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Bushmills 16 years

malty fruity
4
(4)€105Ireland, Single Malt

Flavours

Whisky character

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Warm
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Smooth
Spicy

Taste mentions

Facts

The Old Bushmills Distillery sits on the River Bush in County Antrim. A licence to distil here dates from 1608. This malt is triple distilled from Irish malted barley alone. Two parcels of it age apart, then get married and moved into ruby port pipes. The port stage runs up to a year. Fig and caramel arrive first, with a light oaky edge. Then come peach, honey and a soft buttery weight. Toasted almonds and coconut carry the close. Pour it neat and the fruit keeps building.

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About the distillery

Distillery

Bushmills

Bushmills is a well-known Irish whiskey distillery located in the village of Bushmills, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The distillery was founded in 1608, making it one of the older licensed distilleries in the world. The whiskey produced by Bushmills is triple-distilled, which gives it a smooth and mellow flavor. The distillery uses local water from the River Bush, which is known for its purity and distinctive taste. Bushmills offers a range of whiskeys, including the classic Bushmills Original, which is aged for at least 3 years in oak casks. They also produce the Bushmills Black Bush, which is aged in sherry casks for added complexity and richness.

3.7Average rating

33Whiskies on Distilld

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Most popular whiskies from Bushmills

About the Bushmills 16 years

Bushmills 16 years is a single malt Irish whisky from County Antrim in Northern Ireland. The Old Bushmills Distillery triple distils it from 100% Irish malted barley. No peat goes anywhere near the recipe. Maturation runs at least sixteen years, split between bourbon barrels and Oloroso sherry butts. A spell in port pipes follows. Bottled at 40% ABV, it sits in the middle of the distillery's single malt range. The distillery stands where the River Bush runs down to the Giant's Causeway. Water for the whisky still comes from that river. King James I granted a licence to distil in the Bushmills area in 1608. A fire levelled the site in 1885, but demand was strong enough to rebuild it quickly. Bourbon barrels arrive from Kelvin Cooperage in Kentucky. Each port pipe holds around 650 litres. Fig and dried fruit come through first, wrapped in caramel and a light oaky note. A floral lift sits behind them, with a faint touch of mint. The palate turns rounder and juicier. Peach, lemon and honey arrive together, carried by an oily, buttery texture. Sherry sweetness runs underneath. Toasted almonds and coconut stretch out the ending, with a trace of brine right at the close. Every step up the Bushmills single malt range swaps the finishing cask. The 10 year old carries no finishing cask at all. At 12 years, the finish happens in Marsala casks from Sicily. The 21 year old spends two years in Madeira drums. Bushmills 16 years is the port one. Port pushes it towards dark fruit and a rounder, sweeter body. If you want the sherry and port side of this distillery, start here.