Bushmills white label is the flagship whiskey for the 407 year old distillery. Founded in 1608 the distillery is currently in the process of transferring from Diageo to Casa Cuervo as a result of a deal Diageo made in 2014. What this ultimately means for the brand is yet to be seen, but who knows… maybe we’ll see an Irish whiskey finished in a used tequila barrel (which is also an ex-bourbon barrel). Which honestly sounds kind of nice.
The 1608 date claimed by the distillery is a bit misleading because that’s when Sir Thomas Phillipps was granted the license to distill whiskey, which he did, by King James the first. From that point forward distillation was happening in that area for the next 176 years until The Bushmills Old Distillery Company was formed in 1784 which still makes it older than almost all licensed Scottish distilleries with only Bowmore beating it by a mere 5 years.
Bushmills White Label Review
Distiller: Bushmills
Age: NAS
ABV: 40%
Price: $26
EYE
Gold
NOSE
Caramel, vanilla, honey and alcohol mix with lighter notes of green apples, hay and malt. It’s a simple blended Irish whiskey, but it’s been blended well.
PALATE
Caramel, dried strawberries, vanilla, bananas, butterscotch and a light fruit along with some hints of malt and honey glide across the palate. The grain whiskey kick isn’t as powerful on the palate as it is on the nose, but it’s still there.
FINISH
Ends quickly in a whoosh of alcohol, caramel syrup, banana and malt.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Alcohol heavy nose and finish knock it a bit off balance. Thin bodied it runs warm.
OVERALL
Bushmills White Label was among my favorite whiskies when I was younger and even today it holds a place on my liquor shelf come St. Paddy’s day, but instead of drinking it neat by the glass I’m more likely to put it into cocktails or make a long drink out of it instead. Though that’s not to say I never drink it neat… because I do. I’m drinking it neat while typing this up.It’s not bad, it’s just not my favorite.
SCORE: 80/100
