Enjoyed: Tuesday, April 4, 2023

Listed on the menu: Yes, there were four Old Fashioneds on the bar menu, so I selected the “Choc Orange” and Husband opted for the “Our Way”.

Ingredients: The “Choc Orange” was made with Jameson Original Whiskey, Dark Chocolate Liqueur, House Marmalade Syrup, and Chocolate Shavings. The “Our Way” was made with Jameson Crested Whiskey, Pedro Ximenez Sherry, House Made Chocolate Nib Honey Syrup, Aromatic and Orange Bitters, and an Orange Twist.

The occasion: We spent the late morning at the Guinness Storehouse, the most visited tourist attraction in Ireland. We split three pints of beer while there, but were hopeful that the “beer then whiskey, mighty risky” adage wouldn’t come true. We decided to speed up our metabolisms by walking to the Bow Street Distillery, which was almost a mile-long walk. I had booked the “Secret Whiskey Tasting” experience, which meant three shots of premium blends while sitting in John Jameson’s “office” space. Our Scottish (!!) brand ambassador was bubbly and informative, and the room was truly charming. She led the group to a small “rickhouse” area, filled with luscious “angel’s share” smells, and then she poured us all one more shot of exclusive whiskey. Afterwards, we lingered at the bar in the lobby, and decided to sample these two Old Fashioneds so that we would have no regrets about missing an opportunity.

My rating: **** out of 5. We enjoyed sipping our drinks while surrounded by Jameson memorabilia (and chandeliers made of the iconic green bottles) and would likely order these tasty cocktails again. Husband liked the more fruity tones of his drink, and I definitely appreciated mine, which reminded me of a piece of chocolate-coated candied orange rind from Fannie Mae. However, I took a star away from the rating because the nibble-sized dark chocolate shavings in my glass distracted me from the flavor of the whiskey.

Final thoughts: Jameson is much more than the Original in the green bottle, we now know. And we have become fans of Irish Whiskey, for sure.