TLDR: For all the ladies out there, if you’re thinking of having a go at trying some whiskies, we recommend Jameson Irish Whiskey. Our views and opinions are informed by Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Amanda Seyfried, amongst others.

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You might have been enthralled by Lady Gaga’s performance in A Star Is Born, where the onscreen chemistry she shared with Bradley Cooper was nothing less than palpable. At some point it kinda felt like you paid tickets to be a third-wheel, like get a room guys.

Bradley may have been the flavor of the month but you wanna know who the real star is of Lady Gaga’s life?

Well look no further than Jameson.

(Image Source: Luxe Digital)

That’s right Jameson whiskey. Whiskey with an "e" mind you.

Irish whiskies have been quietly making a comeback the past couple of years, amping up their offerings in a bid to ride the accelerating whiskey train.

They’ve not just increased the cadence at which they’ve launched new expressions and ranges, they’ve also upscaled their entire branding, from the packaging to even focusing on more contemporary styles of whiskies.

Fun Fact: Irish whiskey surpasses single-malt Scotch in US sales volume.

The truth is this wasn’t always the case. The resurgence in whiskey appreciation was a much needed lifeline for Irish whiskies, which have actually been around for a long time. In fact, Jameson itself has been around since at least 1780 by some accounts.

Yet they’ve somehow found themselves on the brink of irrelevance up until recently, and for a while were considered lesser than Scotch.

Now if you ask the likes of Lady Gaga, she’d call bullsh*t.

Calling Jameson her “long-time boyfriend”, she told newspaper The Independent, “I have made so much of my music with Jameson. I'm not being paid a cent to advertise the whiskey...I should be. The whiskey has made my new songs.”

In fact the album “Born This Way” was fuelled by Jameson whiskey.

And she isn’t the only celebrity who has found love in a bottle of Irish whiskey.

You can count in Rihanna (check out her song “Cheers (Drink to That)”) and Amanda Seyfried, who’ve all gravitated to the lighter-bodied, fruitier, whiskey.

Hence this revitalized interest has given Irish distilleries a chance to rebrand and reshape the perceptions around Irish whiskies and put it squarely on the map as the whiskey of choice.

Yet, it’s no coincidence that many young female celebrities have taken such a liking to Irish whiskies. The triple-distilled (compared to Scotch’s twice-distilled) whiskey is a lot smoother and delicate compared to Scotch and perhaps most distinctively, are rarely peated. That makes them not only smooth and approachable but also highly fragrant.

Irish Distillery Redbreast is well known for its use of the Single Pot Still style. 

You may also notice that Irish whiskies use the term “Single Pot Still” rather than Scotch’s usual “Single Malt” and the key difference is that single malts are made from 100% malted barley, whereas single pot still whiskies are made from both malted and unmalted barley.

The inclusion of unmalted barley provides a malt-ier flavor to the whiskey, which comes across as spicier and more peppery, but also gives more weight to the whiskey with a sweet honey oat-like cereal flavor that is also fruitier.

While not all Irish whiskies are Single Pot Still, many include Single Pot Still-styled whiskies in their blends, Jameson included. Much like Japanese whiskies, Irish whiskies heavily feature blends. This contributes to Irish whiskies' popularity as it is just as versatile drunk neat or in a cocktail.

Jameson is so good it's even retailed on wine.com (Image Source: Wine.com)

This gives the whiskey more depth and complexity. It provides a really good base for the fruitier and more floral flavors that are more pronounced due to the triple distillation process that “cleans” the whiskey of impurities and leaves a much gentler whiskey.

This leads me to the next point. You can’t be belting your heart out or following choreography on the note if you’re nursing a massive hangover (well we can’t do either even on a good day). Irish whiskey’s use of the triple distillation process removes most impurities formed during the fermentation process thereby reducing your likelihood of a hangover.

While not all Irish whiskies are Single Pot Still, triple distilled, or unpeated, these are just some of the highlights that have won over the ladies.

A combination of delicate, fruitier whiskies that still pack a punch but don’t leave you dazed and hungover simply caters well to a more refined palate.

Ultimately, as whiskies continues to broaden its addressable market, it must also evolve with the expanding ranges of palate it looks to cater to. As they say, taste is subjective.

And if history is any guide, the experience of Japanese whiskeymakers have taught us that our preconceived notions of that harsh throat-on-fire bitter whiskey (looking at your Laphroaig) is not going to cut it.

(Image Source: PUNCH)

From the looks of it, a trend towards gentler, fruiter and floral, more refined and complex whiskies that are also more approachable is clear as day. We most recently saw distilleries even design whiskies for mixers.

Which also brings me to our hot tip of the day: if Japanese whiskies are your thing, take a chance on Irish whiskies, and vice versa.

You just might find yourself a new “boyfriend”, and perhaps even a triple Platinum album.

Now as Rihanna mentions in Cheers (Drink to That):

“Cheers to the freakin' weekend

I drink to that, yeah-e-yeah

Oh, let the Jameson sink in” 

@111hotpot