Bushmills 21 Year Single Malt Irish Whiskey

21 years. Madeira Drum Finish. Bushmills — the apex of the Bushmills standard range, aged for 19 years in American oak and Spanish sherry barrels before being transferred to old Madeira drums for the final 2 years of maturation — adding the distinctive dark chocolate, dried fruit, and wine sweetness of Madeira wine casks to the already-complex base.

Madeira wine drums are casks previously used to mature Madeira — the fortified wine from the Portuguese island of Madeira — which has a distinctive oxidative, nutty, caramelized character from the 'estufagem' heating process used in its production. These characteristics transfer subtly into the Bushmills 21 Year during the final 2-year finishing period, adding complexity that neither American oak nor sherry casks alone can produce.

The 21 Year is Bushmills' most limited and complex standard expression — produced from the finest aged stocks in the distillery's warehouses, triple distilled for maximum refinement, and given the most elaborate cask program in the range.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Dark chocolate, toffee, Madeira wine, light peat, citrus
• Palate: Rich dried fruit, warm spice, dark chocolate, coffee, Madeira sweetness
• Finish: Very long, complex, chocolate and wine

Specs

• Distillery: Old Bushmills Distillery, County Antrim, Northern Ireland (licensed 1608)
• Style: Irish Single Malt Whiskey
• Age: 21 years (19 years bourbon/sherry + 2 years Madeira)
• ABV: 40%
• Size: 750ml

Browse all Irish whiskey at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Madeira wine and what does it add to whiskey finishing? Madeira is a fortified wine from the Portuguese island of Madeira, distinctive for its oxidative, nutty, caramelized character produced by the estufagem process (gentle heating). Madeira drum finishing adds this distinctive oxidative sweetness and complexity to the base spirit.
• How does the 21 Year compare to the Bushmills 16 Year also in the collection? The 16 Year uses three cask types (bourbon, Oloroso sherry, port). The 21 Year uses bourbon and sherry for 19 years, then Madeira for the final 2 years. The 21 Year is more complex, more developed, and presents the Madeira finishing character that the 16 Year doesn't have.