Bushmills 12 Year Old Single Malt receives permanent release

Bushmills has confirmed the permanent release of Bushmills 12 Year Old Single Malt Whiskey, an expertly crafted 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 features in the US market under the care of Bushmills’ recently appointed Master Blender, Alex Thomas, and is the first expression to officially debut the brands’ new, elevated bottle and packaging for their single malts.

Bushmills 12 Year Old is unmistakably Bushmills, yet uniquely individual. Like all Bushmills whiskey, the 12 Year Old is made from 100 percent unpeated malted barley, spring water from the River Bush and is triple distilled in small batches in traditional copper pot stills for smoothness.

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 a finish to the whiskey, layering on extra flavours of ripe spiced fruit, sweet notes of brown sugar, and a delicate toasted nut character.

As whiskey fans across the US continue to explore everything Irish whiskey has to offer, Bushmills’ premium offerings stand out. The distillery claims to have the widest stock available of malts with unique age statements, rare cask types and finishes.

Having first joined the distillery in 2004, Alex Thomas spent over 17 years honing her craft before assuming the role of Bushmills’ Master Blender. She will be responsible for nurturing the Bushmills Irish Whiskey portfolio of aged single malts, spearheading product development and working alongside long time colleague Master Distiller, Colum Egan. Building on the legacy of generations of Bushmills’ whiskey makers to come before her, Alex intends to make her own mark as Master Blender, while holding true to Bushmills 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,” said 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.”

Bushmills 12 Year Old also marks the debut of a decanter-style bottle and elevated packaging featuring more liquid details. The new bottle and packaging will draw both new and existing consumer attention to Bushmills’ style of single malt whiskey. 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 in select markets and quantities throughout the United States.