This whiskey is the latest new addition to the permanent core range of the Northern Irish distillery of Bushmills. The initial 14-year maturation of their signature triple distilled single malt has taken place in first fill and re-fill ex-bourbon barrels, before a luxurious 12-month finish in French oak ex-Cognac casks sourced from the famous Cognac region of France. It has been created by Alex Thomas, the Master Blender at Bushmills.
The Bushmills 36 years old Hill Street Edition is the oldest single malt whiskey to ever be released in Europe by the famous Bushmills distillery. It has been bottled exclusively for The Friend at Hand, the award-winning whiskey shop and museum in Belfast, which is owned by Irish whiskey legend Willie Jack. The shop is located on Hill Street in the Cathedral Quarter, which was the former home of bonded warehouses that stored and matured Bushmills whiskey. The whiskey will only be available to purchase from The Friend at Hand.
As the world thankfully moves further away from the Covid-19 pandemic, some normality has resumed. The whisky world has responded with more releases than ever, fuelled by the ever-growing craft and artisan distilling movement around the globe. It has been difficult to select just ten to be honest, given that we have sampled close to 150 whiskies this year.
These two premium whiskeys will permanently sit at the top of the core range of Bushmills. The Bushmills 25 years old and 30 years old are both triple distilled single malts. The 25 years old (pictured, above left) has experienced a four year initial maturation in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks before a 21 year secondary maturation in ex-Port pipes. It is bottled at 46% ABV and is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. The whiskey will be available worldwide and retail for US$900/ £790/ €850.
This is always our favourite post to write each year. The Top 10 is something we first began way back in 2009 and within it we celebrate the finest new whisky releases of that calendar year. Our first selection crowned Benromach 10 years old as our Whisky of the Year.
However, some time ago we decided to no longer give a top prize. Instead, each of the ten whiskies that we have chosen is a winner in its own right and for differing reasons. As the world continued to come out of the Covid-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions in 2022, the whisky world responded with some excellent releases. It has been difficult to select just ten to be honest, given that we have sampled close to 150 whiskies this year.
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.
