The most northerly of Northern Ireland’s distilleries, Bushmills ages this spirit in bourbon and oloroso casks before finishing in port wine casks. The sweet notes of fat, ripe blueberries, plum flesh, and dusty, dry warehouses sketch out the nose. It lands on the tongue dry but piquant, then the fruit swarms all over it; blueberry, black currant, and apple, with hazelnut, chocolate pralines, black pepper, and spice. This was once the pick of the range, but the port influence seems feistier than older bottlings and I miss how smooth this used to taste.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)