Jameson Black Barrel is a blended Irish whiskey from the distillery in Midleton, County Cork, in which the proportion of pot still whiskey has been increased and double-charred barrels have been used. Jameson Black Barrel is a triple-distilled blend of small-batch grain whiskey and single pot still Irish whiskey. The spirit is bottled at 43% ABV.
Black Barrel is created from two whiskeys: a small-batch grain whiskey distilled at Midleton once a year and matured in heavily charred bourbon barrels, and a pot still whiskey made from malted and unmalted barley, aged in sherry casks. John Jameson founded his distillery in Dublin in 1780, and today Jameson is still produced at the Midleton distillery in County Cork, using triple distillation. The signature of this edition is the additional charring of the staves: a tribute to the coopers who subject the barrels to an extra charring, and the time spent in these double-charred barrels lends the whiskey a richness with more intensified notes of vanilla sweetness and caramel, alongside toasted wood, fruit and warm spice.
On the nose and palate, dessert and nutty tones take the lead. Maturation in double-charred barrels results in intensified aromas of butterscotch, fudge and creamy toffee, while nutty notes appear in abundance alongside the gentle sweetness of spice and vanilla. The higher proportion of pot still whiskey and a significant share of first-fill bourbon barrels and sherry casks give a more concentrated character than in standard Jameson, with a distinct sherry note that adds depth and complexity. Industry reviewers describe a fruit-and-spice profile here: heavier, with nutmeg, caramel and hints of black pepper, followed after a moment by notes of butter, vanilla custard and the maltiness derived from the pot still.
The texture is denser than in the basic version. The consistency is good for a blend, noticeably more oily than in regular Jameson; the bourbon barrels lead with a sweet entry of honeyed grain, vanilla and caramel, while the mid-palate brings the barrel char to the fore with woody spices, nutmeg and cocoa. The whiskey works well neat, on the rocks and in classic cocktails – the producer recommends it, among other things, as a base for an Old Fashioned. The set includes a 0.7 litre bottle and two glasses in a cardboard package.