Checked in September 2026, US retailers had Bushmills Single Malt 10 Year running from about $48 to $50 for a 750ml bottle. I drink it neat most of the time for reviews, and this is one where neat was clearly the strongest way to have it — it also held up well with water, on the rocks and in a highball. For more from this category, see our Irish Whiskey reviews, including Teeling Single Malt if you want to compare it against another Irish single malt, or Green Spot for a look at Ireland’s other major style, Single Pot Still.
Bushmills Single Malt 10 Year Review
The Verdict
4.3/ 5
Honeyed Fruity Smooth
Best for
Drinkers who want a smooth, honeyed, fruit-forward Irish single malt that's easy to enjoy neat, and who value balance over a bold or unusual character. Less suited to those specifically looking for an intense or highly distinctive style.
Quick Verdict
Bushmills Single Malt 10 Year is a gentle, honeyed Irish single malt built around green apple, pear and citrus fruit, with a smooth, easy-drinking texture that doesn't feel thin. It doesn't have a distinctive or unusual character, but what's there is well-balanced and genuinely satisfying, especially neat. It's an easy recommendation for most drinkers, though anyone chasing a bolder or more individual style may find it a little too gentle.
Where to Buy
United Kingdom
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Bottle Information
Bushmills Single Malt 10 Year is an Irish Single Malt Whiskey — the "Irish Whiskey" designation covers the whole island of Ireland, though Old Bushmills Distillery itself is in Bushmills, County Antrim, in Northern Ireland (part of the United Kingdom). It's the youngest expression in Bushmills' single malt range, distilled entirely from 100% malted barley and triple distilled, then matured for a minimum of 10 years in a combination of former sherry casks and bourbon-seasoned casks. It's bottled at 40% ABV (80 proof). The distillery is currently owned by Proximo Spirits (part of the Beckmann family's Becle group, also the owner of Jose Cuervo), having previously been owned by Diageo before a 2014 ownership change.
Whisky Specs
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- County Antrim
- Distillery
- Bushmills
- Brand
- Bushmills
- Category
- Single Malt
- Age
- 10
- ABV
- 40% ABV
- Cask
- Former sherry casks and bourbon-seasoned casks
- Volume
- US 750ml / 700ml (other markets)
- Value
- Fair
Tasting Review
Tasting Notes
- Nose
- Mellow and light, with pronounced fruit — honey, vanilla, green apple, pear, citrus and floral notes.
- Palate
- Smooth and gentle on the palate. Honey, malt and vanilla lead, with pear, spice and a soft touch of oak underneath.
- Finish
- A moderate finish carrying spice, a faint bitterness and lingering fruit.
Flavor Profile
- Sweetness 3 / 5
- Fruit 3 / 5
- Spice 2 / 5
- Oak 1 / 5
- Smoke / Peat 0 / 5
- Body 3 / 5
Pros
- Genuinely smooth and honeyed, with clear green apple and pear fruit that doesn't feel thin or watery despite the gentle style.
- Holds up well across nearly every serve tested, and neat in particular is where it performs best.
Cons
- Doesn't have a particularly distinctive or individual character — drinkers looking for something bolder or more unusual may find it a little unexciting.
Final Verdict
Bushmills Single Malt 10 Year doesn't try to be bold or unusual — it's a gentle, honeyed, fruit-forward single malt with green apple and pear front and center, and a smoothness that makes it very easy to drink. What keeps it from a higher score is character: there's nothing especially distinctive here, and drinkers who want a whiskey with a stronger personality may come away wanting more, even though nothing about it is actually flawed. Neat is genuinely where this bottle performs best, which isn't always the case with lighter, more approachable styles. At around $48-$50 in the US, it's a fair price for a well-made, versatile single malt, and it's an easy one to recommend to just about anyone who isn't chasing something more intense.
Other Ways to Drink It
Dram Verdict's core Nose, Palate, Finish and Score above are tasted neat. These are Kaz's notes on other ways he's actually tried this bottle.
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With Water
Surprisingly doesn't thin out with a twice-up pour — still malty and fruity. A small amount of water brings out even more fruit and softens the spice, making it easier to drink.
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On the Rocks
Doesn't have a lot of heft this way, but the flavor holds up well — spice and fruit come forward at first, then mellow into more sweetness and fruit as the ice melts.
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Highball
A malty, toasty character and moderate acidity make for a light, clean highball that's refreshing and easy to keep drinking.
Where to Buy
United Kingdom
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