Jameson Irish Whiskey is one of the most popular whiskeys in the world and it’s easy to see why. Not only is the triple-distilled blended juice from Ireland one of the easiest-drinking whiskeys out there, it’s available damn near everywhere for a pretty good price. But Jameson isn’t a monolith. It’s part of Irish Distillers (owned by Pernod Ricard) and distilled at Midleton Distillery down in County Cork, Ireland, along with a whole bunch of other whiskeys.
That means Jameson has an “Irish Whiskey Family” (their terminology, not ours) of other brands echoing the beauty of Jameson. Just like with Jim Beam or Buffalo Trace, Jameson is just one shingle among several, all coming off the same stills and out of the same warehouses.
Today, we’re going to rank the six other brands in the Jameson Irish Whiskey Family from Midleton. I’m also going into my tasting notes to call out the one bottle you should try this St. Patrick’s Day from each brand. It’s worth noting that I did lean away from ridiculously rare expressions from the brands (I’m not trying to get you to spend more than a few hundred bucks a pop)… with one notable exception at the end.
Ready? Let’s dive in!
6. Method & Madness — Method & Madness Single Grain
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $70
The Whiskey:
This is Midleton’s craft whiskey venture — they built a stand-alone craft distillery in the middle of the campus for this whiskey. The single grain spirit is matured in unused Spanish oak and old bourbon casks. That’s then small-batched and proofed with that soft County Cork water and bottled in a throwback art-deco bottle.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with dry pencil shavings leading towards dry pine boxes, potpourri, and a hint of grapefruit pith. The taste is driven by cinnamon bark and clove berries, with a pink eraser vibe next to soft vanilla beans. That vanilla moves the mid-palate towards a finish full of ripe figs, light spice, and sweet potting soil.
Bottom Line:
This is the oddest whiskey on this list. I dig it because of that but I can 100 percent see this not being a lot of whiskey drinkers’ jam. These huge swings they take and what make Method & Madness so cool as a brand. That alone is worth checking out, at the very least for something new and different from the norm.
The Ranking:
The biggest outlier on the list is a good place to start. This brand is new and can still be really hit and miss, especially if you’re looking for a classic Irish whiskey experience. That said, if we were strictly looking at unique and innovative whiskeys, this would be the furthest from last. But that’s not why we’re here today.
5. Jameson — Jameson Black Barrel
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $41
The Whiskey:
This is Jameson’s take on double barreling. The whiskey is first matured in old bourbon barrels. That juice is then transferred to another bourbon barrel that’s been doubly charred with a deep alligator skin char. Those barrels are batched and proofed all the way down to 80 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Vanilla-laced toffee candies open the nose with dark chocolate, old leather, and raw sage. The palate is plummy, with plenty of holiday spice, almonds, cedar, and a thin layer of florals. The end is creamy vanilla pudding speckled with almonds and drizzled with caramel sauce with a soft landing.
Bottom Line:
This is a solid cocktail whiskey. The ABVs may be low but the flavor notes really stand up to mixing. It’s also a nice step up from the average Jameson we all know.
The Ranking:
While Jameson might be the most popular brand by name recognition, this is very entry-level whiskey. You’re really looking at a mixing whiskey at the end of the day, even with a heightened expression like this one.
4. Powers — Powers John’s Lane
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $72
The Whiskey:
This is a classic Irish whiskey. The juice is aged in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks for at least 12 years. Those barrels are then married based on their distinct flavor profiles to create this special whiskey.
Tasting Notes:
Raw leather, soft vanilla, mild spice, and light milk chocolate greet you on the nose. The palate has a malty vanilla cake foundation with malty spice and fruity candy sweetness. Chocolate pudding arrives on the mid-palate and drives the back end of the taste towards wet grains, nutty fruit cake, and a hint of wintry spice.
Bottom Line:
This is where we start to get into sipping territory. This is really easy-drinking, either on the rocks or in a simple highball with some fizzy water.
The Ranking:
Powers is where Midleton starts to hit “high-end” pours. This stuff has a level of refinement that puts it just above your average Jameson but not quite as bespoke as the next few entries. In short, Powers is a solid bridge between the mixers and the “good” stuff.
3. Spot — Red Spot
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $154
The Whiskey:
This is a high-water mark of Irish whiskey distilling and blending. The whiskey is aged for 15 years in a combination of ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and ex-Marsala casks. The spirit is then married and proofed down to a very approachable 92 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Apple pie and Amarena cherries with a bit of stem drive the nose with old leather and nutty Christmas cake. Those nuts and holiday vibes carry on through the taste as layers of apple peels, cherry bark, black pepper, and soft cedar planks settle into the finish. That finish fades slowly and gently through the dark spices, hints of dark cacao, cherry tobacco, and nuts.
Bottom Line:
This and Redbreast could have been tied for second place. This works so well as an easy sipper. Add a rock or drop of water to let it bloom in the glass. Alternatively, this makes a killer Manhattan thanks to all those holiday vibes.
The Ranking:
This is the high-end. The Spot line of Irish whiskeys are super refined and meant to wow, and this delivers. All of that aside, these are a little harder to find and don’t quite hit the highs of the next entry on the list although being strikingly similar.
2. Redbreast — Redbreast 15
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $110
The Whiskey:
This expression utilizes classic Redbreast — triple distilling, ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks — that’s aged for 15 years before blending, proofing, and bottling. The result is one of the most accessible and delicious whiskeys around.
Tasting Notes:
Bright red berries mingle with hints of soft yet spicy woods and a hint of citrus oils on the nose. The palate calms down as the fruit becomes fairly chewy-yet-sweet (think dates and prunes) with a hint of nuttiness next to a cedar box full of spiced vanilla toffees. The whole sip combines on the end with the fruit, wood, spice, and sweetness bringing about a sip of pure velvet that lasts just the right amount of time, leaving you needing more.
Bottom Line:
I guess the only reason this edges out Red Spot is that it’s a little easier to find a tad cheaper. But I’m really grasping at straws, trying to differentiate two outstanding whiskeys. On a rock, neat, or in an old fashioned, this is never a bad choice.
The Ranking:
Redbreast is the most nuanced bottle of Irish whiskey in the Jameson Irish Whiskey Family that also happens to be very accessible — and that counts for something in an ever-narrowing whiskey market for high-end product. Overall, Redbreast, in general, is the mountaintop of Midleton when it comes to deeply hewn whiskeys that are also crowd-pleasers.
1. Midelton Vere Rare — Midleton Very Rare Vintage Release 2021
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $400
The Whiskey:
The 38th Very Rare release from Midleton is a marriage of single pot still and grain whiskeys that spent 15 to 36 years aging in ex-bourbon barrels. The barrels were specifically chosen for their very light char. Those whiskeys were masterfully vatted and then proofed down with that iconic Cork County springwater to a very accessible 80 proof.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a clear sense of Irish grain whiskey with a deep vanilla bourbon that leads towards apple candy (think fancy Jolly Ranchers) alongside a touch of lemon pepper on the nose. The palate opens with a light grain vibe with a slightly floral note that leads towards pears stewed with saffron, very mild cinnamon, and grape-forward brandy. The fruitiness kicks up a notch as you sip again, surfacing as a sweet/tart/savory kiwi — the green flesh and white center, not the sandpaper skin. The end is soft, fruity, and slightly warming with soft vanilla tobacco that doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Bottom Line:
This is so beautifully fruity and malty while feeling truly soft and comforting. It’s a stellar pour of whiskey that’s rare, sure, but worth the price of admission for touching the mountaintop of Irish whiskey overall.
The Ranking:
While Redbreast is a crowd-pleaser with a lot of classic refinement, Midleton Very Rare is the bottle everyone in the whiskey game lusts after. These yearly releases are coveted for their rarity but also their beauty in the bottle — this is truly stellar juice. That combination is why Midleton Very Rare wins out.
