Black Bush is classed as the 'deluxe' blend from Bushmills and it has a lot of loyal fans across the world. Compared to the standard blend this has more depth, richness but also some woody hints. Maybe not as smooth as the Bushmills Original but it packs a lot more flavour. This is vatted from approximately 80% malt whiskey and 20% grain whiskey some of which is aged for as long as 18 years. A very high proportion of ex-sherry casks are used for the maturation giving the whiskey its signature dark colour and some delicious flavours of dried fruits, roasted nuts and caramel toffees.Bushmills Distillery, located in Northern Ireland can trace its roots back to 1608 when the area was given a special license to distil by King James I. The current distillery dates from 1784, although it may have operated illegally before that. Bushmills has had numerous owners over the years with Proximo Spirits, the owners of Jose Cuervo Tequila, now holding the keys to this famous whiskey brand. 2023 saw the biggest change in decades with the construction of the new ‘Causeway Distillery’ still house. This will double the production and all the spirit made will be used for the Bushmills brands. There have been many great and memorable whiskeys released over the years and the recent Causeway Collection bottlings have reminded us of the potential the distillery has to make exceptional whiskey.