Review: Jameson Black Barrel Irish Whiskey (Updated 2026)

Jameson is one of the big darlings of the whiskey world right now — Irish is currently the fastest growing spirits category, and Jameson is at the top of the sales charts. We’ve long loved Jameson’s various incarnations, and now it’s out with a new one.

Jameson Black Barrel is mostly pot still malted and unmalted barley aged for considerably longer than standard Jameson — 12 years vs. 5 to 7, in both Bourbon and sherry casks. Then a touch of grain whiskey that’s been aged in Wild Turkey barrels is added to the mix. Bottling alcohol level remains at 80 proof.

Update 2026: We’re looking at a fresh bottle of Black Barrel, which has dropped the “Select Reserve” part of the name.

Jameson Black Barrel Select Reserve Irish Whiskey (2012) Review

While there’s nothing specifically “black” about Black Barrel, it’s a considerably different experience than standard label Jameson. The nose is rich, Bourbon-like, with vanilla and toasty oak notes. The body is creamy and impressively rich, undercut with some citrus character likely brought on by the sherry cask influence. The finish offers grain notes, like a bowl of thick, raisined oatmeal, with a fleeting touch of smoke at the end. It’s night and day vs. regular Jameson, which is all fresh fruit and grass, with a menthol character to it. Black Barrel, side by side, very quickly overwhelms the regular bottling. As Irish whiskey goes, it’s almost decadent. 80 proof. A- / $38 [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

Jameson Black Barrel Irish Whiskey (2026) Review

Hints of apple meld with vanilla and honey on a nose that remains richer and more immersive than most Irish offerings at this price level, with subtle layers of char evoking the “black” portion of the name, at least to a degree. Quite fruity on the nose, the whiskey features flavors of preserved pears, peanut butter, and clover honey, with rolling granary notes washing over the tongue. The fruit cocktail character you get from rack Jameson perseveres here in 2026, though the body is much more rounded and undulating, sticking to the roof of the mouth on the finish and punctuating the whiskey’s fruits-in-syrup qualities. While certainly forceful and immersive, the overall impression today is a bit scattered in comparison to my impressions from 2012 — though for elevated St. Patrick’s Day shots, it still works just fine. 80 proof. B+ / $31 [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

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