Jameson has its Cold Brew Whiskey and Caskmates expressions, but you don't see the distillery playing around with fruit like other whiskey companies. The company has just announced a surprising release if you don't think of them as a brand that would roll out something like apple-flavored whiskey or cinnamon whiskey.

On January 12, Jameson launched Jameson Orange in the US. Jameson ran the expression out in the UK early last year, but it'll just be hitting US shelves for the first time. Its Jameson Irish Whiskey combined with "natural orange flavor," the company says. The new release has a strong citrus smell, and while the orange flavor is pronounced, it's not cloying, like some flavored whiskies can be. It also sounds like a nice start to an old fashioned.

"The concept behind Jameson Orange was to create a product that would appeal to a growing audience of flavored spirits fans and curious whiskey drinkers, drawing on the quality and integrity of our award-winning triple-distilled Irish whiskey," Sona Bajaria, Vice President of Marketing, said. "Citrus flavor profiles, particularly orange, have high appeal amongst spirits drinkers, making it a perfect profile to complement the smoothness of Jameson."

Jameson Orange is meant to be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or in a range of mixed drinks. It pairs with simple serves like lemon-lime soda (Sprite) or cranberry juice, the company says.

“Taste is at the heart of every sip of Jameson produced,” says Kevin O’Gorman, master distiller at Irish Distillers. “Triple-distilled whiskey like ours involves a carefully crafted process, perfected since 1780. Jameson Orange builds on that craft and we are incredibly proud to share this exceptionally well-balanced Irish whiskey with both existing and new whiskey fans.”

While cold brew was Jameson’s first flavored launch (have you had an Irish Coffee?), “citrus flavor profiles, particularly orange, have high appeal amongst spirits drinkers with orange being the #2 most often appearing flavor on cocktail menus,” explains Bajaria. “This expansion was a no-brainer and allowed us to put our own unique twist on a high demand flavor and we think we’ve landed the perfect taste to complement the existing portfolio while remaining true to the brand’s commitment to craft, taste and flavor.”

Jameson Orange is distributed in Georgia, by Georgia Crown Distributing Co.