Tastes

By the handle!

Tried without water, so my judgement is impaired. However I could not see the light at the end of the tunnel through the sharp punch of alcohol and spice. Given the opportunity I will give this another go!

I remember enjoying this, but not as much as the A'bunadh.

Unremarkable

Akin to the Green Spot, with the spice intensity cranked up. Banana and honey on the nose. There is a considerable amount of oak and sweet fruits on the palate, and that familiar creamy vanilla that you normally encounter in Irish whiskey. Considering the price and the excessive spice, I think I'll be sticking with my Green Spot for my personal collection. I wouldn't mind it as a gift though!

I went and had a tasting down at their distillery. The Bull Moose is definitely a young rye whiskey, and slightly overpowering even with a few drops of water. Strong alcohol on the nose. The palate is rich in sweet citrus. Overall not too shabby, but nothing amazing. If you can get over to LIS, I would recommend trying their XO Brandy. It's s bit more engaging!

Smooth, light, grassy, vanilla, honey, and a touch of oak. Subtle fruits and not much spice or complexity. Pleasant on the nose. A good sipper on it's own. Definitely Irish. I would place this above the Black Bush and below the 16 year. If I were to buy a bottle, I would save the cash for the latter option.

Sweet, lemony, peppery. Spicy finish with moderate linger, yet comparatively lacks punch. A pleasant sipper. Gets an extra star for nostalgic tastings!

Gentle warm vanilla and caramel on the nose. Once I'm finally done enjoying the aroma and eventually drinking it, I am greeted with a ton of oak. With a few more sips I notice some sweet honeyed notes. It isn't very overpowering in terms of frutiness, so this is good for scotch drinkers who don't mind the lack of smokiness. There is a strong spicy kick in the finish that I find to be increasingly pleasant. My current favorite of the Bushmills line. Will continue to enjoy and recommend!

I do believe that THIS is where you ought to start placing your benchmark for the Jameson line. The Black Barrel is a good step up from the NAS, and the 12 year takes it to a comparative level of other Irish Pot Stills in the same range. The palate is strong on dark fruit and spice. A little chocolate and a dash of vanilla appear for a greeting as well. I found the texture to be light yet full all around, and the finish continues the spice ever so gracefully. It may be a major brand, but quality is quality in my book!