Bushmills 16 YO

Bushmills 16 year old

Maturation from 3 different barrels including Port Pipes gives us one of the best Irish Whiskeys ever. Layers of fruit and sweetness are waiting to be enjoyed.

Distilled at the oldest licensed distillery in the world, Bushmills 16 is one of a range of single malt whiskeys that indicate the providence of this great Northern Irish whiskey maker. It’s the middle child of a single malt family that includes a 10-year-old and a 21-year-old and holds its position in the family well.

Bushmills 16 is triple-casked, having been matured in bourbon, oloroso sherry and port wine barrels. This incredible combination results a beautiful deep amber or ruby red colour that allows Bushmills 16 to really stand out from the crowd.

Tasting notes

The tasting notes reveal that the colour isn’t the only beneficiary of the triple casking. This rare single malt whiskey has a wonderful aroma derived from its long gestation in wood. You can expect lots of juicy fruits on the nose as well as treacle toffee mingling with lots of cinnamon, nuts and spice.

On the palate then the maturation delivers flavours of carmalised peaches and mango as well as layers of toasted almonds and walnuts. The flavour compounds in this whiskey are deep and enticing, creating a deliciously rich single malt whiskey.

The finish is suitable long and fitting for a 16 year old single malt whiskey. The bourbon casks have left plenty of oak influence while the nutty sweetness of the oloroso cask dominates the final notes. The port brings praline and distinct notes of red berries and chocolate.

Neat or with water?

This is a single malt whiskey that is beautifully drawn and benefits from being enjoyed neat or over ice. It has an ABV of 40%, making it delicate and smooth. Bushmills triple-distill their single malt whiskey and this particularly suits the combination of oloroso sherry and bourbon but also the port wine barrel elements. Its age of 16 years and the time in each cask also helps create a deliciously smooth result.

Bushmills Distillery

Bushmills is owned by Proximo Spirits, the US drinks conglomerate and distributor based in Jersey City in USA. Proximo also owns other prestige brands such as Jose Cuervo and many other international brands. Bushmills’ 16-year-old single malt whiskey sits very comfortably within the group, offering a mid-point entry to the single malt range the distillery produces.

All whiskey at Bushmills is made using water from St Columb’s Rill, a tributary of the River Bush that runs through the village. Bushmills is located very close to the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO world Heritage Site that is made up of some 40,000 interlocking basalt columns. The Giant’s Causeway and the legends that surround it are a big source of inspiration for the Bushmills brand.

Ruby redness

The unique maturation process in the production of Bushmills 16 is celebrated through the ruby redness of each pour and every sip reveals a hint of the quality and complexity of the Bushmills entire range.