Bushmills Distillery Exclusive Acacia Wood

A quick aside before I start: if you're the type to blame the officials when your team loses, you probably acted like a sore loser as a child. Maybe if it's a close game with a bad call, you have some grounds, but complaining still makes you sound like a crybaby, so please stop. I'm telling fans of my team this as much as anyone else. Stop. Seriously. Grow up. Bad calls are frustrating and happen to everyone. It's part of the sport. Am I tempting fate by predicting a bad call against my team in a crucial game this week that I'll want to moan about? Possibly. But you won't actually hear me complaining because my actions match my words. The reason I mention this is that I did this tasting while watching the Eagles defeat the Packers. Many Packers fans are blaming the referees instead of Jordan Love's three interceptions or the Green Bay coaches' strategy for the loss. C'est la vie. And the whiskey flowed. This week, I sampled the following: Bushmills Distillery Exclusive Acacia Wood, Talisker 2023 Distiller’s Edition, and Wild Turkey Jimmy Russell 70th Anniversary Release. I tasted them in that order, from lowest to highest proof, so let's get straight to it: Bushmills Distillery Exclusive Acacia Wood My wife traveled to Ireland last summer. When she asked what I wanted from Teeling, I requested Blackpitts Cask Strength and Wonders of Wood Swedish Edition, which weren't yet available in the US. From Middleton, I asked for Gold Spot, Powers John Lane Cask Strength, and Method & Madness Garryana Oak. When she visited Bushmills, I told her I had no clue what I wanted, as I don't drink much Bushmills, and to ask about any distillery exclusives not available elsewhere. She returned with two bottles. The first, which we opened on Christmas Eve and then again for this tasting, is a Bushmills with no age statement, finished in Acacia wood. I don't want to bash Bushmills too hard. They're acceptable as a beginner's dram. I'd gladly drink Black or Red Bush if nothing else was available, but a downside is their low proof. This Acacia wood expression actually has a slightly higher proof than their standard offerings at 94, which is promising. However, I still chose it first in the lineup, mistakenly thinking it was 80 proof based on my Christmas Eve experience. Nose: Grassy and fresh with cereal notes, light vanilla, and faint orchard fruit. It's not very complex, but it's not bad, which I feel describes most Bushmills. This makes me question what the Acacia wood actually contributes. Palate: It has an apple tart/Honey Nut Cheerios character, common in many blended Irish whiskeys without the metallic taste. However, this is a single malt, so I'd expect more. There's a subtle hint of peach and a gentle touch of vanilla. It's still delicate but smoother than the nose suggested. Finish: Brief, with a spiced apple flavor. Overall, I'm not convinced a full bottle was necessary. It's the type of dram you don't mind trying at the distillery, but as a souvenir from abroad, it's lacking, and I'm not sure it's superior to Black Bush. I would have been curious to compare them directly, as I recall Black Bush having a bolder profile due to its oloroso sherry finish. I won't completely dismiss the Bushmills Acacia Wood as useless, but it's perhaps slightly above average. Given that my wife paid 75 pounds for this, I'm reducing my rating by half a star. Talisker 2023 Distiller’s Edition The major change with the 2023 Distiller’s Edition bottles was the removal of age statements. Since I'm not comparing it to a previous release, the question remains: does the lack of an age statement mean this tastes younger than earlier editions, or am I just imagining it because I know the bottling dates were intentionally omitted? Nose: This was obviously going to be a complete departure from the Bushmills, and that was intentional. I often find contrast more revealing than similarity in a tasting. On the nose, there's a dark, sweet wine aroma mixed with moderate peat, notes of black cherry, and a very slight saltiness that gives it that Talisker cured meat undertone I felt was absent in the Tidal Surge 8 I tried last week (at least for me). The last Distiller's Edition I had was either 2019 or 2020; I can't recall exactly. At the time, I reviewed it saying I'd love a candle with that whisky's scent. I can't say the same here, although it's certainly good. It's just not the one that captivated me before. Something is missing that was in previous versions, but I can't pinpoint it. Palate: More sweet than peaty. The Amoroso Sherry adds a pleasant dimension, though I do feel it lacks the impact on the palate compared to previous Distiller's Editions. Considering they bottle around 92 proof for each edition, it's not a matter of dilution. Could it be younger whisky blended in that doesn't have the same intensity as older stock? Or is it the memory of tasting the barrel-proof Tidal Surge 8 Year last week, with the impression of a cask-strength Talisker still vivid in my mind? It feels somewhat like drinking the Talisker equivalent of flat soda. The sweetness combined with the peat is present as expected, but it just isn't vibrant. Again, I wouldn't refuse it, but it doesn't quite measure up to the previous bottle I had, at least from memory. So, is it just nostalgia making past experiences seem better than they were? Finish: The peat lingers for a moderate time, and the saltiness takes over at the end. Overall, I enjoyed this, but it didn't impress as much as previous Distiller's Editions. And if you notice, the price doesn't decrease when the age statement is removed, so this might be my final Talisker Distiller's Edition. Wild Turkey Jimmy Russell 70th Anniversary Release I had nearly given up on finding this one. It was available at FW&GS stores across Pennsylvania but sold out quickly. Since none of the local stores were convenient for me to visit during my workday, I considered it a lost cause. You don't have to try every single good whiskey out there; some will inevitably pass you by. Then, we attended a birthday party in Delaware in mid-December, and Total Wine had plenty of these at the suggested retail price. So, I asked my wife to stop there first. And I'm incredibly glad she did. I won't lie, this was the highlight of the tasting. Many people compare it to a supercharged Wild Turkey 101. Honestly, I don't know which 101 they're drinking. To me, 101 is a basic offering with some decent flavors, but nowhere near the power or complexity of this. Nose: Swirls of brown sugar and caramel, cocoa powder with a touch of oak, a slight nuttiness, and hints of coconut. Palate: Milk chocolate, caramel, vanilla, and more pronounced coconut, reminiscent of a Mounds bar. It has a creamy mouthfeel, with the brown sugar returning strongly. Finish: Long, with a blend of sweetness and spice, and the chocolate notes linger. Overall, I considered buying a second bottle while I was there but didn't because it was December, my credit card bill was already substantial from Christmas gifts, and now I regret not getting it. I probably would have saved a second one to open a few years from now when the memory had faded, but at least I secured one. My wife joined me for this tasting and loved it too. We likely overindulged a bit, but it was enjoyable. After the Eagles game, we put on Cameron Crowe's 'Singles' from streaming, one of our favorite films, and had a thoroughly pleasant evening. Last week, I declared winners for nose, palate, and finish, but there's no doubt the Wild Turkey excelled in all three categories here. A fantastic whiskey at an amazing price.

Fill your spirit with this powerful ripe fruit aroma, then enjoy a deep, rich, ripe raisin flavor. Hints of vanilla and ripe cherry fill the space as each swallow moves down my throat. If you are nearby, grab a bottle for your collection; it's a delightful treat for companions and relatives.

Caramelized apple, macadamia nut, deep leather, wood, earth, spicy white pepper, bitter orange peel, elderflower

Attractive in appearance, though the aroma is somewhat sharp. It's quite smooth in the mouth with a spicy conclusion.

10-year-old whiskey. Pleasant finish and a very nice aroma. Excellent Bushmills.

Pleasantly warming with a creamy finish.