Jameson 18 Years is a well-matured blended Irish whiskey from the Midleton distillery in County Cork, built from three separately aged distillates. Jameson 18 Years is created using a traditional Irish process in which three distinctive distillates first mature separately in American and Spanish oak casks for at least 18 years, and are then married together in a fresh American oak cask for a minimum of 6 months.
In the glass it is a blend of single pot still and grain whiskey. The whiskey is a mix of three distinct distillates – single pot still made from malted and unmalted barley, and grain whiskey – each of which is triple distilled before ageing for at least 18 years in a combination of American ex-bourbon casks and European oak casks that previously held sherry. What sets this edition apart is the final marrying period of at least six months in first-fill American oak casks – a step that unites the separate distillates and adds extra sweetness and vanilla complexity once the principal maturation is complete.
The profile is mature and dry, led by notes of oak and toffee. On the nose, aromatic oils with hints of wood and spicy toffee. On the palate it is round and silky, with a multitude of complex flavours – toffee, spice, touches of wood and leather, a gentle sherry nuttiness and vanilla. The long, lingering finish carries the theme of wood, spice and toffee right through to the very end.
Bottled at 46%, without the colouring characteristic of the standard expression and with enough body to be enjoyed neat. At 46%, Jameson 18 has sufficient structure and concentration to be drunk straight, while remaining silky thanks to triple distillation and 18 years of maturation. A few drops of water can open up the nose further and soften the oak.