Bushmills Original

First off, I'm part Irish, and so does this whisky. Am I biased? A bit, surely. But it's easy when it's good stuff.

Bushmills became recently my standard Irish whiskey. I use it mainly to mix my own Irish cream. Yes, I do my own Irish cream, and it's kickass.

But, every time I put together a batch for my friends or family, I, of course, pour myself a dram. And recently, one for my girlfriend as well.

Yes, my friends, I was able to drag my sweetheart into my whisk(e)y journey. And big thanks to the Old Bushmills for that one: it's the first dram she asked me to pour all to herself after tasting a sip from my glass.

It is a very smooth whiskey. A nose of sweet fruity maltiness: green apple, litchi, some delicate flowers. A nice body bringing the delicate malt and sweet corn taste with again hints of green-white fruits: sweetness but with a tangy, somewhat acidic touch that balances it. Creamy.

The finish is crisp, but bears a hint of metal.

And here's the rub: this eau-de-vie oxidises fast. And once it does, it becomes to me unpalatable: the hint of metal becomes overwhelming and becomes present not only in the finish but throughout the whole tasting.

The solution? Mix it, use it for your own Irish cream, ad some ice cubes or finish the bottle fast. But what if you want to sip it? Easy: use a wine preserving pump! I've been doing this for my wines for a bit, but only recently to preserve whisk(e)y. And it works flawlessly. Honest to god: my Bushmills Original is now as good on the 10th session as it was when I opened the bottle.

All in all a very smooth dram that is easy to mix, great on ice but can be sip easily. And a GREAT introductory whisk(e)y.

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