An appreciation of Bushmills and the spirit of Irish tradition
In the world of spirits, the word “old” is often bandied about — and often overplayed. When used to describe Bushmills, it is an absolute truth and an immutable fact of history. It’s even part of the name. Nestled along the jagged north coast of Ireland, where the River Bush cuts through volcanic rock, the Old Bushmills Distillery stands as the world’s oldest licensed whiskey maker, reaching back to 1608.
The hallmark of Bushmills is its steadfast devotion to 100 percent malted barley. They continue to triple-distill pure malted barley in traditional Irish copper pot stills, earning them the mantle of the Original Single Malt Whiskey-maker. You could say this distillation process provides the soul of the whiskey, and it’s the maturation that bestows the character. Bushmills has long been a pioneer in wood innovation, most notably through its Three Wood single malts: the 12-, 16- and 21-year-old expressions.
Bushmills 12 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Bushmills 16 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Bushmills 21 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Bushmills 12 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Bushmills 16 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Bushmills 21 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey
The 12 Year Old: Aged in bourbon and sherry casks before a finish in Marsala casks, adding notes of dried fruit and nuts.
The 16 Year Old: A cult favourite, utilizing a combination of bourbon and sherry aging before a final six to nine months in port casks.
The 21 Year Old: After 19 years in bourbon and sherry wood, it spends two years in Madeira casks, resulting in an extraordinary finish and depth.
While these aged expressions represent the distillery’s core — and are the darlings of collectors — it is also well-known for its signature blends, Bushmills Original and Black Bush. These contain a significantly higher proportion of single malt than typical blends, offering a level of complexity that has made them staples in the world’s best bars.
Bushmills remains the standard for those who value heritage and passion over hype. As Master Distiller Colum Egan famously puts it: “We’re not the best because we’re the oldest, we’re the oldest because we’re the best.”
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