Review #243 - 245: Tasting Discontinued Midleton Whiskies: Jameson 12yr, Powers 12yr, and Jameson Gold Reserve

We dropped into the Dapper Duck in Gurteen, Ireland for a pint and a drop during a vacation a couple of weeks ago. After initially seeing the usual suspects for whiskey, I just had a regular Jameson and a Guinness. After going back up for another pour, I noticed a bottle of Jameson 12yr that I hadn’t seen in quite some time. Then after zooming in on the other bottles nearby, I noticed a Jameson Gold Reserve and a Powers Gold Label 12yr Special Reserve. I asked the lovely bartender, Sarah, for a pour of the Jameson 12yr. The last time I had a pour of this I was in college. After she rang it up for only €6.30, I knew I was going to be enjoying the other 2 bottles as well along with anything else they had that might be hard to find or I hadn’t seen before.

Each pour was reviewed neat in a rocks glass. Tasting notes were made while sitting in the pub, so are a bit more abbreviated than when I have time to settle in and analyze the sip further.

Review #243: Jameson 12yr Special Reserve

THE WHISKEY: Irish blended whiskey matured in sherry barrels

PROOF: 80

AGE: 12yr

COST: ~$400-$500 today for 700mL bottle (I paid €6.30 for a 35mL pour at a pub in Ireland)

I last had this when I was in college. It was a bottle I treated myself to the week before starting my master’s degree. I remember being a broke ass college student but about to start getting paid $2000 a month to earn my master’s (#ballerstatus), so I figured I would treat myself to a nice bottle. I paid around $35 for this bottle back then and thought I was a king! It was a delicious sip! Fast forward 15 years and this bottle has been discontinued for almost a decade. Its price has skyrocketed to $400+ online. Getting lucky and finding this for just over €6 for a pour, I was able to be a little nostalgic while sipping this.

This whiskey was discontinued in 2016. Regular Jameson has no age statement, but is typically aged for 7-8 years. Let’s see what the extra 4-5 years does for it.

NOSE: Caramel, butterscotch, dash of cinnamon powder, light vanilla cream.

PALATE: Caramelized sugar, toasted vanilla, sweet grain, a touch of cherry, and light cinnamon spice.

FINISH: Long finish with notes of soft caramel chews, toasted vanilla, and a touch of spicy oak.

RATING: 6.9/10

OVERALL: In the end, it’s a slightly elevated Jameson. It has a bit more flavor, more mouthfeel, and more character than regular Jameson. I particularly get more red fruit notes on the palate. It’s an enjoyable pour, 110% worth a €6.30 pour, but in no way ever worth $400+ for a bottle.

Review #244: Powers Gold Label 12yr Special Reserve

THE WHISKEY: Irish blended whiskey matured in bourbon and sherry barrels.

PROOF: 80

AGE: 12yr

COST: ~$80-$140 today for 700mL bottle (I paid €6.30 for a 35mL pour at a pub in Ireland)

This whiskey was discontinued in 2013. A blend of single malt and single grain whiskeys primarily matured in ex-bourbon barrels, but also some maturation in Sherry butts. This whiskey was discontinued as the Powers John’s Lane expression was released in 2011. John’s Lane featured 100% single pot still whiskey with a 12 year age statement and 92 proof. It simply offers a lot more than Powers 12yr Special Reserve could. Seeing as I never got to experience Powers 12yr Special Reserve though, I consider myself very lucky to try it 13 years after it was discontinued for only €6.30 for a 35mL pour.

NOSE: Caramel, caramelized oak.

PALATE: Velvety mouthfeel, with notes of musty damp grain, simple syrup, vanillin rich oak, light chocolate, and subtle red fruit.

FINISH: Short finish with subtle notes of stone fruit, caramel, vanilla crème, and a hint of chocolate.

RATING: 6.8/10

OVERALL: After following the Jameson 12yr, this had more character. The higher pot still content (supposedly 80% of it is pot still distillate) gave it more body and character. However, it didn’t have as much of the Sherry character (which I’m a sucker for) since it was primarily matured in bourbon barrels. In the end, it’s a very close rating to the Jameson 12yr for a fraction of the price. I was able to find bottles ready to ship for right around $100.

Review #245: Jameson Gold Reserve

THE WHISKEY: Irish blended whiskey matured in bourbon barrels, sherry butts, and virgin oak barrels.

PROOF: 80

AGE: NAS

COST: ~$400-$500 today for 700mL bottle (I paid €6.00 for a 35mL pour at a pub in Ireland)

This whiskey was discontinued in 2017. This blend of grain and malt whiskey was matured in ex-bourbon barrels, Olorosso Sherry butts, and virgin oak barrels. Jameson XO launched in Asian markets in 1996. It became quite popular and became a part of the Jameson reserve line in 2008.

NOSE: Vanilla, butterscotch, touch of red fruit.

PALATE: A buttery mouthfeel with rich cherry notes, vanilla, and sweet oak.

FINISH: Tannic oak, caramel, light chocolate.

RATING: 7.5/10

OVERALL: I never got a chance to try Jameson Gold Reserve before it was discontinued. After trying it alongside these other discontinued labels, it is clearly superior to the Jameson 12yr and Powers 12yr pours. While being the same proof, the tasting notes were more robust while still maintaining that classic Jameson smoothness. The buttery mouthfeel made me feel like this was a much higher pot still content than regular Jameson. Similar to the Jameson 12yr, it goes for $400+ today for a bottle. At that price it is not worth it, but €6 for a pour, drink to your hearts content!

Wrapping It Up

While these pours were really fun to experience since they were all about a decade or more discontinued, they are not necessarily superior to today’s whiskey. Based on my research, all 3 of these pours contain a higher pot still content than today’s Jameson or Powers releases. However, I believe Redbreast 12yr and Powers John’s Lane (both 100% pot still distillate) are significantly better whiskey than all 3 of these discontinued bottles. The world is in love with nostalgia though. And to top it off, it’s a “universal truth” that the things of yesteryear are better than today. But I think in this case that is a fallacy. If you’re feeling a sense of FOMO or nostalgia, don’t. We live in a great time with great whiskey being producted. Go get a bottle of Redbreast 12yr or Powers John’s Lane and don’t think twice about it.

 

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I’d rather have

5 | Good | Good, just fine

6 | Very Good | A cut above

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

 

Check out all my reviews: Woodgrain & Whiskey.