John Jameson; the legend.

It's no secret that I enjoy a good glass of Irish & Scotch Whiskey, infact the non-Italian part of me is just that, Irish & Scottish or so I'm told! Anyways, I had been drinking Scotch whiskey for a number of years now but wasn't until the past 2 or 3 years where I've grown an appreciation for Irish whiskey (particulaly Jameson) thanks to my best friend Rob Rimes (theswash.com). Jameson is smooth, rich & flavorful, that plus the amount I drink it's very affordable makes my whiskey of choice when you consider all factors. Besides, Jameson is my middle name (thanks to Rob), more on that later.

Now, some history on the man (info from http://www.jamesonwhiskey.com/)

On a bright Tuesday morning on October 5th 1740, John Jameson was born and the first chapter in a whiskey legend began. Now, it’s a fact that most people believe John Jameson was an Irishman, through and through. You and I, of course, know they are wrong. He was born in Scotland.

Ah, but it’s an easy mistake to make and the Irish were quick to adopt him as one of their own. As the saying goes, he became more Irish than the Irish themselves.

‘Sine Metu’ meaning ‘Without Fear’ is the Jameson family motto, awarded for their bravery in battling pirates on the high seas back in the 1500s. This motto was the inspiration for John's move to Dublin to make his mark (and his whiskey).

Going to 1770’s Dublin to start a whiskey distillery was actually a bit like going to 1940’s LA to start a film studio. Ireland is reputed to be where whiskey was invented and whiskey from Dublin was regarded as the finest in the world. Then along came John Jameson, a complete outsider, who took the great Irish tradition and really put his own stamp on it.

All this he did, Sine Metu.

As John Jameson established his whiskey distillery in Dublin, he really began to make his mark. For a start he insisted on the finest ingredients (a tradition that naturally continues to the present day). He personally selected the barley and casks and wasn’t afraid to pay top dollar for the very best. Whilst this endeared him to his suppliers, it didn’t make him that popular amongst other less fastidious producers.

In the late 18th century, most whiskeys were distilled twice, like it is in Scotland. No harm in that, if you’re happy with a double distilled whiskey. John Jameson wasn’t. He went that extra step and insisted on triple distillation, as he found that it made his whiskey twice as smooth.

So why not four times or even five? Wouldn’t the whiskey get smoother still? Don’t think John didn’t try it. He’d try anything in the quest for perfection. But it turned out triple distillation couldn’t be improved on.

John Jameson was pretty single-minded about quality, so it’s no surprise that he actually set up a Single Distillery to make his whiskey. This simply means that everything from the selection of grain and cask, to triple distillation and maturation, takes places in the one Distillery to ensure total quality control.

John Jameson was renowned for his dedication to his triple distilled, smooth Irish whiskey but like his ancestors before him, he was also a very accomplished sea-farer.

Legend has it that John Jameson faced many an adventure on the high seas, however there was one particular voyage that truly tested his mettle and his unwavering dedication to his whiskey.

No-one really knows what truly happened on this epic voyage but one thing’s for certain, when it came to John Jameson and his whiskey, it was always taste above all else.

Now that you know about the history of John Jameson & his passion to create on of the finest whiskey's on the market I definitely agree with the motto. "Triple distilled, twice as smooth, one great taste".

Pairings:

When enjoying a glass of whiskey, I always pair it with a cigar that compliments its flavor profile. I tend to go with a medium to full bodied cigar, nothing to powerful that would overcome the flavor of the whiskey. I suggest & recommend something with either a habano wrapper (Rocky Patel 1961, 15th Anniversary or a 601 Red or Green label) or a Sumatra wrapper (Rocky Patel Decade or a Cubao). I find that both wrappers offer a good amount of spice with just the right amount of sweetness to compliment the whiskey. Of course, you can smoke what you like, these are just my suggestions.

You see cigars & whiskey have a lot in common, both are hand crafted & take a considerable amount of time & passion to create. There is a lot of history & pride in both crafts. If you ask any distiller I'm sure they will tell you why their whiskey is the best as if you asked any cigar manufacturer or master blender they will tell you their cigars are the best & their reason(s) why. Not to say they are 100% right or wrong, but goes to show you how passionate these artisians truely are which makes their product unique & special.

Well, I've said enough but if you do partake in enjoying Jameson please remember to act responsibly & if you are under the age of 21 forget about it!

Thank you & I hope you have enjoyed the article. Thanks to (http://www.jamesonwhiskey.com/) for the info, if you are over the age of 21 please check out their website.

Slainte!