It’s easy to think of whiskey as an Irish tradition, but some might consider that cliched. On the other hand, you don’t hear many Irish complaining about such an ubiquitous association. You certainly won’t hear Bushmills complaining, either. They have made it an industry, and they’re not shy about it. After all, they’ve been doing it the longest, making them the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery. They have been at it for 400 years, so they must be doing something right.
Since 1608, Bushmills has been making single malt whiskey. What is malt, you might ask? It’s barley that has been steeped, germinated, and dried. That is only part of it, as Bushmills utilizes different casks to flavor its whiskeys, which are then identified by a label color. Connoisseurs will happily tell you about their favorite incarnation and why. Be prepared for a lengthy discussion if there are two who drink different labels.
Let Whiskey Sinners do some of the legwork for you in deciding which label you should aim for on a Friday night. While it’s true that Bushmills does have six different kinds of whiskey, we’re going to review the three you will see behind the bar – white, black, and red. The rest are aged whiskeys that are not likely to be at your everyday pub and are a bit hard on the wallet.
White Label
Rating: 
This is the original recipe Bushmills. It’s completely affordable at around $25 for a 750 mL bottle. As whiskey goes, it’s a standard on the shelf. It’s also a good introductory whiskey for those who are just starting to experience the different choices available. It doesn’t have a heavy flavor, and its color isn’t all that rich. There are definite oak undertones, though. We give this one two solid halos just because it’s not great, but it’s also not bad at all.
Black Label
Rating: 
This is definitely a favorite. It’s darker and more flavorful. It goes down smooth and pure. The difference is that it is matured in sherry casks that give it a fruity essence. There is a definite visual difference in Black Bush over the original. Black Bush is darker and richer than its grandpappy. That richness comes with an increase in price at about $35 for a 750 mL bottle.
This label gets four halos because it really goes down smoothly. It earns its reputation as one of the better affordable whiskeys out there.
Red Label
Rating: 
And now comes the upper tier of the three. It is a little disappointing in that there isn’t anything overly special about it. It’s aged in oak casks, just like its White Label brother. The flavor is definitely richer than its oldest sibling. It’s a good go-to if you want that stronger flavor, but it can lack the smoothness of Black Label. In any case, it will never be accused of being a waste of money. It has good flavor and remains in that affordable range of about $30 for a 750 mL bottle.
We’ll stand by our halos on this one.
