Bushmills Black Bush review

Bushmills Black Bush is one those “bang for the buck” blended whiskeys. Coming from The Old Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland, it is a malt and grain whiskey blend. For a single malt lover this is worth a try, because it has 80% of triple-distilled single malt whiskey. Aged for 7 years in Spanish Oloroso sherry casks and also in Ex-Bourbon barrels before the marriage with sweet grain whiskey.

It’s been in production since 1934, formerly known as Old Bushmills Special Old Liqueur Whiskey.

THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY

Bushmills Black Bush is surely a treat when I compare it other average blended whiskies. As a fan of malt I really like the strong barley notes in this one. Like the title implies, something had shook this blend of malt and grain in a good way. Either a wind that shook the barley or maybe the fact, that it had been matured for quite a long time for a blend. Probably both…

Matured in:

Ex-Sherry Oloroso casks and Ex-Bourbon barrels

Colour: Pale gold

Nose: Barley hits with force with sweet and floral notes on the back.

Taste: Thick body with hints of fruits. And barley dominates the palate as well.

Finish: Again, barley notes are strong, covered with some sweetness. Finish is the first time, I noticed the usual bad habits of blended dram: poignant and watery, but fortunately just a little bit.

Balance: One-sided but nice. Malt dominates in a fresh way. Without the fast finish with some “usual blended” aftertaste, Black Bush would have had a better score. Definitely one of my favorite malt and grain blends!