"bushmills" news and stories

Whether you consider yourself a beverage connoisseur or just want some help getting your Irish on this St. Patrick's Day, Forbes has compiled a list of their top ten must-drink Irish Whiskeys. Ranging in price from $17 - $1000 per bottle, you can certainly find something on this list that will fit any budget, and perhaps discover something new for your palate as well. Without further ado, Forbes.com's selections:

• Bushmills 21 year old (single malt), $115, Bushmills Distillery, County Antrim
• Midleton Very Rare (blend), $150, Midleton Distillery, County Cork
• Redbreast 12-year-old (pure pot still), $50, Midleton Distillery, County Cork
• Green Spot (pure pot still), $60, Midleton Distillery, County Cork
• Jameson 18-year-old (blend), $65, Midleton Distillery, County Cork
• Knappogue Castle 1951 (pure pot still), $1000, Distillery now defunct, less than one thousand bottles left in the world
• Connemara Cask Strength (single malt), $60, Cooley Distillery, County Louth
• Jameson 12-year-old (blend), $33, Midleton Distillery, County Cork
• Black Bush (blend), $29, Bushmills Distillery, County Antrim
• Powers Irish Whiskey, $17, Midleton Distillery, County Cork

If you'd like more information on the selections, you can view a full description of each Irish Whiskey via the link below.

Source

In a feature in the business section of the Oregonian today about the popularity of high-end spirits, the writer of the story suggested that one's Christmas list might include "A bottle of Bushmills 16-year Single Malt for the boss." Other gifts so popular they've been stripped from the shelves in OLCC stores: Kahlua coffee liqueur, McCarthy's Oregon Single Malt whiskey and Hennessey VS cognac. For the lush in cash as well as liquor, Hardy Perfection Cognac Air or Courvoisier L'Esprit sell for around $5 or $6K each (in Oregon, one bottle of the Hardy and 15 of the Courvoisier have been sold in the past year).

While I've never given a gift of spirits, I can see the appeal. It's luxurious, it's thoughtful, and a gift of good liqueur can really show off your expensive tastes. Problematic, though, is the commodity characteristic: there's one price for liquor in most states, so everyone will know exactly what you spent. Local bartenders suggest Shakers Rye vodka, William LaRue Weller uncut, unfiltered bourbon and Hangar One Fraster River Raspberry vodka. My husband's buddy, who's in a pirate band (??), recommends the Sailor Jerry's rum pictured. What do you recommend for spirited gifts this year?

[photo Sarah Gilbert]