Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition

Right on the nose, it's Intense, looking for a fight. Irish, through and through. Agave nectar, rich coconut, vanilla bean. Surprisingly mellow palate, disorienting. Cantaloupe, cereal and a touch of oak. Then the finish, there's the punch! Rush of spice, moderate burn and satisfying malt. Would not have guessed Stout had anything to do with this unusual creature! Dry glass: beeswax and soda bread.

Imagine Jameson. Now imagine Jameson with a milk stout bitterness and chocolatey espresso finish. Finally, imagine weather you enjoy this as a standalone product, or as an expansion pack to the original. For me, I wish the proof was higher on this, giving the punch that I would experience with my favorite stout beers.

If you like the Jameson's flavour profile, you'll enjoy this whiskey. Price-wise, it's positioned between the entry level and the Black Barrel ("Select Reserve"?), and that's probably where it deserves to be: rounder, softer, and more interesting than the standard Jame-o, but not quite as intense, rich, and pot-still heavy as the Black Barrel. Nevertheless, a surprisingly worthwhile whiskey: lots of apple, tropical fruit (papaya, mango), that pot still funk, big floral, and honey. A nice creaminess, with some faint malt, chocolate, and coffee character. A touch of vanilla. Like every Jameson bottling, it's crying out for more proof, but it's still a pretty pleasant, enjoyable experience.