Review / Bushmills 1997 Rum Cask

This new whiskey represents the latest expansion of the Causeway Collection by the Northern Irish single malt distillery of Bushmills. The Bushmills 1997 Rum Cask is the first whiskey in the series to be created by Alex Thomas, the new Master Blender for Bushmills. The collection pays homage to some of the more unorthodox casks that are maturing within the distillery's warehouses. The spirit was filled to American oak ex-Caribbean rum barrels in February 1997 and has undergone a full 25-year maturation in them. This is very rare as ex-rum casks are often only used for finishing of short periods from six months to two years. The Causeway Collection was launched in 2020.

Bushmills holds the oldest distilling license in the world dating back to 1608. However, the official foundation date is widely recognised as 1784. It is located in the small town of Bushmills, which sits right on the northern County Antrim coast in Northern Ireland. It is just two miles from the famous landmark The Giant’s Causeway. Another claim to fame is that Bushmills has the longest continually used logo - the pot still design was introduced to celebrate the formal registration of the distillery in 1784. The distillery is owned by Casa Cuervo, who took control in 2014, and the annual capacity is nine million litres.

The Bushmills Causeway Collection 1997 Rum Cask is bottled at 46.2% ABV and is restricted to just 1,350 bottles. They will only be available in selected UK specialist retailers with each costing £399.

Our tasting notes

The colour is pale gold and the nose is fresh and vibrant for something that is a quarter of a century old. Aromas of malty cereals and dried grass rise first, and are joined by a delicate sweetness - think of vanilla sugar, honey and a suggestion of tropical fruit. Floral aromas (think of citrus blossom plus some background elderflower) and hints of candied lime and white chocolate add further depth.

On the palate this whisky has an instant grip and impact. The perfumed nature of the nose is replicated well with the floral and grassy notes coming through well. This is again led by citrus blossom and dried grass, but is joined by hints of hay and elderflower. 

Then comes the sweetness with a wave of tropical fruit notes (imagine delicate hints of pineapple and mango with plenty of candied lemon and lime), golden syrup and honey. There is also an evolving woodiness and this gives a distinctive dryness, which accentuates the biscuit-like cereals and dried grassy notes. Late hints of lime cordial, white chocolate, cinnamon, clove and icing sugar round things off.

The finish is of decent length and becomes more drying, malty and grassy with time. The sweeter elements slowly fade to bring these characteristics to even more prominence. The candied lime note really comes through well to add extra tang, as do the cinnamon-like spices.

What's the verdict?

You rarely see whiskies matured in ex-rum casks for this long, so this Bushmills feels like a real treat. Rather than the big and bold characteristics that you see in rum finished whiskies, the notes here are much more subtle than one might expect. The sweet and floral notes perfectly accompany the signature malty and grassy of Bushmills. It's pricey but well worth a try if you get the opportunity.