Review: Bushmills Private Reserve 2025 Releases – Moscatel, Amarone, Bordeaux, and Tequila Finishes

At the end of 2023, Bushmills released four limited edition whiskeys that set off a new series called Private Reserve. (We didn’t review them.) Each started with classic Bushmills single malt whiskey aged in bourbon and oloroso sherry casks, but featuring a different, unusual finish — Plum Brandy, Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Tequila Casks. Now Private Reserve is back with a second round, again featuring four different finishes — with two repeats from the 2023 releases. Joining Bordeaux and Tequila, we now get whiskeys finished in Amarone wine casks and Moscatel wine casks. The repeats are both 12 years old; the new ones are both aged for 10 years.

Per Bushmills:

These special expressions are the work of Bushmills’ first female Master Blender, Alex Thomas, who has been aging them under a close eye, awaiting them to reach her desired levels of complexity and flavor. Furthermore, each Private Reserve Limited Release boasts a single vintage year in which it was distilled, capturing a specific moment in time. Each whiskey is also non-chill filtered, while holding higher proofs than the core Bushmills range, for a more robust character. Like all Bushmills’ single malts, they are made with 100% unpeated malted barley and the freshest spring water from the river Bush, then triple-distilled in small batches in traditional copper pot stills for that signature smoothness.

We received all four for review. Let’s dig in.

Bushmills Private Reserve 10 Years Old Moscatel Cask Finish 2025 Review

Finished in Moscatel wine barrels. Winey and sharp on the nose, the moscatel does a lot of the heavy lifting here. Touches of camphor, orange blossom, and honeysuckle inform an increasingly floral aromatic profile, which is overlaid atop classic Irish notes of toasty, sweetened breakfast cereal and honey. The palate is quite sweet and, again, wine-heavy with an oxidized, sweet quality. Notes of lemon curd, coconut, and more of that sweet breakfast cereal quality linger, culminating in a brisk, bright, and perfumed finish. While the wine influence can be a little overbearing at times, it does at least pair well with the Bushmills core presentation. 97 proof. B+ / $60

Bushmills Private Reserve 10 Years Old Amarone Cask Finish 2025 Review

Finished in casks that held Italian Amarone wine. A vastly different experience than the moscatel cask, the wine again does a lot of the heavy lifting here, only taking things in a much different direction. Boldly tannic and earthy, here we get a heavy, weighted nose that hints at petrol, mushroom, graphite, and roasted meats. The sweeter side of Irish whiskey is buried in there somewhere, and eventually it creeps into the palate, tempering an oily, ashy character with notes of red berries, raisins, and orange peel. Sharp, with a reprise of those heavy red wine notes on the back end, it leaves a slick layer of tannin clinging to the heart of the palate — for better or for worse. 94.6 proof. B / $60

Bushmills Private Reserve 12 Years Old Bordeaux Cask Finish 2025 Review

I presume this is finished in red Bordeaux wine casks, though only Pomerol is technically specified; note that this was a 10 year old release in 2023. This is as classic a representation of Irish whiskey as anything in this lineup, with a toasty, cereal-heavy nose that evokes notes of coconut, caramel, and a shaving of lemon peel. There’s no real hint of wine on either nose or palate. though the lemon influence builds, evoking a lemon meringue pie character that proves to be both quite enchanting and enduring. Chewy notes of saltwater taffy blend well with potpourri, then finishing notes of rosemary and thyme. A complex and surprising journey that rewards continued exploration — and easily the best whiskey in the lineup. 94 proof. A / $75 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

Bushmills Private Reserve 12 Years Old Tequila Cask Finish 2025 Review

The only non-wine finish in the quartet, this finishes in a combination of reposado and anejo tequila casks. A strong acetone note on the nose put me off from the start here, though a kinder read may peg this as intensely floral and perfumed. Either way it’s at odds with the delicate Irish whiskey at the core of the experience, and the nose is so overpowering I found it hard to push through to sip. The industrial notes are at least muted once you do, showcasing a palate that is overwhelming with fruit — a mix of very overripe apples, pears, and guava notes. The sweetness is more than a bit cloying, culminating in a candylike quality on the fade-out. It’s a massive departure for this lineup — and unlike any other Irish whiskey I can recall. More than anything else in this lineup, your mileage may vary quite a bit. C+ / $75 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

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