Distillery : Old Jameson Distillery
Type : Blended
ABV : 40%
Age : 12 years
Colour : Dark gold
Nose : Very mellow notes of leather and sherry across the top of woody vanilla.
Taste: The first hit is of vanilla with a malty background. This is quickly followed by hints of sherry and spiced fruit. Very clean finish.
This is a whiskey that I could quite happily drink every day for the rest of my life. In complete contrast to the Lagavulin 16yo that I last reviewed, the Jameson 12yo is all about mellow woods and subtle spice. A very nice whiskey indeed. Although easily drunk neat I find that this drop really does benefit from a few cubes of ice to break down and release some more of the dried fruit components.
Food Match : The best match for the Jameson Special Reserve would easily be more Jameson Special Reserve. Just incase you do feel like eating something with it though I would suggest keeping to lighter dishes of chicken or seafood so as not to overpower the whiskey. For something special I would also recommend some neat Jameson Special Reserve with a generous slice of vanilla cheesecake.
