Bushmills has been a little slow to monetize on their massive reserves, in my opinion, focusing on wide-scale releases with low ABVs. One of the ideas to change this, was the Causeway Collection, which was launched late 2020. A while ago we already tried the Bushmills 2002 Vermouth Casks from the same series.
Bushmills Causeway Collection – Sauternes Cask 2011 (56,3%, OB 2021, Bourbon + Oloroso + Sauternes finish)
Nose: rich and fairly exotic. Plenty of juicy apricots, tangerines and tinned pineapples. A lot of pastry notes, vanilla custard and honey. There’s also a musty note in the background, holding the middle between wet soil, red wine and moist tobacco leaves. Hazelnuts as well. Nice nose, although the alcohol is quite present.
Mouth: big entry, with plenty of sweetness again. Some spicy heat too, think fiery pepper and ginger. Then back to toffee apples, honey and caramel cookies. Stone fruits like apricots and stewed plums later on. Towards the end a tangy hint of wine comes out, as well as a light solventy edge.
Finish: medium long, with oak spice, blackcurrant leaves and malty notes.
The fruitiness of Bushmills is often amplified by Sauternes casks. On the other hand, the sweetness and the alcohol heat don’t blend in perfectly here. Fans have asked for higher ABVs and now we say it’s too hot…. Theoretically an Ireland exclusive bottling (see Celtic Whiskey Shop), but still found in other countries too.