Bushmills Black Bush

Mar 14

So, this whiskey comes with a story…I was exiting a job from which the exit was, well, a little messy. I met the boss’ boss at a bar nearby to clear the air and answer some questions. At the time, I was just getting into whiskey, and still didn’t recognize most of the bottles behind the bar. What I did know, though, was that I was having this whiskey neat…and probably not just one.

I had heard of Bushmills but couldn’t tell you if I had tried any of their products before. All I knew was the bottle looked like what I thought a whiskey should look like (and yes, there’s an “e” in whiskey - we’re talking Irish here). Keep that in mind next time you look at a bottle: sometimes, a classic look works.

Lots of new whiskies come out in flashy bottles, or opaque ones, or flashy opaque ones, and the only thing I can think of is “why?” Just like you eat with your eyes first, you drink with your eyes first, too. A suspiciously light-hued old fashioned comes your way? You know it’s a little thin. A 20+-year-old whiskey that looks like water? Not much cask influence. The eye matters. And this bottle, especially to a newbie like me, looked attractive, classy, and like something that wouldn’t get me any raised eyebrows when meeting a higher-up for a tough conversation.

I enjoy Irish Whiskey quite a bit, but don’t get to drink it very often. When I do, I usually do go to Bushmills. Their style is totally different than, let’s say, Jameson (which I enjoy, too, in different circumstances), while still being identifiably “Irish”. It’s heavier, with more malt body and more pot still influence, both of which are accentuated by the Oloroso cask finishing in Black Bush.

Oh, and by the way - Bushmills is the oldest officially licensed distillery in the world (1608) and is in Northern Ireland - perhaps this accounts for how it kept its own style when Jameson, Midleton, and others consolidated and became more similar. It does follow the Irish style of triple-distilling, which usually means a lighter-style whiskey. Somehow, Bushmills maintains a significantly fuller mouthfeel than most Irish whiskies - and boy do I love a full mouthfeel.

Bushmills Black Bush Whiskey: Specs

Classification: Triple Distilled Irish Pot Still Whiskey

Origin: Bushmills Distillery

Mashbill: 80% Malted Barley, 20% Grain Whiskey

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Age: NAS, ~8 Years Old

Location: Northern Ireland

Bushmills Black Bush Price: $30

Official Website

Bushmills Black bush Review: Tasting Notes

Eye: Sherried honey, thick, long legs.

Nose: Sherry bomb - sweet spice and dried fruits overlaid on sweet malty notes.

Palate: Again - sherry bomb, stone fruits both fresh and dried. Light on the chocolate for an Oloroso aging, but I don’t miss it to be honest. Mouthfeel is immediately full on the entire palate, carrying the sherry throughout. Malty and lingering.

Finish: Shorter than expected, but leaves lingering oak spice after a brief stone fruit flash.

Overall: A really good sipper, easy and fruity while being full-bodied. I can imagine sipping this in Ireland, or on a spring day that’s just starting to warm up.

Final Rating: 7.2

10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)

9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)

8 | Excellent | Exceptional (12+YO MGP Bourbon, Highland Park Single Barrels)

7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)

6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)

5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)

4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)

3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)

2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)

1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)