Bushmills 16

[GoodDram]

I've just bought the Jameson 12 Year (1780). I think it's a great whiskey. Really enjoy it. I usually prefer the Jamesons over the Bushmills, as the Bushmills are a bit creamy for my taste. However, I see that the Bush 16 has a three wood influence (Bourbon, Port, Sherry). Hmmm, sounds interesting. Anybody try it?

GD

[ILLfarmboy]

Honestly, I prefer the 10 yr. Its flavor profile is closer to the Jameson's 12 which in turn reminds me of Redbreast.

[TBoner]

I like Black Bush and other Bushmills expressions a good deal. But the 16yo is great. I agree with what Brad is saying about resemblances to other whiskeys in the younger renditions, but the 16 was the first Irish whiskey I truly loved (now I prefer Red Breast, but I digress...). Probably this is because of the wood influence, which is pronounced, and which is such a huge component of the bourbons and Scotches I love. I guess what I'm driving at is that the family resemblance w/other Bushmills is there, but the complexity and wood influence lifts it above those.

[nickynick]

The Bushmills 16 yo is great. However for the money I think that there are better choices of Irish Whiskey. Jameson 12 is outstanding and its almost half the price of the 16. As well as Black Bush. If you are going to spend that much get the Connemara Cask Strength. One of the finest I have ever tasted.

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

I have a bottle of the Bushmills 16 and quite like it. I like it better than the 10 yo. I can't say for sure whether I prefer the 16 to Blackbush or not. I might have to do a side by side with that soon.

I haven't visited that bottle in a while, I have to do that soon. One reason is that I probably won't replace it because of the price point. I don't regret buying it, but I would rather spend the money on good bourbon that is both cheaper and more to my taste.

Ed

[ThomasH]

Another excellent Irish is Tullamore Dew 12yr. If you can catch it on sale, it is even cheaper than the Jamesons 12 (1780) which is also excellent!

Thomas

[Martian]

I have enjoyed Bushmills blended white label on the rocks during summer for many years. I purchased a bottle of Bushmills 16 to celebrate my early retirement last November. I enjoyed it very much. Excellent for sipping. Bushmills has that unique taste. The 16 is definitely woody and very good. The price will probably prevent me from purchasing another bottle any time soon.

[Martian]

I just re-visited my bottle of Bushmills 16 and didn't like it nearly as much. Very strange. I picked up a something sour that I didn't notice originally. I just received the 2008 Jim Murray's Whiskey Bible, and Murray described a little sulfur in the nose and "poor sherry" in the finish. I think that's what I picked up.

[ILLfarmboy]

I just re-visited my bottle of Bushmills 16 and didn't like it nearly as much. Very strange. I picked up a something sour that I didn't notice originally...

I drank a little less than a third of a bottle and then gave the rest away. I don't recall picking up anything sour but the "three wood finish" seemed a bit much, sort of like too much finish and not enough malt if you get my drift. This is going to sound strange, but it was too bourbony. Sort of a neither "fish nor foul" type of situation.

[boss302]

I just re-visited my bottle of Bushmills 16 and didn't like it nearly as much. Very strange. I picked up a something sour that I didn't notice originally. I just received the 2008 Jim Murray's Whiskey Bible, and Murray described a little sulfur in the nose and "poor sherry" in the finish. I think that's what I picked up.

In all fairness, Murray is somewhat biased in favor of the Cooley distilleries (Kilbeggan, Tyrconnel, etc), which I also thoroughly enjoy, but I digress...

I find the Bushmills 16 to be an excellent whiskey. Definitely a digestif, much like Glenmorangie's Wood Finish series. It is definitely on the sweet side, but I haven't found it overly-woody. There is, IMHO, just enough room to let the malt show its true colors, though it is pretty clear that the real showcase is the wood influence. There is a lot of complexity here, as it possesses the body of a Lowland Scotch, with an elegant Sherry note, mingled with the fruitiness of the Port.

If you like Jameson's (the most over-hyped, over-rated whiskey in the world, aside from Crown Royal, IMHO), you might not go for this. Try the Bushmills 10-year instead, as it places more emphasis on the malt.

I would love to try the 21-year, which is aged in Bourbon oak and Sherry oak, then finished in a Madeira drum. I can't seem to get my hands on a bottle, though.

[boss302]

The Bushmills 16 yo is great. However for the money I think that there are better choices of Irish Whiskey. Jameson 12 is outstanding and its almost half the price of the 16. As well as Black Bush. If you are going to spend that much get the Connemara Cask Strength. One of the finest I have ever tasted.

I'm a little puzzled as to why you would recommend Connemara, a very heavily-peated whiskey, to someone who is inquiring about Bushmills, which is very luscious and almost honeyed in its taste.

Don't get me wrong-- I thoroughly enjoy Connemara, but it is very much an acquired taste, and very different from what the original poster had in mind. Sort of like recommending a Malbec or Cabernet Franc to someone who asked about a Pinot Noir...

[Jazzhead]

i know my bourbon, and I know my scotch, but I have a lot to learn and explore when it comes to Irish whiskey. I've tended to shy away because I've been under the perhaps misguided impression that Irish whiskey is too smooth and sweet, like Canadian. But I love Redbreast, which is smooth as silk but also tastes substantial.

Bushmill's 16 I've been tempted to spring for, but the three woods gimmick has scared me off. Maybe the two-wood 10 year old is the way to go for me. But I'm just about done with my bottle of Redbreast, so it probably makes sense to just re-enlist with another of that one.

[brockagh]

I think Bushmill should do some kind of straight-bourbon cask stuff. They do one-off releases, but that's it, I believe.

You could try the stuff from Cooley if you want a different kind of Irish whiskey. Along the same lines as many scotches.

Is it the combination of smoothness and sweetness that puts you off? I don't think Irish whiskey would be anywhere near as sweet as bourbon, for example.

[Jazzhead]

Perhaps I'm not defining my terms well, because I don't think bourbon is as "sweet" as Irish/Canadian whiskey; it certainly has notes of fruit but is "drier" as I would use the term than, say, Canadian which is the general taste profile I associate in my mind with Irish whiskey (mostly, in my case, Jamesons). Maybe its the smoothness/creaminess that I'm really trying to describe.

Scotch, of course, is all over the block; Talisker, for example, is peppery dry while some Highland malts like Edrador are certainly sweet. And with all the trendy finishing casks they use now, scotch is almost becoming like flavored vodka. Give me scotch aged in bourbon casks, thank you very much.

Bottom line is that I'm really just confessing my ignorance; I've drank Scotch and bourbon to the almost complete exclusion of Irish whiskey. In my limited experience Redbreast is the best Irish I've had, and is in fact one of the best whiskeys, period, that I've had. But I am going to expand my horizons, and probably will start with some Bushmills 10 or maybe one of the Cooley products.

[boss302]

Perhaps I'm not defining my terms well, because I don't think bourbon is as "sweet" as Irish/Canadian whiskey; it certainly has notes of fruit but is "drier" as I would use the term than, say, Canadian which is the general taste profile I associate in my mind with Irish whiskey (mostly, in my case, Jamesons). Maybe its the smoothness/creaminess that I'm really trying to describe.

Scotch, of course, is all over the block; Talisker, for example, is peppery dry while some Highland malts like Edrador are certainly sweet. And with all the trendy finishing casks they use now, scotch is almost becoming like flavored vodka. Give me scotch aged in bourbon casks, thank you very much.

Bottom line is that I'm really just confessing my ignorance; I've drank Scotch and bourbon to the almost complete exclusion of Irish whiskey. In my limited experience Redbreast is the best Irish I've had, and is in fact one of the best whiskeys, period, that I've had. But I am going to expand my horizons, and probably will start with some Bushmills 10 or maybe one of the Cooley products.

You might like to try Tyrconnel. IMHO, it's definitely on the drier side, as far as Irish Whiskey is concerned.

[Frodo]

i know my bourbon, and I know my scotch, but I have a lot to learn and explore when it comes to Irish whiskey. I've tended to shy away because I've been under the perhaps misguided impression that Irish whiskey is too smooth and sweet, like Canadian. But I love Redbreast, which is smooth as silk but also tastes substantial.

Bushmill's 16 I've been tempted to spring for, but the three woods gimmick has scared me off. Maybe the two-wood 10 year old is the way to go for me. But I'm just about done with my bottle of Redbreast, so it probably makes sense to just re-enlist with another of that one.

As a reaction to this post - I'd pass by the Bushmills 16 as it had a rather candied taste when I tried it. No clue about the distillery character from this bottling. The 10yr old Bushmills is NOT something I'd want to spring for and it's not just me - this expression has a poor reputation. If you really want to try something in the Bushmills stable, I'd recommend either Black Bush or one of the recent Knoppogue (sp?) Castle offerings.

I do like Tyrconnel and would recommend Jameson 12 as well.

[boss302]

As a reaction to this post - I'd pass by the Bushmills 16 as it had a rather candied taste when I tried it. No clue about the distillery character from this bottling. The 10yr old Bushmills is NOT something I'd want to spring for and it's not just me - this expression has a poor reputation. If you really want to try something in the Bushmills stable, I'd recommend either Black Bush or one of the recent Knoppogue (sp?) Castle offerings.

I do like Tyrconnel and would recommend Jameson 12 as well.

I think Bushmills is experiencing some growing pains, since bought by Diageo. Bottels of 10yo from a few years back were consistently good. Most of the newer ones I've had lost some Sherry influence, and some just tasted downright "off."

I'm pretty sure the distillery has probably already corrected the problems, or are at least in the process of doing so. As their only Irish whiskey, I'm confident Diageo realizes the importance of keeping Bushmills as close to the top of the Irish whiskeys as possible.

[nickynick]

I'm a little puzzled as to why you would recommend Connemara, a very heavily-peated whiskey, to someone who is inquiring about Bushmills, which is very luscious and almost honeyed in its taste.

Don't get me wrong-- I thoroughly enjoy Connemara, but it is very much an acquired taste, and very different from what the original poster had in mind. Sort of like recommending a Malbec or Cabernet Franc to someone who asked about a Pinot Noir...

I hear what you are saying. I was just saying that if I was going to spend that kind of money on a bottle of Irish Whiskey, I would buy the Connemara. It in no way is comparable to the Bushmills, which I like. But again for the money I would rather have the Connemara.

[tmoreau]

I'm a big fan of Irish Whiskey, my favorite might be the Bushmills 10yr single malt. I finally sprang for the 16yr to see what its all about. Its pretty mild, but if your familiar with the genre you'll notice there is a lot of subtlety and complexity to it. If your switching from bourbon, skip the 16yr. Try it after getting accustomed to another Irish first.

Irish whiskey doesn't have that standout in your face flavor or bourbon or rye, its much calmer, but its flavor is distinct and quite pleasant. I like redbreast, but I find it rather over rated.

[Megawatt]

I was also surprised when I first tried Irish whiskey. I expected it to resemble Scotch at least superficially, but my first glass of Jamesons could well have been a Canadian whisky.

[Caradog]

In all fairness, Murray is somewhat biased in favor of the Cooley distilleries (Kilbeggan, Tyrconnel, etc), which I also thoroughly enjoy, but I digress...

I find the Bushmills 16 to be an excellent whiskey. Definitely a digestif, much like Glenmorangie's Wood Finish series. It is definitely on the sweet side, but I haven't found it overly-woody. There is, IMHO, just enough room to let the malt show its true colors, though it is pretty clear that the real showcase is the wood influence. There is a lot of complexity here, as it possesses the body of a Lowland Scotch, with an elegant Sherry note, mingled with the fruitiness of the Port.

If you like Jameson's (the most over-hyped, over-rated whiskey in the world, aside from Crown Royal, IMHO), you might not go for this. Try the Bushmills 10-year instead, as it places more emphasis on the malt.

Can't agree with you more on the Bushmills 16 and the hype on Jameson. I need to go back to the well and try the Cooley stuff - I remember it being so overwhelmingly peaty as to be closest to a Isla scotch.

A non-drinking buddy of mine got a bottle of Laphroaig Quarter-Cask, and I keep hitting it for a dram, but he smells the peat it as soon as I pop the cap...!

[brockagh]

Irish Distillers Limited put just about their whole advertising budget behind Jameson. I think it's pretty nice, but nothing too special. The other Jameson bottlings are all far better, I think. I don't know why Murray rates the standard Jameson so high.

[Jazzhead]

Irish whiskey doesn't have that standout in your face flavor or bourbon or rye, its much calmer, but its flavor is distinct and quite pleasant.

I think that's an accurate assessment. I have resisted trying the Bushmills for now and have been tippling from a new bottle of Tyrconnell. I like it. Very subtle and smooth, it rewards what I'll call "careful tasting". (In the world of jazz records, "careful listening" is needed when a work doesn't hit you over the head rhythmically or solo-wise, but nevertheless boasts shadings and subtleties that are most enjoyable when descerned.)

Tyrconnell has a slightly pungent, apple-y quality. Like good scotch, it has a distinctly different beginning, middle and finish. But it's balanced - it tells a story, like a good Sweets Edison solo. I can't imagine drinking this over ice; Irish whiskeys barely make the grade at 80 proof (hooray for most bourbons for being consistently bottled at 86 proof or higher), and this is a delicate dram that if quaffed in less than ideal conditions just can't be fully appreciated. But a careful tasting reveals this to be a great pour, and the best Irish I've had after Redbreast.

Thanks for the excellent input on this thread - this is one of the finest, most substantive discussion boards on the web (but y'all already knew that!)

[boss302]

Thanks for the excellent input on this thread - this is one of the finest, most substantive discussion boards on the web (but y'all already knew that!)

I don't have the most sensitive palette, but I definitely agree with you on your overall assessment of Tyrconell, JazzHead. It's one of those rare Irish whiskies that are genuinely full of character, but don't do well sales-wise against the mainstream competition.

Kilbeggan, which is also a Cooley whiskey, is probably my favorite summer-time dram (aside from the Lowland single-malts, like Glenkinchie and Auchentoshan, of course). The taste of Kilbeggan is delicate, without being flimsy in body and texture.

I also have to agree with you about these boards.

I'm a Scotch Whisky drinker, first and foremost, but this is still my favorite forum to post on, as it is probably the most informative, most academic, and most enlightening whisk(e)y forum on the net.

[brockagh]

I am impressed with Tyrconell. They have cask-strength special editions that are really very good. It reminds me a bit of the Arran malt.

The Madeira finish is particularly good.