in oak barrels, giving it an enormous depth of flavour. The Jameson 18 Years was matured in American and European oak barrels. Finally, it was given a 6-month finish in fresh American white oak barrels. It is bottled at 46% vol. and non-chill filtered.

TheJameson 18 Year Old Bow Street packs another punch. This rare version of Jameson also matured for a proud 18 years in oak casks. It also matured again in ex-bourbon casks in the old distillery on Bow Street in Dublin. The Jameson 18 Year Old Bow Street has a significantly higher volume percentage than the standard version of the Jameson 18 Year Old. This concentrates the flavour. This Cask Strength Edition is bottled at a powerful 55.1% vol. and creates a real flavour firework display on the palate.

The barrel in focus - for the barrel lovers

The Jameson Black Barrel is our tip if you want to feel your way up the range. This Jameson bottling is named after the heavily burnt oak barrels in which the Jameson Black Barrel was matured. They lend it flavours of tropical fruits such as peach, guava and coconut as well as a beautiful creaminess on the palate. Dates and walnuts with a hint of cinnamon, peach and coconut await you in the flavour.

The Jameson Crested is also a nice alternative to the classic Jameson. In the past, the bottling was simply called Crested Ten and was not labelled with the Jameson brand name. It was a blend of whiskies that were between 10 and 15 years old. The exact composition of the age of Jameson Crested today is not known. However, it is said to consist of a blend of 60% single pot still and 40% Irish grain whiskey. Sherry casks were also used for the cask maturation. This also explains why we find more depth and volume in the Jameson Crested than in the Jameson standard. The palate is fuller, with fine cereal and roasted notes, slight hints of sherry and chocolate notes.

The third in the group (no pun intended) is the Jameson Triple Triple. This Jameson creation takes its title from the traditional triple distillation - triple distilled - and the triple cask maturation - triple matured. The Jameson Triple Triple was matured in ex-bourbon, ex-sherry and ex-Malaga casks. This gives the Jameson Triple Triple a round bouquet of sweet pear, citrus zest and dark fruits. Garden fruit, blackcurrants, plums and light spices await you on the palate.

Beer and whiskey - old friends meet again

At the Jameson Caskmates beer and whiskey come together. Interestingly, the production processes for beer and whisky are very similar in many respects. Like so many good ideas, the inspiration for the collaboration is said to have originated in a bar. It is therefore not surprising that Jameson has teamed up with craft beer producers to create the Caskmates series, in which Jameson whiskey is matured in craft beer barrels, giving it a completely new flavour profile.

The Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition is matured in former stout beer barrels. There it has combined the great fruitiness of Jameson with the fine roast and chocolate notes from the stout beer. Definitely a recommendation!

Jameson Caskmates IPA Edition is the hoppy counterpart to the Stout Edition. Here, the Jameson whiskey is matured in IPA craft beer barrels, combining the fresh fruitiness with delicate hop notes. A great sipper for the summer, also delicious with ice or tonic!

Honour to whom honour is due - The Jameson Whiskey Makers Series

In the Whiskey Makers Series, Jameson pays homage to its hard-working employees, without whom Jameson would not exist. The Jameson Distiller's Safe bottling is dedicated to Head Distiller Brian Nation. Jameson owes its fine basic character to his masterful handling of the pot stills and the spirit safe. The spirit safe is the name given to the beautiful copper apparatus through which the clear distillate flows from the stills. This is where the pre-distillation and after-distillation are separated from the centrepiece, which later becomes Jameson Irish Whiskey.

The Jameson Cooper's Croze is dedicated to Head Cooper Ger Buckley , a 5th generation cooper. The master cooper, also known as a cooper, ensures that the whiskey barrels in the Midleton Distillery are in perfect condition. Jameson Cooper's Croze takes its name from a cooper's tool, the croze. The maturation in sherry casks, bourbon barrels and virgin oak gives the Jameson Cooper's Croze versatile flavours.

Last but not least, the Jameson The Blender's Dog pays tribute to the Master Blender of Midleton Billy Leighton . The Blender's Dog, also known as the Copper Dog, is one of the most important tools of a master blender. This is because the master blender uses the large copper pipette to take barrel samples and can thus monitor the quality of the maturing whisky. Jameson The Blender's Dog literally bears the fingerprint of Master Blender Billy Leighton on the bottle.

Delicious experiments

The experimental creations Jameson Orange Whiskey and Jameson Cold Brew show that Jameson never gets boring. With Jameson Orange Whiskey, Jameson Irish Whiskey has been infused with orange flavouring. Perfect as a long drink with lemonade and orange zest. Do you like coffee? Then you should definitely try the Jameson Cold Brew. Here, Jameson has been combined with delicious cold brew, a coffee that is infused cold. A new version of Irish coffee, so to speak. Because this drink is not drunk hot, but served cold. Rethinking old school? Try Jameson Cold Brew with ice and cola with an orange zest. That's how you can make whisky cola really well today!

Jameson also always has something going on in the travel retail sector. The Jameson Signature Release comes with a higher proportion of single pot still whiskey than the standard. The increased proportion of sherry casks also contributes to a fruitier and fuller flavour experience.

The Jameson Deconstructed series with the Jameson Lively, the Jameson Bold and Jameson Round was also exciting. With the Jameson Lively, the focus was placed on the grain whisky. It is therefore lighter with fresh fruit flavours, apple and ginger. The Jameson Round is dedicated to the cask influence. American oak casks, sherry casks and Madeira casks were used here. Versatile flavours of dried fruit, old leather and delicate spices could be found here. Jameson Bold focussed on the spicy, grainy pot still whiskey. This gave Jameson Bold a sweet and malty character and a variety of spicy flavours.

How is Jameson made?

Jameson is produced in the Midleton Distillery in County Cork in the south of Ireland. This distillery giant is a true all-rounder of whiskey production. Single malt whiskey, single pot still whiskey and grain whiskey can all be produced in Midleton. In addition to Jameson Irish Whiskey, blended Irish whiskeys such as Paddy Irish Whiskey and Powers Irish Whiskey also see the light of day in Midleton. Most of Tullamore Dew was also produced here for a long time until the brand was bought up by the Scottish company William Grant and Sons (Glenfiddich, The Balvenie). Tullamore Dew has since been given its own distillery in Ireland. The single pot still whiskeys Redbreast and Green Spot as well as Yellow Spot and Red Spot are also produced at Mildeton. The bottlings in the Midleton Very Rare series are, as the name suggests, rare collector's items. They are released annually as vintage releases. Collector's whiskeys that are not only coveted by fans of the distillery.

Why isn't Jameson a blend like any other? Jameson is by definition a blended Irish whiskey. This means that it has been blended from different types of whiskey. In the case of Jameson, it is a blend of triple-distilled single pot still whiskey and Irish grain whiskey. As both the single pot still whiskey and the grain whiskey for Jameson are produced in just one distillery, Jameson could also be described as a single blended whiskey. This is because although it is a whiskey made from different types of whiskey, they all come from just one distillery for once. That is quite rare. The water for Jameson comes from the River Dungourney, which flows directly through the distillery site. The barley for the pot still whiskey is grown in the fields in County Cork. The GMO-free corn for the grain whiskey comes from the south of France.

What exactly is pot still whiskey?

Pot still whiskey is a special type of whiskey that only exists in Ireland. It is basically produced in exactly the same way as single malt Irish whiskey, with one key difference. Single malt whisky/whiskey must be made from 100% malted barley in Ireland and Scotland. In order to avoid high taxation on malted barley, the crafty Irish began distilling whiskey early on with a blend of malted and unmalted barley. This full-bodied, cereal-flavoured whiskey was distilled on pot stills like single malt. The single pot still whiskey was born. Pot still whiskey is said to have full-bodied aromas of spices, grain notes and intense fruit flavours. The pot still content in Jameson provides the aromatic depth and backbone. If you would like to try a pot still whiskey, we recommend the Redbreast 12 years or the Green Spot Single Pot Still.

This pot still whiskey is now triple distilled at Midleton Distillery. With a capacity of 75,000 litres, the pot stills at Midleton Distillery are currently the largest stills of their kind in the world. Triple distillation is a tradition in Ireland. In Ireland, people are convinced that triple distillation produces a softer, purer spirit. In Scotland, the Auchentoshan Distillery in the Lowlands is the only whisky distillery that relies exclusively on triple distillation. In Scotland, double distillation is common. You'll have to find out which is better with your nosing glass.

The grain whiskey for the Jameson blend is also produced at the Midleton Distillery. Here, distillation takes place in column stills. Eleven columns ensure the continuous production of grain whiskey at Midleton. The grain whiskey is light and sweetish and provides the lightness of the Jameson blend. With an annual output of around 64 million litres of New Make (all whiskey varieties combined), Midleton is one of the largest whiskey distilleries in the world.

How does Jameson Whiskey mature? In order for a whiskey to be called whiskey in Ireland, it must mature for at least three years in barrels. However, the whiskey is usually stored for much longer. Jameson matures in oak barrels, mostly ex-bourbon barrels, but also in some ex-sherry barrels from Jerez in Spain. The oak barrels mature in large warehouses, or rather warehouses, until they are finally blended into the various Jameson bottlings. Around 2% of the whisky is lost each year during the long-term maturation. The Irish call this the "angel's share", the Angels' Share.

What makes Jameson whiskey so smooth? There are probably three reasons for the lightness with which Jameson flatters the palate. Firstly, the sweet and light grain whiskey lends lightness to the blend. Secondly, the spicier and more aromatic part of the blend, the single pot still whiskey, is triple distilled. The third factor is the bottling in low volume percentages. Most Jameson whiskeys are bottled at a mild 40% vol. and are therefore very pleasant to drink. The gentle production process and low-proof bottling make Jameson one of the mildest whiskeys in the world.

The history of Jameson

Surprisingly, the story of the legendary Irish whiskey brand Jameson begins in Scotland. John Jameson was born there in 1740. Jameson's motto "sine metu" - without fear - brought the young John Jameson to Ireland at the age of 30. He moved to Dublin, the whisky capital of the world at the time. There he became manager of the Bow Street Distillery in 1786. The Bow Street Distillery had been founded by the Stein family in 1780. In 1805, the distillery passed into the hands of John Jameson, who renamed it the John Jameson and Sons Irish Whisky Company. This was followed by an unrivalled success story that lasted for around 100 years. However, the great success of Irish whiskey and Jameson's whiskeys came to a bitter end in the early 20th century. Two world wars, Prohibition in the USA and the Irish War of Independence brought Irish whiskey production to a virtual standstill. By the middle of the 20th century, almost all whiskey distilleries in Ireland were forced to close. Recognising the signs of the times, the former competitors John Jameson & Son, Cork Distillers Company and John Powers finally merged in the 1960s to form the Irish Distillers Group. Whiskey production was consolidated in 1971 in what is now the Midleton Distillery in Cork. The old distillery on Bow Street still serves as a visitor centre and Jameson Experience. Jameson is now part of the Pernod Ricard portfolio along with many other Irish whiskey brands.

Figures & Facts about Jameson

Address: Midleton Distillery, Old, Distillery Walk, Midleton, Co. Cork, P25 Y394, Ireland

Founded: 1780 (Jameson brand), 1975 (current Midleton Distillery)

Region: Ireland, County Cork

Owner: Pernod Ricard

Type: Blended Irish Whiskey

Smoke: Unpeated/ Unpeated/ Not smoky

Status: active

Capacity: approx. 64,000,00 lpa (litres per year)

Burning bladders: 3 pot stills (75.000 litres), 3 pot stills (in the Whiskey School), 11 column stills

Washbacks: 48

Mashtun: various

Water: River Dungourney

Visitor Centre: Yes

Phone: +353214613594

Website: www.jamesonwhiskey.com