94 The Whisky Advocate

Spending 21 years in a first-fill ruby port cask has imbued this superb whiskey with firm, plump, and intense fruit flavors with layers of raspberry, black currant fruit pastilles, blackberry jelly, and peppercorn. Bushmills and port casks are a heavenly match, and this has a warm, enveloping fruitiness on the tongue, with raspberry, plum, cranberry sauce, a surge of clove and pepper, milk chocolate, and a dry finish.

5 The Whiskey Wash

It’s hard to find anything to dislike about this well executed Irish single malt. It offers a long finish with a smooth, slightly velvety texture that gives way to a lingering finish that gently intensifies in warmth with the perfect onset of spice on the very back end. It has an incredibly well balanced flavor profile that walks a perfect line between its approachability and remarkable depth of character.