Bushmills
Nestled in the north of Ireland , a stone's throw from the spectacular Giant's Causeway, the Bushmills distillery is one of the oldest and most iconic whiskey houses in the world. Located in the small town of Bushmills, it boasts a distilling license dating back to 1608 , making it a historical symbol of Irish craftsmanship.
Ancient and unique origins
As early as 1276, Sir Robert Savage, then owner of the Bushmills lands, was already giving his troops aqua vitae to drink to bolster their courage. In 1490, the Book of Leinster mentions a local spirit served in the area, proof that the tradition of distillation has been firmly established there for centuries.
The modern distillery was officially founded in 1784 by Hugh Anderson . It experienced significant growth from 1860 onwards, after being purchased for the modest sum of 500 pounds. In 1885, a fire partially destroyed it, but it was quickly rebuilt in a pure Scottish style, with characteristic pagoda chimneys, typical of distilleries of the period.
An identity that goes against the grain
Bushmills' history is marked by strong independence. At a time when most Irish distilleries produced pot still whiskey and operated as vast industrial complexes—like the Midleton Distillery in Cork—Bushmills opted for single malt and a more human-scale operation. In 1825, Midleton's giant still produced more whiskey in a single day than Bushmills did in an entire year.
Long one of the few distilleries to produce Irish malt whiskey, Bushmills later expanded into blends, sourcing grain distillate from Midleton . Its famous Black Bush , composed of approximately 80% triple-distilled malt , has become one of its greatest successes.
A unique expertise: triple distillation
Bushmills' signature lies in triple distillation , an emblematic technique of Irish whiskey. The malt, made from unpeated barley, passes through the stills three times, giving the spirit a great smoothness, a roundness on the palate, and characteristic fruity and spicy aromas.
Today, the distillery produces both single malts and blends. It has several wash stills and spirit stills (increased to ten stills in 2005 ), and produces approximately 3 million liters of alcohol per year. Major modernization work launched in 2019 includes the addition of new stills, fermentation tanks, and warehouses, in order to increase annual capacity to 9 million liters.
A house with international reach
Over its almost 250 years of official history, Bushmills has undergone several successive acquisitions: integrated into the Irish Distillers group in 1972, it was then acquired by Pernod Ricard in 1987, then by Diageo in 2005, before joining the José Cuervo group in 2014.
In 2008, the distillery celebrated 400 years of its license with a limited edition, the Bushmills 1608, paying tribute to its exceptional heritage.
Still in operation, the distillery now welcomes visitors from all over the world. Bushmills remains a benchmark for Northern Irish whiskey, prized for its smoky character, smoothness, and typically Irish elegance. Read less
