No longer reserved for Irish Car Bombs or as fuel for late-night mistakes on St. Patrick’s Day, Irish whiskey is enjoying a moment lately. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with a shot of Jame-o and a Smithwick’s in a dark Irish pub, or a snifter of Teeling or older Tullamore DEW enjoyed with a little more concentrated attention. Not as smoky or peaty as Scotch, Irish whiskeys exhibit a softer palate than bourbons and Tennessee whiskeys. Malted barley is still the primary flavoring grain, sometimes blended with unmalted barley, so you shouldn’t expect it to taste like your favorite bourbon.
However, Bushmills has recently released a bargain product that is aimed right at the heart of the bourbon drinker with its new Red Bush. Although it does exhibit the malt-rich flavor that is the hallmark of Bushmills products, they have finished it and blended it with an eye toward drawing out the vanilla and oak characteristics from the used bourbon barrels that they use to age the spirit. Since the cooler weather of Ireland doesn’t encourage the dramatic temperature swings that drive whiskey in and out of the oak in bourbon production, the result is a more subtle flavor.
The vanilla nose gives way to more traditional bourbon flavors like caramel and nuts, and that’s why you might enjoy Bushmills Red Bush neat, with a rock or two or as part of a highball with cola or ginger ale. It’s not too pretentious (or expensive, for that matter) to be enjoyed in a sweet drink or in volume. But I’ve also enjoyed it with a spicy cigar the same way I would a Caribbean rum.
You can tell it’s designed for the American market because they released it here first, and priced in the low $20 range, it’s a fine gateway whiskey for bourbon drinkers. Pick up a bottle and add a little international panache to your palate.
