I am used to spending $20 a bottle for Irish whiskey, which has long been my favorite winter nightcap. Bushmills, Jameson’s and Tullamore Dew are three I buy regularly. I never liked the more expensive Bushmills Black, which is aged in sherry barrels; it tastes too sweet to me. I had never even seen the premium Jameson 12-year-old Special Reserve or 18-year-old Limited Reserve.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, I received a tiny perfume bottle of the new super premium Jameson in the mail.

Jameson’s Rarest Vintage Reserve is evidently a blend of the oldest and rarest whiskeys the distillery has on hand. The flavor is more intense than regular Jameson’s – mainly because it’s bottled at a higher proof – 46 percent alcohol compared to the usual 40 percent. In fact, I had to add a couple of drops of water to a snifter of the stuff before I could a good whiff of the stuff.

The verdict? I can detect some complex spice aromas and flavors that I don’t get from regular Jameson’s if I really concentrate on it.

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But who wants to concentrate on St. Patrick’s Day? – Robb Walsh

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