Continuing to get into the holiday spirit (get it? Both the whiskey & . . . nevermind), here’s my thoughts on Jameson Black Barrel neat, as well as in two holiday cocktails. We would like to thank Jameson and Ketchum for sending us a sample to review, as well as the cocktail recipes!
Jameson Black Barrel
40% ABV
$35-$40
Website
What the Distillery Says
Triple distilled, flame charred, for a rich smooth taste.
Charring is an age-old method for invigorating barrels to intensify the taste. Jameson Black Barrel is our tribute to our coopers, who painstakingly give their bourbon barrels an additional charring to reveal their untold richness and complexity. The select double charred barrels produce a whiskey with even richer flavor and intense smoothness.
Nose: Time spent maturing in these barrels leads to intensified aromas of butterscotch, fudge and creamy toffee.
Taste: Nutty notes are in abundance alongside the smooth sweetness of spice and vanilla.
Finish: Enjoy the richness and intensity of toasted wood and vanilla.
What Gary Says
Nose: Rich with vanilla, honey, oak, notes of butterscotch and fudge toffee with an herbal grassy note underneath.
Palate: Sweet with caramel, vanilla and honey before the spice kicks in with cinnamon, pepper, and charred oak.
Finish: Moderately long, on the damp side with cinnamon, pepper and caramel trailing.
Comments: Compared with Jameson’s standard bearer, this packs in more flavor, with more vanilla and spice notes and is a bit sharper (but by no means sharp). This stays more aligned with Jameson than some of the recent cask finishes we’ve reviewed, and I personally prefer this over those (mainly because I’m not a beer drinker).
Rating: Stands Out
Now onto the cocktails! This first one required a bit of prep work, as I didn’t have cinnamon syrup laying around (and none of my local liquor stores or grocery stores carried it). I used this recipe to make some, cutting it in half (which yielded just over 100 mL of syrup) and using demerara sugar.
Jameson Black Barrel Crimson Cranberry Punch
Jameson Black Barrel makes any holiday party into a true event. Simple enough for any busy host to mix up, the Crimson Cranberry Punch is a bright crowd-pleaser with tastes of lemon, cinnamon, and cranberry.
- 1.5 parts Jameson Black Barrel
- 1 dash Angostura Bitters per serve
- 1 part Cranberry Juice
- 0.5 part Cinnamon Syrup
- 0.5 part Lemon Juice
- 0.5 part Club Soda
- Combine all ingredients together in a punch bowl (or a glass)
- Garnish with lemon wheels, orange wheels, cranberries
- Serve in rocks glasses chilled over ice
What Gary Thought: I skipped the punch bowl and and just combined the ingredients in a rocks glass, stirred, and added ice. Of the various cocktails I made this week, this had the strongest ‘holiday vibe’ for me with the cranberry & cinnamon. The lemon helped cut the sweetness and really balance it out nicely. This was also my wife’s favorite of the several I made that day (and no, not because we had each drank several prior!)
Jameson Black Barrel Ginger Sparkler
The holidays are here and it’s your time to shine with the Jameson Ginger Sparkler. We’re combining old favorites like ginger and lemon with sparkling wine and Black Barrel for a truly special sip.
- 1.5 parts Jameson Black Barrel
- 1.5 parts Lemon juice
- 1.5 parts simple syrup
- 1.5 parts Ginger Beer
- 1.5 parts Sparkling Wine topper
- Build all ingredients except for sparkling wine in a shaking tin
- Add ice
- Shake
- Strain as you pour into a highball glass
- Top with Sparkling Wine
- Garnish with a lemon wheel and a rosemary sprig
What Gary Thought: I have to call this out, but if every ingredient in the recipe is in equal measure – you can just refer to them all as ‘1 part’. And yes, I know that this isn’t a highball glass either (although I’m confident it didn’t impact the flavor). All that aside, I really enjoyed this fresh take on a whiskey sour. I did find that the rosemary sprig comes across a bit strong (but I did like the added aroma – I might just dunk a rosemary sprig in for a few seconds before serving instead of using as a garnish). This had a fresh and refreshing quality that made me think more of summer than the holidays, although if someone was serving these at a holiday party – I wouldn’t turn it down. I could do without the sparkling wine topper personally, but still enjoyed it as designed. I used Idris Fiery Ginger Beer for those interested, which I find is nicely balanced.
Cheers!
Gary