Bushmills Single Malt 10
Today is St. Patrick’s Day, and that means it’s time to take another look at some Irish whiskey. After reviewing the latest expression from Jameson earlier this week, today I’m reviewing another classic Irish whiskey brand—Bushmills.
Bushmills is one of the oldest distilleries in the world. Some claim that it is actually THE oldest, but those claims are rather spurious. Bushmills has long traced its origin to the year 1608, based on a grant given to a land owner by King James I to distill whiskey in the same general area where Bushmills now resides. Were it founded in 1608, it would indeed be the oldest whiskey distillery on record that still exists today. Bushmills, however, was not actually officially licensed until 1784—which makes it old, but not quite the oldest. There is no clear connection between the 1608 grant and the Bushmills distillery other than proximity. But we all know that whiskey makers love to tell origin stories, even if said stories are not all that historically accurate. Especially when they are not all that historically accurate. Regardless, Bushmills does have a long history of making Irish whiskey even if they aren’t truly the oldest distillers in the world.
Bushmills is the second largest distillery in Ireland, behind only Midleton (makers of Jameson). The company produces both blended whiskey and single malt whiskey. Most people are probably more familiar with Bushmills Original, which is an inexpensive Irish blend (containing both malt whiskey and grain whiskey), but the distillery also produces a line of age-stated single malts, which is not quite as common in the Irish whiskey scene, although it seems like I’m seeing more and more Irish single malts lately. What is common in Irish whiskey is triple distillation—and Bushmills does indeed triple distill their whiskey, as do most (but not all) Irish whiskey makers, unlike most (but again, not all) Scottish single malt distilleries, who typically double distill.
Triple distillation results in a lighter, easier whiskey. Of course that doesn’t make it a better whiskey. Just a different whiskey. Whether double distilled or triple, light or robust, peated or sweet, there’s plenty of room in this world for all styles of whiskey. Although I’m personally more a fan of big, robust single malts, I do enjoy a nice, light triple-distilled whiskey every now and then. So to prepare for St. Patrick’s Day, I decided to purchase a bottle of Bushmills 10 year old single malt. How does it taste? Let’s find out.
Bushmills Single Malt 10 Review
Type: Single Malt
Region: Ireland
ABV: 40%
Nose
Toffee. Green apple. Apricot. White grape. Grassy. Barley. Homemade wheat bread.
Palate
Lots of light fruits—green apple, apricot, melon, and berries. Also lots of light sweetness—honey, toffee, barley sugar, simple syrup, and rock candy. The mouthfeel is creamy, a bit oily, and surprisingly full, considering the ABV.
Finish
Fairly short, but pleasant. Light fruits, barley sugar, and simple syrup, fading just a little too fast.
Overall
This is a light and fairly simple whiskey, but it’s really quite tasty. The mouthfeel is very nice, reminiscent of a good Irish single pot still whiskey, such as Red Breast or Green Spot.
Even though the ABV is only 40%, which is usually an indication to me of a letdown waiting to come, I’m really enjoying this. This whiskey is—more or less—competing with entry level bottles of single malt scotch, such as Glenlivet 12 and Glenfiddich 12. Bushmills compares rather favorably to those and other low priced standards.
If you’re looking for a good, reasonably-priced Irish whiskey to enjoy on St. Paddy’s Day—or any time of the year—Bushmills Single Malt 10 is a solid choice.
SCORE: 81/100
Final Thoughts
This is a slightly above average single malt. For the price, it’s solid. Compared to other single malts in its price range, Bushmills 10 is better than most, mainly due to the creamy mouthfeel.
If this were bottled at a higher ABV, non chill-filtered, and natural color, it would really be quite good. Keep an eye out for single barrel bottlings of Knappague Castle 12 year old, which can be found bottled at 46% ABV. Knappogue Castle is actually an independent bottling of Bushmills.
Buy Again? Yes. This is a nice introduction to Irish single malt whiskey, and it’s something I’m happy to have around when I want something on the light and creamy side. It’s also a nice bottle to have for guests who may not be as well-versed in higher ABV drams and want a whiskey that’s easy to drink.
Drink This Not That: If you’re looking for a a good introduction to Irish single malts at a reasonable price, give this a try. But if you can find it, I would recommend the single barrel version of Knappogue Castle 12 year as a better alternative at a similar price.
Questions about my scoring system? Refer to the Review Method & Scoring Scale page.
For more reviews, check out the Whisky Review Archive.
