There's a new Bushmills release coming out now (middle of 2022 at time of writing) and sweeping across the country like the swift hand of prohibition over 100 years ago. The Bushmill's website states that this release "is made true to the way we did things back when the Shelby family ran the streets. Intense, complex, and bold - the taste of Prohibition". They also mention that this release is "closest you can get to the Bushmills that would've sat behind the bar at the Shelby's legendary Small Heath pub". I give it my first impression thoughts here. I'm interested to know if bourbon barrel aging was commonplace for Irish whiskey during prohibition... If anyone knows drop me a comment at the bottom of the page or shoot me a message! Let's get into it!
Company on Label: Bushmills
Whiskey Type: Irish Whiskey
Mash Bill Percentages: 100% Malted Barley
Proof: 92°
Age: It's labeled as aged a minimum of 3 years on the back of the bottle
Further identification: This is a 2022 release in collaboration with the Peaky Blinders TV show highlighting Thomas Shelby & the 'Shelby Company Ltd'
Nose: Soft, buttery. Light, white florals. Nilla wafers. Bright pepper and a bit of oak funk comes in late. Early on I smell a bit of youthful grain. Blue corn chips are an interesting find as well. Hints of smoke can be found on long inhales. Overall it's a delectably smooth nose-feel with soft honey and bready butterscotch. Otherwise incredibly light in aroma intensity. The empty glass smells of white linen, bright florals and hints of peach preserves.
Palate: Bready caramel. Zesty orange peel pop. Very approachable yet still bursting with good volume of flavor. Definitely leans back on a lot of bread, a touch of spice and loads of caramel. Flashes of black pepper give this good depth without sacrificing drinkability. Dark butterscotch and oily strawberry rhubarb pie with a heavy crust give this a great mouthfeel. The finish is short, but it feels natural here. This is just the right blend of both sippable and crushable. Definitely not overly exciting in complexity but definitely something I could enjoy sipping in good company perhaps sitting by a fire. There's a good honey flavor that doesn't come across overly sweet. Overall it's very traditionally Irish despite the bourbon cask aging. The last sip is a confectioner's dream of caramel, buttered dinner rolls, sugar cookies and nice nutty vanilla. I taste incredible value here as a daily sipper.
Rating: 4/5
This may be my new favorite Bushmills pour. It's always been Black Bush for me as my go to, but this has some nice heft to it that does well. I'd definitely recommend you give this one a try for yourself if you like Irish whiskey! I'd rank it just below Green Spot due to the sharpness.