Blogpost: Water of Life - Bushmills Irish

Posted by T • November 27, 2018

Posted by T • November 27, 2018

Water of Life - Bushmills Irish

Whisky degustation  at nel. Restaurant, Sydney, Australia

 

Full disclosure: Bushmills Irish Whiskey had not been on my radar, neither had been Sydney’s restaurant nel. which hosted this six-course whiskey inspired degustation, the pairings of which were carefully orchestrated by Chef Nelly Robinson – a chef whose trademark style is comprised of fusing contemporary and traditional technique.

Inspired by the tasting notes of Bushmills’ individual expressions, Robinson aimed at not only matching his creations with the distilled emissions but create new personalities through the mélange that is created by fusing both components.

So far, so good.

Proceedings were kicked off with a Bushmills Irish Whiskey cocktail on arrival, followed by Peppered venison, sorrel. A good start, which was accentuated by pairing brioche with duck fat butter.

The first highlight of the evening was the pairing of the sweet and rich Oloroso Sherry Casks matured Bushmills Black Bush Irish Whiskey with beetroot crème brulee, vinegar popcorn. High in malt content, Bushmills Black Bush is an exercise par excellence in rich smoothness and it won me over from the get go.

Next up was Bushmills Single Malt Whiskey 10-year-old with burnt hay snapper, lemongrass, grape, charcoal. One could see the rationale behind Robinson’s pairing but the snapper struggled keeping up with the heavy honey and milk chocolate nuances of the 10-Year-Old.

The heavily sweet yet soft Bushmills Single Malt Whiskey 16-year-old is a thing of beauty and the pairing with whiskey and coffee beef, macadamia, onion cabbage only enhanced its flavours, however, pairing Bushmills Single Malt Whiskey 21-year-old with banoffee pie was were the evening peaked.

The overly malty 21 -year-old by itself unfolds a complex symphony with notes of raisins, spices, nuts and a bit of Sulphur but pairing it with banoffee pie elevated it to the next level.

The second highlight was the final course, i.e. the pairing of Bushmills Old Fashioned cocktail with smoky cheese.

An evening that not only highlighted  why Ireland’s oldest licensed distillery is known for its signature style of smooth, malt-rich spirits, but also lend weight to the claim the whisky is underrated when it comes to not only complementing food or running danger of overpowering it,  but elevates it and adds an additional dimension to it, which results in a  flavor experience the total of which is more than the sum of its individual components would have you think.

Read more Water of Life entries here.

---

Photos by @k.a.vv

T • November 27, 2018

More recent blogposts

PJ Harvey @ Sydney Opera House Forecourt

Posted by T • March 14, 2025

PJ Harvey Sydney Opera House Forecourt 13 March 2025 Sydney, Australia photo courtesy of Daniel Boud and the Sydney Opera House.Caption Some artists perform. PJ Harvey transmutes. Like a figure walking between worlds, she never lingers too long in one place, never allows herself to fossilize into nostalgia. Instead, she reinvents - without ever severing the thread that binds her … Read more

The Get Up Kids/Ozma @ The Glass House 3/7/25

Posted by Aaron H • March 14, 2025

The Get Up Kids - Credit: AMH The Get Up Kids just finished the US leg of their 25th Anniversary Tour for their seminal album, Something To Write Home About with 2 nights at The Glass House in Pomona. Of course, I didn't wanna miss it. Following support from Indie-Rock band, Ozma -- who ran through tracks from their first … Read more

Chat Pile/Gouge Away @ The Glass House 2/22/25

Posted by Aaron H • March 4, 2025

Chat Pile Fans - Credit: AMH Chat Pile are about to wrap up their US West Coast and Canada tour with Gouge Away this week. I was fortunate enough to catch the sludgy rockers when they came through Pomona last week. Nightosphere - Credit: AMH Kansas City's Nightosphere has opened the shows every night. The trio's unique blend of shoegaze … Read more

Cursive/Pile @ The Glass House 2/14/25

Posted by Aaron H • February 18, 2025

Cursive - Photo Credit: AMH In a time of a lot of bullshit going on, spending Valentine's Day with my wife and Cursive at my favorite venue was a great escape. Cursive are out on the road in support of their newest album, Devourer, with support from Boston-Rock quartet, Pile. I hadn't previously heard of Pile and was surprised to … Read more

Luke Combs @ Accor Stadium

Posted by T • February 2, 2025

Luke Combs 01 February 2025 Accor Stadium Sydney, Australia On a balmy February evening in Sydney, country music fans from across NSW flocked to Accor Stadium for what promised to be a historic night. Luke Combs, the global superstar who has redefined modern country music, made history as the first country artist to headline a full stadium tour in Australia … Read more

Wardruna @ Enmore Theatre

Posted by T • January 28, 2025

Wardruna 25 January 2025 Enmore Theatre Sydney, Australia photo courtesy of Wardruna In the humid haze of a Sydney summer evening, the Enmore Theatre became a portal to another realm, a sacred space where time and place blurred. On January 25, 2025, Wardruna delivered a transcendent performance that not only captivated but transported its audience into the heart of Nordic … Read more

Best of 2024 Playlist

Posted by Loren • January 23, 2025

Sometimes I get all introspective and ask myself why I do this. Not very often, but the answer is always because I like music. It's that simple. I like to discover new stuff and I like to share it. Every year, the staff at Scene Point Blank sink a ton of time into 3 big Year End features. Part of … Read more

Lung @ Lee's Palace

Posted by Mirela Z. • December 10, 2024

Lung @ Lee's Palace Toronto, ON Canada November 19, 2024 Have you ever heard a distorted electric cello, with intense vocals and heavy drum beats? Powerhouse duo, cellist Kate Wakefield and drummer Daisy Caplan, are not to be underestimated! Seeing them for the first time perform live has left me wanting more! Read more

Better Lovers @ The Observatory 11/30/24

Posted by Aaron H • December 5, 2024

Better Lovers: Photo Credit - AMH Better Lovers are making the rounds again, this time with a new full-length LP, Highly Irresponsible, released earlier this Fall. The hardcore mash-up of ex-Dillinger Escape Plan and ex-Every Time I Die members recently brought their show to So-Cal, and I had the pleasure of seeing how things have been going since last year. … Read more

Rise Against/LSDunes/Cloud Nothings @ HOB 11/20/24

Posted by Aaron H • November 28, 2024

Rise Against Fans - Photo Credit: AMH Rise Against decided to hit the road this past fall and brought along L.S. Dunes. Depending on your city, different acts opened the show. Cleveland, Ohio's Cloud Nothings covered the crowd warm-up duties on their run through California. With a bill this stacked, I didn't want to miss it. Cloud Nothings - Photo … Read more

Advertisement

DCxPC 2025