Bushmills The Original

Bushmills The Original is a blended Irish whiskey from County Antrim in Northern Ireland, bottled at 40% ABV. The blend combines malt whiskey with grain whiskey, and the Bushmills distillery uses triple distillation. In Irish whiskey, that process usually gives a lighter, cleaner spirit than the double-distilled style common in Scotland. The distillery traces its history to 1608. Expect a style that is gentle on the palate and not heavy in either oak or smoke. Bottlings like this typically show a soft, fruity nose of orchard apple and pear, with honey and vanilla behind it. The malt portion adds a biscuity, cereal note, and the grain portion keeps the body light and the finish short and clean. Spice is usually restrained, and there is no peat smoke, which sets it apart from many Scotches. At this strength it is mild enough to taste on its own without needing much dilution. For sipping, pour it neat in a Glencairn glass if you want to pick out the fruit and malt on the nose. A few drops of room-temperature water can open up the honeyed notes without flattening a spirit this light. A rocks glass with one large cube suits a more relaxed pour, since slow dilution and a little chill soften the grain character and bring forward the vanilla. Avoid packing the glass with small ice, which waters it down quickly. The same lightness makes it a good mixing whiskey. In a Highball, with soda water or ginger ale and a lemon wedge, it stays crisp and lets the orchard fruit come through. It works well in a Whiskey Sour, where the soft malt balances the lemon without competing with it. An Old Fashioned made with it will be gentler and less spicy than one built on bourbon or rye, so use a light hand with the sugar and bitters. In a Manhattan, expect a more delicate drink than the rye version, which suits a dry vermouth or a measured amount of sweet vermouth.