Description:

One of the most well-known whiskey brands in Ireland, if not all of the spirits, is Bushmills, which also claims to be the oldest whiskey distillery in the entire globe. While some pedants would point out that the company didn't actually start operating until 1784, King James VI/I granted the current landowner a distilling license in 1608, you're still looking at a very old genealogy.

Bushmills, a distillery with its headquarters in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, takes pride in the fact that they only utilize malted barley and triple distill their alcohol. One of Bushmills' main products is the 10-year-old single malt, which is reasonably priced when contrasted to many other whiskies of comparable age.

It's a blend of their whiskies that have at least ten years of bourbon and oloroso sherry aging, as you might expect. This Bushmills product has a "mere" 40% abv since it avoids the stronger bottlings found in many independent businesses.

It comes in the recognizable squared-off bottle with a label that is somewhat darker than the original. The liquid itself has a lovely, bright gold hue. It has a sophisticated nose with hints of banana, creamy vanilla, tangy apple, and subtle sweetness. Pepper and a hint of cinnamon are present, along with a faint fudgy undertone.

Although this whiskey is light, there is a lot going on. As with the palate, the juicy apple merges with juicier mango or apricot and finishes with a faint sherry as the vanilla enters on a smooth, clean malt entry.