Every Bottle Of The Core Jameson Irish Whiskey Line, Tasted And Re-Ranked
Jameson Irish Whiskey is one of the most popular whiskeys on the planet, not to mention a “gateway whiskey” for many whiskey lovers. It’s also one of the world’s fastest-growing whiskey brands — in that it produces multiple expressions under the Jameson banner. That’s simply to say, if you even dabble in drinking whiskey, you’ve likely come across Jameson at some point or another.
Today, I’m ranking all the current core expressions from Jameson. As with any whiskey brand, the core line is almost constantly in flux, with new expressions dropping throughout the year(s) to bolster the perennials. Jameson is always trying new things with its line and right now is a great time to dive in. Especially for fans of unique barreling programs.
For this ranking, I’m looking at the classics side-by-side with the newbies that have popped up this year and last to replace a few expressions that have been retired. It should be noted that I’m leaving off distillery-only releases and one-offs that aren’t in the core lineup. Overall, the actual ranking is simple. I’m going on taste alone to give you the best chance to find and drink the best whiskey from the beloved Irish shingle.
Let’s dive right in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Irish Whiskey Posts of the Last Six Months
- We Blind Tasted A Dozen Irish Whiskeys And Crowned A Winner
- The Best Whiskeys In The World, According To The John Barleycorn Awards
- Jameson Vs. Bushmills: The Results Of Our St. Patrick’s Day Blind Tasting
- A Mix Of Classic And New Irish Whiskeys, Blind Tasted And Ranked
- All The Brands From The Jameson ‘Family’ Of Irish Whiskeys, Ranked
10. Jameson Orange
ABV: 30%
Average Price: $31
The Whiskey:
This 2022 release from Jameson is built for old fashioned cocktail lovers. The Irish tipple in the bottle is cut down with natural orange flavors to mimic the orange in that cocktail. The juice is also cut down with plenty of water to bring it to a low proof of only 60.
Tasting Notes:
Big shocker here, orange comes through on the nose and on the palate. On the nose, the orange is more like a powdered orange drink with a hint of cinnamon candy thrown in. The palate is largely the same with that fake orange drink vibe carrying on with a touch of minerality that’s more vodka than whiskey. The finish is sweet and full of “orange” and “cinnamon” with a slight graininess and a touch of vanilla.
Bottom Line:
This is a hard pass from me neat. I tried it on the rocks and it was still a hard pass. I tried it in a highball with a lot of fizzy water and it was fine on a hot summer day. But I’m never reaching for this again.
9. Jameson Cold Brew
ABV: 30%
Average Price: $41
The Whiskey:
Here, Jameson has combined their classic triple-distilled Irish whiskey with cold brew coffee. The idea behind the expression is to help enhance the Irish Coffee experience. In this case, it’s a bit reversed. Instead of getting a small dose of Irish whiskey in a creamy coffee, you get a small dose of bitter cold brew in your whiskey.
Tasting Notes:
You’re hit with that cold brew up top with a pleasant bitterness, creamy vanilla, and mild nuttiness. The coffee really dominates the palate as hints of malt, nuts, vanilla, and slight oak peek through. The end is short, sweet, bitter, and warming.
Bottom Line:
Okay, this is actually … good. I don’t even drink coffee and I liked this. It was very clearly a coffee-infused whiskey (not orange drank and vodka as the above expression). I poured this over a few rocks and it was a great and refreshing drink. That said, this felt like a novelty to me more than anything I’d sip on a regular basis.
8. Jameson Caskmates IPA Edition
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $39
The Whiskey:
The process behind the expression is well-used. Jameson sends out barrels to local craft brewers in the Cork area (around the Midleton Distillery, where Jameson is primarily made) for those brewers to age their IPAs. Once those beers are bottled, the barrels are sent back to Midleton and filled with Jameson Irish Whiskey. After a spell finishing in those beer-infused barrels, the whiskey is batched, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
That signature Jameson nuttiness is accentuated by floral and citrus notes that do remind you of hops on the nose. The citrus leans towards grapefruit with a rush of wildflowers next to light woodiness as the grain lingers in the background of the palate. Light fruit picks up at the end with a nice dose of spice and maltiness as it quickly fades out towards a watery finish.
Bottom Line:
This is probably the Jameson I reach for the least. It’s not that it’s bad or anything like, I just don’t dig the “IPA” floral/citrus hop vibe enough to really get into it. If that’s your jam, then go for it!
7. Jameson Triple Triple
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $69
The Whiskey:
This whiskey takes the classic triple distilled Irish whiskey and triple casks it before bottling. In this case, the usual ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks are supported by Malaga casks (a Spanish fortified wine). Those barrels are vatted and proofed all the down to 80 before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Lemon trees and cinnamon sticks pull you in on the nose with a hint of grain and stewed plum. A note of clove opens the palate toward tart berries and dried dark stone fruits next to a hint of black pepper, black licorice, and black (charred) oak. The end amps up those woody tannins to a bitter note before the water washes out the end toward a plum and cinnamon finish.
Bottom Line:
This has a nice overall flavor profile that’s distinct. It’s a little washed out for my palate but has a deep enough profile to stand out in a cocktail.
6. Jameson Irish Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $35
The Whiskey:
The juice is a blend of single pot still (made from malted and unmalted barley) and grain whiskeys. Those whiskeys age in ex-bourbon barrels and ex-sherry casks until they hit that classic sweet spot that makes Jameson Jameson. Those barrels are then blended, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
This does feel classic with notes of lemon citrus, soft malts, and mild spice on the nose with a faint touch of honey and almond. The sip leans into that spice with a soft powderiness while layers of lush vanilla, dry nuts, and a hint of woodiness drive the palate. The end is short and sweet with a minerality to it that’s more river rock than tap water.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the best “on the rocks” pours at any dive bar. You know what you’re getting. It’s easy-going. And it tastes pretty damn good for entry-point whiskey. The only reason it’s this low on this list is that it’s also very basic. There’s a lot of room to grow from this foundational whiskey.
5. Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $39
The Whiskey:
Aging stout in whiskey barrels has a long tradition in brewing. Plus, a pint of stout goes hand-in-hand with drams of Irish whiskey. So aging Jameson in whiskey barrels that held stout beer makes a lot of sense. In this case, the aged juice spends an extra six months in the stout barrels, giving the whiskey that little somethin’, before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Apple orchards and bails of hay mingle with almonds, spice, chocolate, and a hint of lemon oil on the nose. Dark chocolate and a note of woody spices mingle on the palate with creamed honey and a whisper of espresso cream. The end brings about a note of butterscotch next to a milkier chocolate smoothness that leads to a finish that’s part of spiced wood and part bitter espresso bean, creating a spiced-mocha-latte-spiked-with-whiskey vibe.
Bottom Line:
There’s just something about Jameson and coffee bitterness that works. While I’d order a classic Jameson at a dive bar, I’d actually buy this at the liquor store to have around the house. It’s easy drinking while also offering a little something more. It’s also nice on the rocks or in a highball.
4. Jameson Black Barrel
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $47
The Whiskey:
This masterfully crafted whiskey leans more towards the single pot still whiskeys than grain whiskey. Those whiskeys are aged in a combination of ex-sherry and ex-bourbon for anywhere from eight to 16 years. Then, the juice is finished in an extra-charred ex-bourbon barrel, bringing about the “Black Barrel” moniker, before blending and proofing.
Tasting Notes:
Dark chocolate cut with creamy vanilla sits next to a rich and buttery toffee with a note of orange on the nose. The palate amps up that vanilla with a dusting of Christmas spices and fatty nuts that lead to a minced meat pie feel with a dark orange/chocolate underbelly. The end has a hint of tannic oak with a creamy vanilla lushness that’s spiked with dark wintry woody spices.
Bottom Line:
This is the ultimate cocktail whiskey from Jameson. The proof isn’t that high, but the flavor profile is distinct without getting washed out by the proofing water. This also works a nice on the rocks whiskey if you’re looking for a light summer sipper with some real depth.
3. Jameson Crested
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $36
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is a bit of a rebrand from Jameson 10, which became Crested 10, and is now just Jameson Crested. The juice in the bottle is a blend of triple-distilled, pot still whiskey (again, made from a blend of malted and unmalted barley). The blend leans into ex-sherry casks with ex-bourbon casks acting as a supporting act. Once blended, the whiskey is proofed all the way down to 80 proof for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a sense of dry straw and warm spices on the nose with a hint of buttery toffee and a thin line of dark plums. The palate leans into the hot spice with a clear pepperiness and woody cinnamon vibe next to ginger snaps dipped in dark chocolate. The end is a bit like a spicy stewed plum pie with a hint of nutmeg and clove next to a sweet honeyed finish.
Bottom Line:
This is just nice. It’s very similar to the Black Barrel above but doesn’t quite hit the same “woodiness” level, which might be a plus or a minus for some. I like the softness of this one thanks to that soft honey finish. This also gets super creamy with a little water or ice, which is a nice touch.
2. Jameson 18
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $169
The Whiskey:
This is more than just 18-year-old Jameson. It’s a masterful blend of hand-selected 18-year-old whiskeys aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks initially. That juice is then married and finished in first-fill bourbon casks until it’s just right. Once those barrels hit the right notes, they’re vatted, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with soft bourbon vanilla, dry cedar bark, orange oils, rich toffee, and subtle winter spices on the nose. The taste delivers on those promises and adds in worn boot leather, hazelnuts, and a dusting of dark chocolate that melds into the hazelnut to create a creamy Nutella when you add a drop of water. The end arrives with a rush of spiced plum jam with cloves, allspice, and a hint of licorice next to more of that dry cedar next to a nutty/chocolate-infused tobacco leaf with a slight chew to it.
Bottom Line:
This is probably the most complex and easiest drinking whiskey on the list. It’s damn good, even for the high price tag. The reason it’s not first is that it’s not quite as satisfying as the next entry.
1. Jameson Black Barrel Proof
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $63
The Whiskey:
This new take on the double-charred, barrel-aged whiskey above (Black Barrel) amps up the ABVs, allowing a lot more character to shine through in the actual bottle. The difference is that the barrels chosen for this expression were perfect at 100 proof instead of 80.
Tasting Notes:
That bitter char comes through on the nose with a subtle espresso bean oiliness next to almost burnt buttery toffee and a touch of walnut. The palate builds on that nuttiness to the point of a walnut cake full of Karo syrup, plenty of dark holiday spices, and a touch of vanilla pudding. The end really amps that vanilla up to the point that you’re almost chewing on vanilla tobacco while the wood comes in with a dry cigar box vibe next to ground winter spices, more nuttiness, and a hint of dry straw in an old fruit orchard.
Bottom Line:
This is the Jameson with the most character that also shines the brightest on its own, on the rocks, or in a cocktail. That flavor profile is distinct and accessible while also having real depth. The higher ABVs work wonders, with an extra kick that just works. Overall, this is a whiskey I actually keep in stock.