- Jameson The Cooper’s Croze
- Distiller: Midleton
- Blended: Grain Whiskey & Single Malt
- Region: Ireland
- Cask: New Charred Oak, ex-Sherry & ex-Bourbon
- ABV: 43%
- Non Chill Filtered
Celebrating the passion of our craftsmen, The Whiskey Makers Series presents The Cooper’s Croze. “I wanted to craft a whiskey that shows the versatility of wood and the flavours it creates, from sweet vanilla to rich fruits and toasted wood. The Croze is a tool I use to curt grooves into which the heads of the cask are fitted.” Ger
______________________________________________________________________________________
The Cooper’s Croze is one of three distinct expressions from The Whiskey Makers Series by Jameson. It highlights one of the components of the whisky-making process. It debuted in a US release in 2016 and was developed by the company’s 5th generation Head Cooper, Ger Buckley. Ger named the release after his favorite tool, the “croze.” It’s comprised of both single malts and single grains and where those are Scotch or Irish they must be aged for at least three years in oak barrels to qualify for use.
Ger used seasoned bourbon, virgin American oak, Iberian sherry casks to create the complex palette found in The Cooper’s Croze, which comes without a stated age. To the eye, the label is reminiscent of the traditional Jameson, with an added thumbprint to imbue the sense of being personally handcrafted by a particular person. It’s a nice touch. The liquid itself is a honey color. When first opening the bottle, I am practically assaulted by fruity smells, spice, and alcohol. After the first inhale I can also pick up a coppery smell and some citrus.
My first glass is actually a shot and I am overwhelmed again by sharp fruits, spice and alcohol with a bit of vanilla in the taste. My second glass is nursed slowly and the richness of the drink becomes apparent. I can taste the fruit but now also vanilla and something like graham crackers. I am now also finding the citrus promised in the nose. There’s a long finish that retains a heavy, almost candied fruit taste but is complemented by a rich sweetness that balances out the final lingering taste of spiciness.
Overall, it’s a very fruity character, well balanced with a sharp, full bodied feel. The use of the barrels for flavoring prove Ger’s point well by giving it a layered, almost elegant profile. It has a sort of decadent delivery with more of a buttery feel than an oily one. It came on strong but quickly mellowed and grew on me as I went through the bottle.
And I did go through the whole bottle while reading Kill the Farm Boy because that was the only way I getting to the end of that book. It did not pair well with the Papa’s Fritas. The cigar became more coffee and spice that did not happily accent the fruit and vanilla of the drink while the cigar made the whiskey taste sharper and less mellow. The cigar was an individual delight, which you can read about here. The Cooper’s Croze is likewise a singular delight capable of standing on its own for taste and enjoyment. I would recommend it to those reading something with quirky and beloved characters and perhaps I would try it with a woody Davidoff to better complement the vanilla and fruit of the Cooper’s Croze.
One comment