To finish up my Irish whiskey run, @ContemplativeFox was generous enough to provide a sample of Bushmills 21 that was aged separately in ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks for 19 years then were married together in Madeira casks for the last 2 years before being bottled at 40%. The nose starts with tropical fruit salad of guava, mango, papaya and lychee fruit followed by light sherry influence of grape must and dark chocolate covered raisins with some roasted nuts then comes some light powdered sugar covered bubble gum along with citrus fruits of apples and oranges then light barrel spices, light oak and light ethanol burn. The taste is a thin mouthfeel starting with a tropical fruit salad of guava, mango and lychee fruit followed by light sherry influence with a hint of sulfur, grape must and dark chocolate covered raisins then comes some light powdered sugar covered bubble gum that transitions to a mild bitterness and spice that lingers before revealing light barrel spices, light oak and light ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with guava, bubble gum, a light bitterness and spice, light sulfur, dark chocolate covered raisins and light oak. This is a very well-aged Irish whiskey with a balance of tropical fruits, light sherry and citrus fruits, but the mid-palate turns mildly bitter and spicy that lingers throughout the finish. The ABV at 40% also doesn’t help this whiskey which seems to create a thinner mouthfeel that struggles to bring over some of those fruits from the nose over to the palate. If Bushmills were to bump that ABV in the 43-46% range that might help those fruits on the nose carry over stronger on the palate as well as give it a well-rounded fuller mouthfeel, but, as it is today, this is a very delicious, easy sipping whiskey which I’m extremely grateful that @ContemplativeFox was so kind to share with me.