Bushmills 12 Year Old Single Malt Whiskey (40%)

Another pre-St. Patrick’s Day whiskey review, one of a series highlighting impressive and relatively recent arrivals to Canada.

Back in the old days of Irish whiskey, when there were but two distilleries on the island and both were owned by Irish Distillers, the mythology was that Bushmills was the Protestant whiskey and Jameson the Catholic one. It was all bollocks, of course, but it demarcated the two in a strange but lasting way which, in some quarters, still persists today.

While I have respect for many of the brands that are created in Jameson’s Midleton Distillery, including Powers Irish Rye and Green Spot, I find that the Northern Ireland Bushmills Distillery more consistently produces whiskeys of extraordinary value, Black Bush being one of them and this lovely single malt another.

The Bushmills family swings back and forth between light and nuanced and big and brash, and this single malt, a mere two years older than its 10 Year Old stable mate, is no exception. Where the 10 Year Old is more an aperitif whiskey with its bright citrus and floral notes, this is a bold statement, with lots of dark fruit and toffee notes.

But perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s return to the beginning.

Rich coppery gold in colour, this offers plentiful fruit and nut aromas, showing dried apricot and toasted walnut, rich vanilla and dark raisins, red plum and a touch of marzipan. It is an aroma that bursts from the glass in a way I don’t typically associate with Bushmills, and is all the more appealing for the surprise.

The palate starts sweetly, but not so much as the dried fruit and sherry notes of the aroma might have you expect. Some soft toffee and dried pear notes lead the way, followed on the mid-palate by an equally off-dry mix of raisin and date, toasted almond, a bit of milk chocolate, and a rising spiciness that manifests in cinnamon and perhaps a bit of clove. The finish dries out almost completely, leaving lingering notes of roasted almonds and dark chocolate.

For those most familiar with Bushmills Original and 10 Year Old, this will come as a significant departure for the distillery. But if you are a fan of Black Bush, as am I, then you should be able to see a more logical and absolutely successful progression. In a world where Scottish single malt priced are running amuck, this is an Irish alternative that is unlikely to disappoint any but the most peat-headed of Scottish whisky fans.

93 ($65 - $72) CRITIC’S CHOICE