Jameson launches new seaweed-flavoured whiskey bitters

Jameson has launched the newest product in its range of cocktail-enhancing drinks with a bitters inspired by an unusual ingredient — seaweed.

The 46% ABV cocktail ingredient is “a highly concentrated infusion of Jameson Irish whiskey, a variety of herbs – including cinchona, wormwood, ginseng and gentian – and wild dillisk seaweed,” according to the drinks maker, which is based in Midleton, County Cork.

The bitters showcase wild dillisk seaweed, which has been harvested by hand in Long Rock, County Sligo, and dried naturally on the shores of the Wild Atlantic Way by Damian Melvin, a second-generation seaweed harvester.

The cocktail ingredient displays earthy seaweed aromatics on taste, according to Jameson, as well as a “dry and bitter taste of wormwood, ginseng, gentian and cinchona.”

It is the second release in the whiskey-maker’s bitters range in three years, which was first launched with Jameson Wild Sloe Berry Bitters in 2015.

Jameson’s seaweed bitters will be available to buy from Jameson’s Dublin and Midleton distilleries as well as online.

Brendan Buckley, Irish Distillers’ innovation director, said he hoped the new product would appeal to a fast-growing market for Irish whiskeys in the US on-trade.

“It’s no secret that part of Jameson’s success in the US and around the world has been down to strong brand advocacy among the world’s best bartenders,” he said. “We are committed to developing exciting new concepts that ignite the creativity of these industry leaders.

“Since launching our Jameson Bitters project back in 2015, the feedback from the global on-trade has been fantastic so we cannot wait to see how bartenders around the world interpret the flavour of the Irish coastline in their creations using Jameson Wild Seaweed Bitters, the first seaweed bitters in the market.