Jameson is a brand of Irish Whiskey produced by Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard. Jameson was founded by John Jameson, a Scottish businessman, who bought the Bow Street Distillery in 1780. At this time, the distillery was making 30,000 gallons of whiskey a year, but by 1805, it was producing 1,000,000 gallons. A hundred years later, his great grandson, John IV, took over the reigns of the company.
With the Irish War of Independence and then Prohibition in the United States, Jameson lost quite a few of its export markets. This led to a few rounds of consolidation, and in 1966, Jameson, Cork Distillers and John Powers combined to form Irish Distillers, who is still the main producer of Irish whiskey. In 1988, Pernod Ricard bought Irish Distillers, thereby gaining rights to the Jameson label.
Jameson's is characterized by a grain bill that is a blend of malted and unmalted Irish barley that is kilned over coal, then triple distilled in pot stills before being aged in used [ingredient=sherry sherry] and [ingredient=bourbon bourbon] barrels.
Today, the Jameson's lineup includes their Irish whiskey, a Signature Reserve that is finished in Oloroso sherry casks that goes to duty-free shops, a 12 year old Reserve, a Gold Reserve, that spends time in new oak, an 18 year old expression, and a vintage dated bottling.
Some popular cocktails containing Jameson
- Otoño Cocktail — Irish whiskey, Pacharan, Coffee liqueur, Bitters
- Irish Albidum — Irish whiskey, Allspice Dram, Maraschino Liqueur, Coffee liqueur, Black pepper tincture, Bitters, Vanilla extract, Nutmeg
- The Shark Lady — Irish whiskey, Coconut rum, Rum, Vanilla liqueur, Peychaud's Bitters, Pimento bitters, Guava juice, Lime juice, Hibiscus syrup
- Holiday Road — Irish whiskey, Herbal liqueur, Bitters, Cinnamon syrup, Lemon juice
- The Beachy Irishman — Irish whiskey, Triple sec, Orange bitters, Egg white, Orgeat, Pineapple juice, Lemon juice
- Jinjer King — Ginger liqueur, Irish whiskey, Tonic water, Ginger shrub, Egg white
- Dublin in October — Irish whiskey, Ginger liqueur, Campari, Licor 43, Allspice Dram
- Darwin's Hopes — Irish whiskey, Sweet vermouth, Pedro Ximénez Sherry, Triple sec, Bitters
- Quartermaster (Gin Joint) — Trinidad rum, Cardamaro, Irish whiskey, Cynar, Maraschino Liqueur, Campari, Bitters
- Alternative Ulster — Irish whiskey, Dry vermouth, Amaro Montenegro, Orange bitters