Jameson Remastered 15 Year Old Single Pot Still Whiskey Review

By Emma Briones

Rating: B+

There’s a special magic when it comes to listening to music on vinyl instead of a CD. A different sound, and active listening. In whiskey, we also find different types of spirit: the easier blends and the more complex expressions. But there’s something that works for both whiskey and music: old classics never die. That’s what made Kevin O’Gorman bring back a Jameson classic: the 15 Year Old Single Pot Still.

We all know the Jameson blend that is celebrated worldwide, but up until not so long ago, “Jameson’s Single Pot Still was already a very successful whisky in countries all around the world (India, Argentina, South Africa)” explains Carol Quinn – Archivist at Irish Distillers. Kevin O’Gorman, the current Master Distiller, has seen whiskies come and go after almost 25 years of working in the distillery. “When the opportunity came, I was very keen to push it”, explains O’Gorman.

The Master Distiller, with Deirdre O’Carrol -blender at Midleton-, have worked together in the first launch of the new Jameson Anthology, a curated collection of limited-edition Irish Whiskeys. The new collection launches with two different points of view: Jameson Remastered, the first volume, brings the classic spirit to the present. Jameson Remixed, the second volume, focuses on experimentation and innovation.

Jameson Remastered 15 yo is the first volume, a reinvention of the classic Jameson 15yo Single Pot Still. The old Jameson 15 yo was last produced in the 2000s as a limited edition offering. The new Jameson Remastered though is not intended to be a copycat of those earlier editions, but an homage to them. This Single Pot Still is composed of 3 different whiskey styles, spanning 15 to 17 years of maturation in American bourbon barrels and Oloroso Sherry Casks. 50% of the final blend is a heavy-styled Pot Still whiskey from 2004 aged in Oloroso butts and hogsheads from Tonelería Paez.

The Whiskey
The new Jameson Remastered 15 Year Old bottle is 500ml and takes a modern twist on a vintage style. On the glass, the whisky is dark golden.

The base notes of the sherry come fast on the nose, with a high presence of dried fruits. Some hazelnuts blend with the fruitier whiskeys of the blend. There are dark berries and ripe orchard fruits (apples and figs). There’s a bit of an earthier side to the mix, with oak notes and a touch of dried herbs. Some clove and ginger.

The palate is creamier than expected, and a bit oily. There are intense notes of caramelized pineapple, but also clementines and orange peel. There are also some sweet notes of fudge, figs, and dates. And the Pot Still spice makes an appearance with ginger and a bit of mentholated licorice. The finish is lengthy and fruity.

Some whiskies just have this capacity to evolve in the palate and get to you with your guard down. Jameson Remastered is one of those. One to remember, one to hold on to your glass. Might have even been better with an even higher component of the heavy pot still distillate, but it is fruity without becoming too sweet and with just the right amount of intensity. The catch: too few bottles. It’s a really limited edition and that makes the price just too much. But would be stupid to not buy it if you get the lucky ballot.

The Price
Bottled at an ABV of 56.4%, Jameson 15 Year Old Single Pot Still comes in a 500ml bottle and will retail at €300 with a limited quantity of 2,220 bottles available through a ballot. The ballot opens at 2pm (IST) on Friday, April 8th. To get a chance to pick a bottle, sign up here: https://www.jamesonwhiskey.com/en/our-whiskey/jameson-15-year-old-single-pot-still/ballot.