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Irish Whiskey Review: Bushmills Private Reserve 10 Year Old Amarone Cask Finish

This Bushmills whiskey underwent a secondary maturation in Amarone Dry Red Wine Valpolicella, Verona Hogshead French Oak, and was bottled for the Private Reserve series.

OVERALL RATING

6
  • Charles Steele is an attorney and whiskey enthusiast with a penchant for the peculiar.
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Tasting Notes

About:

Bushmills is an Irish Whiskey distillery located in Northern Ireland. It was established in 1784 and is currently owned by Proximo Spirits. This bottle is part of the new Private Reserve series and a limited release. The whiskey was distilled and aged in accordance with normal Bushmills practices before being aged secondarily in Amarone Dry Red Wine Valpolicella, Verona Hogshead French Oak.


Appearance:
Warm copper like a fresh penny
Nose:
Sticky caramel, bananas foster lightly toasted with vanilla bean. Gives way to cinnamon red hots and nutmeg.
Palate:
First notes are leather and white wine sweetness, overlays of soft oak, sweetness of blackberry, apricot and stone fruit.
Finish:
It is buttery over the tongue with a clean, dry finish. The flavor holds on the tongue for a medium finish but only hints of the body.
Comments:
This whiskey hits a few good notes that make it very serviceable. The Amarone cask Finish has a nice mouthfeel and provides a sweet and smooth profile over the tongue as well as the entire dram. The profile opens quickly making for an easy whiskey to sip slowly. It’s a fun easy to drink whiskey which, I think, would surprise anyone familiar with standard Bushmills.

It’s different enough to be engaging without being such a broad departure that it’s a big gamble. This is easy to mix, easy on the rocks, and just fine straight up. I like to think I wouldn’t send it back if someone brought it over.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Charles Steele

Charles Steele, a Portland-based attorney, is a native of the Pacific Northwest. His legal background provides him with an analytical approach to understanding whiskey and other aged spirits. Primarily a legal writer, freelancing for The Whiskey Wash offers Charles a unique opportunity to showcase his versatility as a writer. Although his preference lies with whiskey and whiskey-based cocktails, he has a profound appreciation for all unique and unconventional liquors, from Malört to Ojen - if it's peculiar, he's intrigued.

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