Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland holds the title for the oldest active distillery in the world. Granted a distilling license in 1608, the current distillery was built in 1784. So seeing the distillery is experiencing Irish whiskey history. But there’s a few things to know before visiting Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland.
My boyfriend and I spent a week traveling through Ireland visiting whiskey distilleries. But our Irish Whiskey adventure wouldn’t be complete without visiting Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland, so we spent two nights in Belfast just for that.
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and I may receive a commission from them. Thank you for supporting the companies that support Whiskied Wanderlust.
What to Know Before Visiting Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland
Bushmills Distillery is unique among Irish distilleries.
First, a little about Bushmills whiskey. It’s one of the few distilleries in Ireland to use 100% unpeated malted barley and one of the few that exclusively triple-distills its whiskey. Even more unique is that every step of the whiskey-making process takes place right at Bushmills — from mashing to distilling, aging, and bottling.
(That said, Bushmills only makes malt whiskey at their distillery. The grain whiskey used in their blended bottlings is sourced.)
And, always worth mentioning: Bushmills’ master blender, Helen Mulholland, was the first woman in Ireland to hold that title. Yay for women in whiskey!
Bushmills Distillery is an hour away from Belfast.
It’s often said that Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland is in Belfast. Or at least that’s what I’d heard before my recent distillery trip to Ireland! But in reality, Bushmills Distillery is in County Atrim, about an hour’s drive from Belfast.
That means that the easiest way to get to Bushmills Distillery is to drive. That obviously comes with its own set of challenges, but the drive itself is really easy. It’s a pretty drive, too, through rolling green hills. And if you have time, you can add some detours along the way.
We stopped at The Dark Hedges, famously the filming location for the King’s Road in Game of Thrones. It was a good excuse to stretch our legs and take some photos. This tour includes transportation from Belfast and stops at several Northern Ireland sites.
(It’s worth noting that it is possible to get to Bushmills Distillery from Dublin. The drive is about 3.5 hours — which is long, but not impossible in a day. In fact, this tour actually includes a driver from Dublin if you don’t want to do it yourself!)
The distillery campus is huge!
When we got to Bushmills, I was shocked at the size of the distillery campus. Spanning a whopping 130 acres, there are dozens of buildings, including two distilleries with 10 (!) large stills. There are plans for four more distilleries, which will make Bushmills the world’s largest.
Once all that whiskey is distilled, it needs to be aged. At Bushmills, there are 46 warehouses right on site, each holding 50,000 casks each!
The distillery tour at Bushmills walks you through several buildings, including a distillery, the fermentation tanks, a bottling plant, and more. So wear your walking shoes!
No photos are allowed at Bushmills Distillery
A word of warning for camera-loving folks (like me): no photos are allowed inside Bushmills Distillery. Cameras must stay tucked away, and even cell phones must be off! That means if you’re hoping to take notes during the tour (*raises hand*), you better bring a pen and paper.
Our guide explained the no phones and cameras rule is due to the possibility that a spark from the electronics could ignite during the tour. And as you can imagine, a distillery of that size is quite flammable!
It was disappointing not to get photos of the inside of Bushmills Distillery, but I admit it made me pay attention to the tour a little closer! (And photos are allowed outside and in the tasting rooms.)
The Premium tour is worth the upgrade.
Bushmills Distillery currently offers two different tours: a one-hour tour and a Premium, 2.5-hour tour. Both include tours of the distillery, the only difference is the tasting that follows.
We took the Premium tour, which includes an upgraded tasting of Bushmills whiskey. I recommend that one because you get to taste such a wider range of spirits. (We tasted 10, 12, 16, and 21 year single malts, plus Blackbush, Bushmills Original, and an Acacia Finish.)
Being able to taste so many Bushmills’ whiskeys side-by-side really gave me a better sense of appreciation for the distillery. Although I still wish their whiskey had a higher ABV!
•••
Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland is quite the experience. From the drive there to seeing inside the historic distillery, the whole day was memorable. I highly recommend a visit if you’re nearby, just remember to book tours in advance!
Related :: The Ultimate Guide to Distilleries in Ireland, How to Plan a Whiskey Trip to Ireland, and more Distilleries in Ireland
