Bushmills 12 Year Single Malt

A few weeks ago, I put together a whiskey tasting. To expose some of some of the friends who usually just stick with their bourbon, I figured, being close to St. Patrick’s Day, I would expose them to Irish whiskey; something other than the green bottle Jameson. Since this was in Whiskey Advocate’s Top 20 whiskeys of the year, number 16 to be exact, I grabbed a bottle as the price was moderately priced. Along with Jameson Black, Redbreast, Green Spot, Teeling Single Grain and Glendalough 13, I presented what are affordable, good quality Irish Whiskey. The hopes that next time they enter a, liquor store, in hand would be an Irish cousin that would formerly be overlooked. A triple wood Irish whisky. Aged in Oloroso and Bourbon casks and finished in Marsala casks. When initially nosed, it comes across similar to an airy bourbon. Hints of vanilla and honey. A slight walnut nuttiness. Time improves the nose allowing wax and butterscotch notes to manifest. Thin and delicately spicy and mildly sweet. Bartlett pears drizzled with honey and pickled ginger. Black tea and figs provide some bitter sweetness. Oddly, white grapes with white pepper develops towards the end of life the palate zing the tongue with pins and needles before the is finally consumed. A slightly drying finish of wood, grapes, milk chocolate and lemon zest that’s short and clean. OThe Bushmills I have in the past have have been typically sweet and silky. This breaks that mold as it’s spicy and thin. Not that that is a bad thing. It’s just different. If it was part of a bourbon tasting I suspect that most would be surprised that this was an Irish whiskey. Sips young to the likes of a 5 or 8 year old. Sprite and zesty than mellow. A nice sipper. However, if being compared to Redbreast or Green Spot, I would be inclined to grab either one of those before the Bushmills 12. Would like to see this priced around $10 less. [$55][85/100][Tasted: 4/7/23]

What I was really excited about this whiskey was the price. To find a 12yo Irish whiskey for 40 EUR (in Bulgaria) is a top choice. Yes - it is 6 ABV less than the Redbreast, but as we can not find Jameson 12yo here, Bush 12yo is a must-try. And since I am a huge fan of the new bottles of Bushmills core range, I bought a bottle for my birthday. On the nose it is a vanilla cake straight away. Baked brown sugar, like the sweetest one, far lemon feeling, caramel inside of it. There is spiciness, but it is not an aggressive one, like from a virgin oak, but more like winey spices as a result of the Marsala finish. Dark cherry comes stronger and stronger as the whiskey is being influenced by the air. To sum up, on the nose the Marsala and Bourbon dominates the Cherry. Delicate pepper melange (red and white) compliment all my senses on the palate. It is a well balance of caramel, vanilla cake and walnuts - like a triple-distilled bourbon. Then comes the better part - dark cherry, dark tea soften with a touch of milk. The finish is woody with red grape seed (like a classic Marsala wine), also with milk chocolate and sweet lemon juice. Yet, it is a chill-filtered, caramel-colored whiskey, bottled at the bare minimum of 40 ABV (typical for the Bushmills distillery core range), but it is also a well-balanced and reasonably-priced whiskey. It combines bourbon and sherry (which is a classic combination), but definitely upgrades its structure with the Marsala finish. Far better than the 10yo, but still, it would be a lot better at 46 ABV.

This expression is a departure from the standard 10 year Bushmills offering. I’m a bit confused, as this 12 year single malt is described by the Distiller app as using “100% unmalted barley.” This has to be a typo as single malt whiskey is made from 100% malted barley, as opposed to unmalted barley. This isn’t Single Pot Still whiskey we’re discussing here. This expression is also a major departure from a classic Irish whiskey. The marsala finish gives the whiskey a bizarre profile which simply doesn’t work. It no longer smells, nor tastes like Irish whiskey anymore. I’m unable to detect any oloroso sherry influence either as the marsala wine casks have completely overpowered the oloroso notes. Do better Bushmills! This expression is unpleasant and bordering on the undrinkable in my opinion. I absolutely do not recommend this 12 year expression when there are so many better Irish whiskey offerings in the same general price range from other distilleries, and some of them for even less money. Don’t waste your time or money on this one! The barely legal 40% abv also leaves much to be desired.

Nose: A welcoming bouquet of dried fruit, candied apple, and warm spice, with a floral undertone that hints at the marmalade sweetness to come. The Marsala wine cask influence is subtle but present, adding a layer of richness without overpowering the malt’s elegance . Palate: Creamy and well-balanced, with a delightful interplay of honey, caramel, and nutty malt. The Marsala finish shines here, lending a gentle sweetness reminiscent of Seville orange marmalade and toasted almonds. The texture is silky, and the 40% ABV keeps it approachable yet flavorful . Finish: Long and satisfying, with lingering notes of warm ginger, pear, and a touch of oak. The wine cask’s influence lingers just enough to leave a memorable, dessert-like impression without cloying . Verdict: A standout Irish single malt, Bushmills 12 Year marries tradition with innovation. The Marsala casks elevate it beyond the ordinary, adding a nuanced sweetness that harmonizes beautifully with the whiskey’s core character. Perfect for sipping neat or as a refined digestif. Score: 5/5

NOSE Dried apples, peaches, pears, strawberry taffy, malt, wax and a touch of vanilla beans. I want to live in this aroma, it’s elegant, balanced and just all-around nice. PALATE Honey, pears, dried apples, candied nuts, Honey Nut Cheerios, strawberry taffy and waxy vanilla. Like the aroma this is elegant, it’s something I could sip anytime and be happy. FINISH Medium -> Fruit, taffy, malty sweetness fades to Honey Nut Cheerios.

Neck pour. Nose has apple, pear, vanilla, shortbread cookies and a hint of toffee. Palate has the same plus a really nice spiced wine note, on the other hand there’s also a nail polish remover note and the typical Bushmills bog water note which I don’t like. Finish is medium length and initially pleasant, but turns kind of bitter.