Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/628173
62 / the tasting panel / january-february 2016 Jameson Select Reserve Black Barrel (SRP $34.99/ 750ml) 80 proof Disarmingly tropical and grainy on the nose, though still lush and inviting. Creamy vanilla, caramel and toasted- wood flavors are the foundation for complex spices throughout the mid-palate. Full-bodied and well proportioned but always leaning to the dark side throughout the finish; Jameson Black Barrel demon- strates great potential for more robust additions to the brand. Jameson Caskmates: Stout Edition (SRP $29.99/750ml) 80 proof Invitingly dark, with a sharp nose of grain, fresh citrus and toffee. Intense and deep on the palate, with rich flavors of toffee and chocolate and mid- range fruit and pepper notes. The finish, while brief, is of slightly dry spice, citrus and hops. The Jameson Caskmates Conversation Innovation is important for Irish whiskey, but that can mean dif- ferent things to different producers. Caulfield says Jameson "avoids innovating for innovation's sake," and points to its new Jameson Caskmates as an example of the brand's more natural evolution. "In typical Irish fashion," as he puts it, "Jameson Caskmates was born out of a conversation at a pub between Jameson's Master of Whiskey Science, Dave Quinn, and the Head Brewer for Franciscan Well Brewery, Shane Long." Following that meet- ing, Jameson shipped a dozen used barrels to the brewery, which conditioned a stout inside them to great local acclaim. The beer- seasoned barrels returned to the distillery and were used to finish its flagship formula. "It's Jameson throughout," Caulfield explains, "but there are big notes of coffee, cocoa and hint of hops." Having debuted this past September, Jameson Caskmates: Stout Edition is often served neat or on the rocks, although at Pier A, Malone also uses its chocolaty flavor as a twist on the pub's signature Irish Coffee. "Any drink that has a cream or a chocolate aspect works really well with Jameson Caskmates," he says. Jameson Caskmates' success created a new avenue of exploration for Jameson. The continued demand for Franciscan Well's Jameson-tinged stout allows for the opportunity to keep producing the collaborative whiskey for this country, and keep thinking of future releases. Looking Back and Moving Forward Americans used to rarely look past the big boys of whiskey, but now they're open to trying small-batch products, and Jameson, Caulfield believes, is ideally positioned for this modern develop- ment—definitely remaining the big boy of Irish whiskey while also showcasing new, more nuanced riffs of the beloved original. "These two products have great stories," says Caulfield of Jameson Black Barrel's specific formulation and Jameson Caskmates' unexpected provenance. But for him and the rest of Team Jameson, the brand's success continues to rest in a very meaningful way on the shoulders of men and women behind the bar. "Collaboration is probably going to be a big part of our future—and that means bartenders as well as producers," he says. "We've been around a long time and we're still driving the category. And we're doing it the right way." Anthony Malone, Director of Operations at Pier A Harbor House in Manhattan, notes: "It's very easy for us to offer [Black Barrel] as a trade-up so consum- ers can experience different Irish whiskey profiles." COVER STORY