JOHN JAMESON & SON 3 STAR CIRCA 1940S / WALTERS LTD 70CL

John Jameson and Son 3 Star circa 1940s / Walters Ltd

The Jameson brand is named for its founder, John Jameson, a Scot who was married into the famous Haig distilling dynasty. Jameson was one of the original Dublin whiskies, and is synonymous with its spiritual ex-home, the Bow Street distillery in Ireland's capital. The Irish Wars of Independence, subsequent trade war with Britain, and US Prohibition, all hit the whiskey industry there hard in the mid-20th century. The solution was the creation of the Irish Distillers group, a merger between Jameson, Powers and Cork Distillers in 1966. Now a Pernod Ricard subsidiary, Irish Distillers continue to produce Jameson at the New Midleton distillery in Cork, built in 1975. Today it is best-selling Irish whiskey in the world.

John Jameson & Son began exporting Three Star as far back as the 19th century. It was made in quintessentially Irish fashion, in copper pots from a mash of malted and unmalted cereals. Pre-Irish Distillers Jameson however, only sold their whiskey by the cask. Those who procured these casks were then welcome to bottle them using the official John Jameson & Son branding, as is the case with this bottle.

This was sold by Walters Ltd, a historic pub in Dublin. The business was run by the Walters family from from the turn of the century when Jack Walters took over what was then Lloyds bar by marrying into that family. It remained part of the Walters family until around 1950 but incredibly, a pub of the same name still exists at its address of 38 Upper Georges Street today.