Bushmills

The attractive village of Bushmills is home to the oldest licensed distillery in the world. King James I declared it a legal enterprise in 1608, but historical documents have referred to the presence of this type of enterprise on the site since 1276.

The town of Bushmills is famous for the widely recognized and appreciated Irish whiskey, produced at the distillery - in the picturesque, pagoda roofed buildings. There exists a rare black label version of the quality malt whiskey as well, and it is sought after around the world. Local legend says that the whiskey has an exceptional flavor because the water used to make it comes from nearby St Columba’s rill (stream).

Visitors can test the quality of the brew, and see it made by taking one of the frequent hour long tours that progress from the mashing and fermentation rooms, through the bottling and aging warehouse and into the gift shop at the visitor’s Centre.

They can watch the mash bubble and ferment, and marvel at the great copper stills. As the whiskey matures in wooden barrels, visitors can smell the evaporation from the seams, referred to as the “angels share” by tour guides. At the end of the tour, they can sample a complimentary shot of the water of life, called ‘visce beatha’. They also get a taste of the Bushmillers mantra:

“ Here’s to health and prosperity, to you and all your posterity. And them that doesn’t drink with sincerity, may they be damned for all eternity.”

The town is named for the River Busch, a fast flowing stream that supplies waterpower to run the mills. Noted for trout and salmon, it also produced the electric power for the world’s first hydroelectric tramway, used to carry visitors to the Giant’s Causeway from 1893 to 1949.