Bushmills 21 Year Old is the flagship of the Old Bushmills Distillery's regular range and one of the longest-aged Irish single malts in continuous production. It is matured for at least 19 years in a combination of ex-bourbon and oloroso sherry casks, then finished for a further two years in Madeira casks — a finishing technique Bushmills has used on this expression since the late 1990s.
The result is a triple-distilled single malt that wears its age beautifully. The Madeira influence brings stewed fruit and a faint vinous lift, while the long sherry maturation lays down the chocolate, fig and walnut backbone. Bottled at 40% ABV and non-chill-filtered considerations aside, the texture remains remarkably plush.
Bushmills holds one of the oldest licences to distil in the world, granted in 1608 to the region around the River Bush, and the 21 Year Old is often pointed to as proof that Irish single malt can age with the same grace as the best Speysiders. It has won numerous accolades over the years, including double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
For sipping slowly on a quiet evening, this is Irish whiskey at its most contemplative — a glass that rewards patience with layer after layer of orchard fruit, dark sugar and old oak.
