What happens when whiskey meets craft stout? Jameson Caskmates is what happens. This concept came about after a conversation between the Jameson head distiller and the Cork’s Franciscan Well Brewery head brewer. Jameson agreed to send some whiskey barrels over to the brewery for them to age their stout and then the brewery sent those casks back to the Jameson distillery. This is how Jameson Caskmates was born.

I was lucky enough to get a bottle as a gift from my good friends, Matt and Sarah. It’s a whiskey I had never tasted it before so I was extremely excited with the gift (side note, my holiday gift guide will be posted next week so be sure to look out for that). We didn’t wait long to crack open into this bottle and let me tell you, I was not just pleasantly surprised but somewhat blown away by it.

Tasting Notes
Nose: oak and spices
Palate: coffee, oak and hints of hops
Finish: light finish with notes of butterscotch

This whiskey is smooth from start to finish and at an average price of about $35 you can’t go wrong. It is light, with hints of sweetness and most importantly, this whiskey is drinkable. It’s a whiskey that even non-whiskey drinkers might enjoy.

I love this whiskey. The stout casks bring quite a lot to the table contributing to its unique taste. The slight notes of hop were pretty great and balanced well with the notes of coffee and butterscotch. It’s good whiskey and honestly, quite innovative of Jameson. I might go as far as to say that I might like it more than the original Jameson, but I will hold off on that statement till I’ve had a chance to drink a couple more drams before deciding.

There is something very special about this whiskey, I enjoyed it and do highly recommend trying.

Cheers!

PS: Thanks Matt and Sarah! The gift was amazing.

Note: The contents on my blog are solely my opinion. To me every palate is different! Although I may or may not like a product, I always recommend for people to try it and make up their own minds.