Awarded a gold medal at The Spirits Business Luxury Masters Awards. Bushmills selected American oak casks which previously housed Caribbean rum and filled them with Irish whiskey on 14th February 1997.
Now available across Bushmills’ social media channels. The Causeway Collection 1997 Rum Cask is priced at £399.00 only 1,350 bottles are available.
Appearance: Sun-bleached straw/white wine. A viscous film forms, along with a substantial beaded swirl mark. Many long teardrops form, together with a number of medium/thick legs. Everything seems to hang on the glass in stasis.
Nose: A heady ethanol wave for 46%. Stewed summer fruits and buttery pastry, some sweet spices: cinnamon, nutmeg and a hint of lemon pepper. The Irish whiskey calling card honey cereal note appears after the initial fruit and spice aromas subside slightly.
There’s also a subtle oaky vegetal edge to the nose, like tree bark or brown leaves.
Palate: A nice viscous mouthfeel. A good spice kick to begin, in the form of black pepper and cinnamon. A tropical fruit note underpins the spice, no specific fruit springs out, more of a cocktail with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.
Barrel char and caramelised wood, almost toffee-like notes hit next, adding depth and richness to the fresher tropical notes and spices.
Finish: Medium to long. The finish is full of caramel and toffee notes. There’s a sweet milky coffee element that appears, maybe the resulting flavour from the barrel charr/caramelised wood. A slight chilli tingle stays on the lips and tongue for a while too.
Overall: It’s a very nice Irish whiskey. I’m not one for spending more than £150 on a bottle of whiskey (and VERY few a worth that). I can imagine that an avid fan with more money than me might well spend the near £400 on a bottle, but I’d be surprised if they believed that the liquid itself was worth it.
This sample was provided FOC by Bushmills. This in no way affected by tasting notes.
More details…
“A partnership of storytelling that celebrates award-winning Irish Single Malt whiskey and Caribbean cuisine
– The first Causeway Collection release from Master Blender Alex Thomas in Great Britain Promises an exquisite flavour profile following a 25-year maturation period where it is aged entirely in Caribbean rum casks
Awarded a gold medal at The Spirits Business Luxury Masters Awards
October 2022, Northern Ireland: BushmillsⓇ Irish Whiskey unveils the next chapter of the highly anticipated range of luxury Single Malts, The Causeway Collection. To celebrate the arrival of the limited-edition Causeway Collection 1997 Rum Cask – the pioneers of Irish Single Malt whiskey have partnered with epicurean storyteller and Barbadian born Chef Jason Howard to develop a series of exclusive recipes inspired by this rare cask.
United by a shared passion of contemporary storytelling and the reinvention of traditions, Bushmills Irish Whiskey and Chef Jason Howard’s innovative menu is a gastronomic journey, transporting people from the breath-taking Giant’s Causeway to the delights of the Caribbean. A pioneer in modern cuisine, Chef Jason has single-handedly redefined contemporary Caribbean cooking. Famed for combining his classical French training – gained as sous chef to Helene Darroze at the two Michelin-starred Connaught Hotel in Mayfair – with his love of native Caribbean ingredients. Each course will be a tale of flavours that harmoniously complement the tropical notes of this fine liquid.
Each generation at Bushmills is a custodian of craftmanship ensuring only the finest quality liquid leaves the distillery. The Causeway Collection 1997 Rum Cask is the first rare release in Great Britain from Bushmills’ Master Blender Alex Thomas – one of the few women in whiskey. Inspired by the mythical Giant’s Causeway and tales from the Caribbean, the launch of the Causeway Collection 1997 Rum Cask is a tribute to the repertoire of unique and distinctive casks and the generations of caretakers at the world’s oldest licensed distillery.
Bushmills selected American oak casks which previously housed Caribbean rum and filled them with Irish whiskey on 14th February 1997. They have been carefully stored at the distillery’s warehouses ever since, imparting complex layers of oak and tropical rum flavours including mango and pineapple to the distinctively elegant character of Bushmills’ new make spirit.
Bushmills’ Master Blender Alex Thomas comments: “It has been a privilege to watch over these whiskeys and taste their individual flavour profiles developing. To finally release them as part of my first Causeway Collection is an honour and pays homage to all those who have cared for these rare casks since 1997.
The whiskey was recently recognised with a coveted gold medal at The Spirits Business Luxury Masters Awards, acknowledging the enhanced drinking experience it offers at the luxury end of the market.
The Bushmills Irish Whiskey Causeway Collection Chef Jason Howard recipes will launch in November and be available across Bushmills’ social media channels. The Causeway Collection 1997 Rum Cask is priced at £399.00 only 1,350 bottles are available in Great Britain at – specialist whisky retailers including The Whisky Shop and The Whisky Exchange and the online spirits emporium – House of Spirits.”
Bushmills
