Jameson Black Barrel (40%)
Interested in learning a bit more about Irish whiskey as we approach St. Patrick’s Day? Join me at Bar Hop on Peter Street in downtown Toronto on March 14 for a welcome cocktail, snacks, and a sampling of six whiskeys led by yours truly. Get your tickets before they’re gone!
If you know anything at all about Irish whiskey, you know Jameson. The Pernod Ricard-owned powerhouse is the go-to choice for most Irish whiskey drinkers, sort of what Guinness is for Irish stout imbibers, and by some estimates it accounts for 70-80% of Irish whiskey sales in North America.
That said, while ‘Jamie,’ as it is sometimes known, does represent the overwhelming majority of the volume sold by Irish Distillers, it is but one of many brands the Irish arm of Pernod Ricard sells. Even disregarding such storied names as Red Breast and Green Spot – reviews of which shall soon follow – there are over a dozen extensions of the Jameson brand alone.
Like regular Jameson, Black Barrel is a triple-distilled blend of pot still and grain whiskeys, the former being richer and more flavourful, the latter lighter and softer. Unlike the original, however, this both contains a higher percentage of pot still spirit and is finished in heavily charred oak, the combination of which bestow upon it not just additional colour, but also a range of depth and flavour simply not available in regular Jameson.
The rich copper colour of this whiskey reflects its maturation in what the distillery calls ‘double charred’ barrels, but you can take to mean barrels that are more heavily charred than is the norm. More important is the higher percentage of pot still whiskey, which results in an intensity of roasted caramel and baked apple on the nose, and a rich and rounded body with notes of concentrated vanilla, crème brulée, toasted pecan, and a hint of strawberry jam. The finish is peppery, lingering, and delightfully smooth. The Jameson website recommends Black Barrel as “the best whiskey for an Old Fashioned,” but I’m content to sip it all by itself, or perhaps with one cube of ice.
86 ($50-$58)