Bushmills: 25 Year (Irish Single Malt Whiskey: 25 Year: 46% ABV)
Visual: Dark, rich ruby gold with watered down treacle touch to the color. Thick fast streaks from the spirit.
Nose: Treacle. Stewed dark fruit. Watered down prunes. Christmas plum pudding. Spiced orange skin. Pear drops. Wet oak. Water adds leather and dried apricot.
Body: Christmas pudding. Carrot. Perfume. Notable alcohol. Blackcurrant jam. Treacle. Christmas cake. Nutmeg. Water adds palma violets. Creme brulee. Plum jam and black-cherry jam.
Finish: Christmas pudding. Brandy cream. Nutmeg. Carrot. Turmeric. Blackberry. Water make light perfume, fig rolls. Black-cherry jam. Crushed love heart sweets. Pear drops. Apple.
Conclusion: Ok, I oft complain that Bushmills needs a touch more abv to give that extra bit of weight, thus I feel a bit of a hypocrite to say that this, even at 25 years of age, really opens up with a drop of water. Then again, its that 46% abv that lets me add a drop without dropping the abv too much, so, poss it actually helps my case.
Neat it is heavy, almost slightly burnt Christmas pudding, slightly spices, with an unusual but not unpleasant touch of savoury carrot like backing. It loves to show the dark fruit, but still with the slightest hints of traditional Bushmills green fruit below.
Water makes it so much jammier, makes the dark fruit sweeter and fuller. You get an almost crushed sweet sweetness against nutmeg and turmeric spice. Then pear drop and apple Bushmills character, while still not obvious is more evidently there and the whole thing becomes silky smooth.
The jamminess reminds me of Red Spot pot still whisky but darker and richer. This, while stupidly expensive, feels like the ultimate expression of Bushmills. Some of the Causeway collection can compete, with the cask strength intensity helping, and the 18 year travel exclusive can compete at a much lower cost, but this is sheer smooth, balanced excellence.
Background: Well, oh my! I am a long time fan of Bushmills, but when Independent Spirit put on their Bushmills tasting, I was slightly nervous that I was going to have tried everything in the line up as I have drunk A LOT of different Bushmills. I should not have worried, amongst excellent high quality drams I had tried, there was this, brand new to me, and very special Bushmills 25 year. Oh My! Aged in bourbon and sherry casks for four yours, then the rest of the massive 25 years are spent in ruby port pipes. Now I will admit I am confused at why if you buy a bottle, the 25 year is more expensive than similar or older aged Causeways bottlings – but since that difference is what let me afford a Causeway bottle a while back I am not complaining. Prob something in oak choice or something, any which way, this is a pricy dram so was so chuffed to get to try it like this, as a full bottle is out of my reach.
