86 points
Bushmills Black Bush, 40%
This is the whiskey that introduces the American journalist to Belfast drinking culture in Colin Bateman’s Divorcing Jack. The sherry cask maturation is the key; mouthwatering autumn fruits plucked from the trees, cinnamon-apple cobbler, and cocoa-dusted raisins. A smooth, glistening dram from the North Antrim coast; weighty and fruity, the sweetness turning to raisin chocolate bars. There is a lot to bite on. It slips away reluctantly, leaving a long, dark sweetness behind it. One glass is never enough.
Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)