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Now Viewing: Old Bushmills Distillery
Producer of triple distilled Irish whiskies. The Old Bushmills Distillery is devoted to the production of the finest quality Irish whiskey. Whiskey making at Bushmills draws on centuries-old distilling history, including the first licence to distil whiskey, granted for the county of Antrim in 1608. These skills and tradition still live on today at the Old Bushmills Distillery, and shine through every drop of our whiskey. Another unique aspect of the Old Bushmills Distillery is that malt distilling, blending, maturation and bottling are all carried out on the same site. Our passion for whiskey-making and in-house expertise in all stages of the whiskey production process are the critical factors in the quality and complexity of the Bushmills family of whiskeys. The County Antrim village of Bushmills has a long and illustrious history of whiskey production. Stories tell us that the troops of King Henry II of England were more than happy to discover the unique taste of Irish whiskey. Unable to pronounce the Gaelic “Uisce Beatha” (Water of Life), they shortened it to “Uisce” and finally to whiskey. In 1608, the first licence to distill whiskey was granted by King James I for the region which is now County Antrim. The Irish spirit soon became a favourite among the revellers of British King James's court. In 1784, the Bushmills distillery became an officially registered company. From the 1740s to 1910 Irish emigrants to the USA spread their taste for Bushmills overseas. During these years the Bushmills whiskeys scored outstanding successes at international spirit and whiskey competitions. The company flourished until Prohibition in America destroyed the whiskey export trade in Ireland. Although many of the Irish distilleries were forced to close, Bushmills was able to recover thanks to the vision of the then distillery director Wilson Boyd. He correctly anticipated the end of the American alcohol ban and had ample stocks of his fine whiskey ready for export. In 1947 Isaac Wolfson of Great Universal Stores bought the Old Bushmills Distillery. Wolfson’s friend, Colonel Henry Kaplan, formed a new wholesale operation in the USA, Quality Importers Inc., and heavily promoted Bushmills for 17 years and even listed Bushmills in the celebrated “21” Club. Since then, Bushmills has flourished abroad as well as at home, and has become a favourite among discerning drinkers for its unparalleled range of quality Irish whiskeys.
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