Bushmills Red Bush

N: Bourbon sweetness P: Candy. Smarties? Very short finish.

Not quite Irish Whiskey. More rock'n roll than Irish pub country.

Can’t say I’m a fan. Very very young, bright, shiny, and alcoholic tasting (at a weak 40%). Not totally awful by itself, but it’s begging to be touched up in some way, whether that’s ice or being mixed into a cocktail. Once you do that then it tastes fine. Regardless, I could never get the flavor to be all that interesting.

So years ago I tried Bushmills White Label years ago and it was absolutely terrible. With that in mind, I was quite reluctant to try any other Bushmills product but I saw this on sale and decided to give it a try and I am so glad I did. I really enjoyed this whiskey. The nose is light and fruity and this is the first Irish whiskey that I could smell something other than vanilla. It has a wonderfully light apple and pear nose but it is not overly sweet. It does flatten out if you add ice or water but it does have a great flavor. I made a Highball with this and club soda and on a hot day, it is very refreshing. Overall, I was impressed with this and would recommend this over the white label every day. Now it is an Irish whiskey and that means the taste is light and it leaves your mouth quickly but at its price point it is just fine for rounding out your home bar or as a gift for someone that likes Irish whiskey. I like it.

Different character than the white label, being all bourbon casked. It’s a solid Irish for sure. Pairs nicely with a good pale ale.