Black Bush Special Irish Whiskey is a rich, dark, 40 degree blend from the Old Bushmills Distillery in County Antrim, Ireland. It is composed almost entirely of single malt whiskies, which makes it a preferred selection for fans of good whiskey. The malt whiskey that will become Black Bush is aged for up to eleven years in selected sherry casks before being blended with a small amount of special single grain whiskey to enhance the malt's independent, unconventional character. The malt used in the Bushmills blend takes its pure flavor from the deliberate absence of peat, which is used in drying the barley. Irish distilleries dry their malt in ember kilns, not peat kilns. The drying process gives the crisp, clean flavors of the malt and barley a chance to shine through. The blend is then returned to a "marriage" barrel. The blending of the whiskeys gives birth to the uniquely rounded bouquet, the rich, amber color and the distinctive taste of Black Bush. Black Bush has a distinctive, full-bodied aroma with spicy, malty and hazelnut-sweet sherry notes. It is complex and well balanced, slightly sweet with clean, malty notes that are not obscured by smoky tones.