Bushmills 1608

When we had the opportunity to pour the Bushmills 1608 at our fund raiser we where thrilled on multiple levels. Not only did we get to share one of the finest Irish whiskeys with people who would truly appreciate it, but we were able to do so before the official Release. We only pulled it out for the very savvy or the very curious. Even with its limited exposure, and our lack of emphasis on its presence, the 1608 created a buzz of excitement every time we pulled it out.  

The Bushmills 1608 marks the 400th anniversary of Bushmills' original license to distill. This limited edition blend is a combination of Bushmills Malt whiskey, grain whiskey and whiskey from crystal malt. The balance of flavors is amazing. The 1608 has the traditional smoothness you would expect from an Irish whiskey, but the crystal malt takes it to a new level. I love this whiskey because of the body of flavors is so rich and they're carried through on that smooth base.

The nose and flavors are very much on the candy scale. Toffee, vanilla, honey and toasted almonds are prevalent throughout. There's a touch of dried fruit and a hint of Christmas spice on the finish which carries on longer than most. There's an accessible complexity that would allow this to be a great gift for any whiskey lover. If you've ever made fudge from scratch, there's caramel base that you make from the sugars, evaporated milk and vanilla that gets cooked up before adding in the chocolate, this whiskey reminds me of that wonderful confection.

Bushmills 1608 is one of the wonderful examples of both technical excellence in whiskey and a personal favorite. If I have to put a number on it, I'll call in an 88. In our collection, that's just above the Bushmills Malt 21, Midleton 2007, and John K. Hall Limited. In our little tasting, everyone who tasted the 1608 has a new favorite on ther shopping list.