Every March I run what Jess lovingly called “my Irish Whiskey Month” (apparently I own Ireland now), and this week I finally did a side-by-side I’d been meaning to do for ages: Jameson Black Barrel vs Bushmills Black Bush. I’d tried both before, just never next to each other—so I roped Jess in for a proper blind tasting. We went nose, palate, finish, and tried to call which was which before the reveal… and yes, the name “Black Bush” got exactly the reaction I was hoping for. What surprised me is how close these two sit in flavour despite coming from different giants. Both are triple distilled, both 40% ABV, and both are “step-up” blends with higher malt content—meaning they’ve got more oiliness and linger than a lot of entry-level blends. In the blind, Bushmills showed more character on the nose (honey and a bit more complexity), but Jameson actually stood out more for me overall once we went back and forth—more caramelised sweetness, a touch of vanilla, and that easy, sessionable feel. After the reveal, I break down the specs: Jameson’s double-charred bourbon barrels (plus some Oloroso time) versus Black Bush’s “primarily Oloroso” plus some ex-bourbon. The takeaway: they’re both genuinely good value, genuinely a step up from the originals, and if either is on special—no regrets.