Jameson Whiskey Casks and the Art of Coopering
Ger Buckley, Jameson Whiskey’s cooper master at work.
Jameson is known for its whiskey and that whiskey is a combination of history, tradition, distilling and casks. That’s right the casks that Jameson is aged in are integral to the process and the taste we all know as Jameson.
Every cask is either built or tested before it’s used for Jameson whiskey.
And these days, far more casks are repaired and reused than crafted from the start.
Jameson’s Distillery in Middleton, near Cork.
Jameson’s Middleton cooperage
The company brings in more than 140,000 wooden casks for storage every year. And the man responsible for checking them, repairing them, charring them and maintaining them is Ger Buckley. He does have an apprentice helping him in the distillery in Middleton, near Cork, but he is a very busy man.
Ger knows the art of coopering from the start to the finish. His father was the coopermaster when he taught Ger how to do all of this. And Ger is now teaching his own son the trade. Ger himself hardly ever even uses measuring tools. He says he eyes the size and taper of the slats, the fit of the metal rings that hold them together and even the signature charr that’s needed.
Ger learned coopering as an art form, but he says it’s also an exact science. He also says not everyone can comprehend or even attempt it these days. So he’s taken on another role with Jameson. He travels the world explaining what goes into it and what a difference every single element makes.
The type of wood, the amount of charr, the time used in aging whiskey and the quality of the casks are all as important as the elements that go into distilling Jameson.
Tasting room at Jameson Whiskey’s distillery in Middleton, near Cork.
While anyone can book a tour at Jameson, And I’d recommend that you do. Meeting Ger is a peek into the traditions and history most people don’t get. Learn all about coopering, whiskey, traditions and Jameson, in this episode of Erin’s Isle. Just click the audio bar at the top of this post.