Bushmills Irish Whiskey recently announces the permanent release of Bushmills 12 Year Old Single Malt Whiskey, an Irish malt that celebrates the marriage of two single malts matured for at least 11 years in hand-selected Oloroso sherry and bourbon barrels, then finished in Marsala wine casks.
Bushmills 12 Year Old comes to the US market under the care of its recently appointed Master Blender, Alex Thomas, and is the first expression to officially debut the brands’ new, elevated bottle and packaging for their award-winning single malts.
Having first joined the distillery in 2004, Thomas has spent over 17 years honing her craft before assuming the role of Master Blender. She will be responsible for nurturing the Bushmills Irish Whiskey portfolio of aged single malts, spearheading product development and working alongside longtime colleague Master Distiller, Colum Egan. Building on the legacy of generations of Bushmills’ whiskey makers to come before her, Thomas intends to make her own mark as Master Blender, while holding true to the distinct recipe and style that has been passed down for centuries.
“The Old Bushmills Distillery holds a very special place in the history of Irish single malt and the whiskey category as a whole, and it is a true privilege to be appointed as Master Blender,” says Bushmills Irish Whiskey Maser Blender Alex Thomas. “Bushmills 12 Year Old is an exceptional malt that speaks to our rich brand history and expertise, and I am thrilled that it will be released to the United States for the first time while under my care as Master Blender.”
Like all Bushmills whiskey, the 12 Year Old is made from 100% unpeated malted barley, spring water from the River Bush and is triple distilled in small batches in traditional copper pot stills. The distillate distinguishes itself after the marrying of two whiskeys that have aged minimally 11 years – one in Oloroso sherry butts and the other in bourbon barrels. To complete the process, fortified Marsala barriques from Sicily are used for 6-9 months as an intriguing finish to the whiskey.
In addition to being the newest permanent expression to join the Bushmills single malt portfolio, Bushmills 12 Year Old marks the debut of a decanter-style bottle and new packaging featuring more liquid details. The design will be implemented across the brand’s current malt portfolio of Bushmills 10, 12, 16 and 21 Year Old Single Malts and several upcoming releases.
Bushmills 12 Year Old is currently available for $59.99.
