is bushmills distillery open for tours

Visiting The Old Bushmills Distillery: The Oldest Licensed Distillery on Earth

By Author Keith O'Hara

Posted on Last updated: April 4, 2024

The Old Bushmills Distillery claims to be the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world, but is it really?

The company that founded the distillery was formed in 1784 but a local landowner was granted a license to distill long before, in 1608.

We’ll dig into the history later! Located a short detour off the  Causeway Coastal Route , the distillery offers a hugely popular tour.

Below, you’ll learn about the story of Bushmills, the new ‘Causeway Distillery’ that opened in 2023 and what to expect from a visit.

Table of Contents

Some quick need-to-knows about the Old Bushmills Distillery

Photos courtesy of Tourism Northern Ireland

Although Bushmills is one of the more popular whiskey distilleries in Ireland and a visit is pretty straightforward, there are some handy need-to-knows:

1. Location

Located on Distillery Road just outside of Bushmills Town Centre, the distillery is a 10-minute drive from both Dunluce Castle and the Giant’s Causeway and a 20-minute drive from the  Carrick-a-rede rope bridge .

2. Opening hours

The distillery is open daily from 9.30am (9.15 in summer) until 4.45pm Monday to Saturday. Sunday hours are noon to 4.45pm. Last tours are at 4pm and the gift shop closes at 4.45pm.

3. Admission

Admission to Bushmills Distillery is £17.29 for adults with concessions for children (£6.92) and seniors (£13.83).

4. The tour

Over 120,000 visitors take the Bushmills Distillery tour every year. Your tour guide will take you through the distillery in small groups on a tour that takes about 40 minutes. Learn about the distilling process, see the barrels and casks in which the amber nectar is aged and visit the bottling hall. More info below.

5. The new distillery

In 2023, a state-of-the-art distillery called the ‘Causeway Distillery’  was opened next to the old distillery. It cost a whopping £37 million and it has doubled the distillery’s production capacity.

The History of the Bushmills Distillery

The History of the Bushmills Distillery tends to cause some confusion and this is due to two dates that are closely associated with the distillery – 1784 and 1608.

1608, which is printed on the bottles, refers to the date that a license was granted to distill whiskey. 1784 was when the company that operates Bushmills Distillery was formed.

Let’s look at the history a little closer at the most famous of the many whiskey distilleries in Ireland .

The royal license granted in 1608

So, the Old Bushmills Distillery itself  doesn’t  date back to 1608.

1608 was when Sir Thomas Phillips, a local landowner, was given a royal license to distil whiskey in Bushmills.

Hugh Anderson and 1784

It was many years later, in 1784, that the ‘Bushmills Old Distillery Company’  was created by Hugh Anderson.

Many argue that this is the true date that the distillery should be tied to and, if that was the case, the ‘t Lootsje’ in Amsterdam, which opened in 1575, would be the world’s oldest.

Turbulent years followed

The Bushmills Distillery closed a number of times in the years that followed. In fact, there are no records of it being open in 1802 or 1822.

In 1860, the distillery was purchased by two Belfast spirit merchants, but it wasn’t until 1880 that they formed a LTD company.

In 1885, the original buildings were scorched by fire and, while the distillery was damaged, it was rebuilt.

SS Bushmills

The end of the 1800s (1890, to be precise) saw the distillery launch a steamship called the  ‘SS Bushmills’ , which brought Irish whiskey to America and beyond.

The ship stopped at Philadelphia and NYC before taking a long journey to Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Prohibition problems

As is the case with Irish whiskey brands to this day, the American market was key to success. Which is why prohibition in 1920 caused the whiskey industry to plummet.

Despite the challenges, Bushmills managed to weather the storm.

Later years

After WWII ended, Bushmills Distillery was bought by a Scottish businessman named Isaac Wolfson. Soon after, in 1972, it was taken over by Irish Distillers.

The years that followed saw the distiller change hands on several occasions:

• 1988 : Irish Distillers, along with Bushmills, were taken over by Pernod Ricard
• 2005 : Bushmills was bought by Diageo
• 2014 : Diageo exchange Bushmills for the Don Julio tequila brand
• 2024 : Bushmills remains in the ownership of Proximo Spirits

What to expect on the Old Bushmills Distillery Tour

Photo via Bushmills

There’s plenty to see and do on the Old Bushmills Distillery tour that make it well worth a visit (especially if you’re nearby when it’s raining…).

Below, you’ll discover what to expect from a visit, from the production of the whiskey to some very unique features.

1. Discover the story behind the world’s oldest distillery

For over 400 years, the tiny village of Bushmills has been home to the oldest working distillery in Ireland.

Opened in 1608, Bushmills Distillery has produced fine whiskey in small handcrafted batches, creating the famous smooth taste it is known for.

Bushmills uses 100% malted barley to create malt whiskey. Some are blended Irish whiskeys which combine malt whiskey with lighter grain whiskey.

2. Learn about the production

Bushmills Whiskey is produced in small batches and each cycle requires 40,000 litres of water. The mash takes 6.5 hours and then fermentation lasts for another 58 hours in the washbacks.

The distillery uses 10 pot stills to produce around 4 million litres per annum. Each warehouse contains 15,000 casks of maturing stock.

That’s a lot of liquor! The minimum term of maturity for Bushmills whiskey is 4.5 years with aged whiskeys being matured for 10 years or more.

3. Unique features

What makes the Old Bushmills Distillery so special is that it is the oldest licensed distillery in the world.

Despite its fame and considerable output, it remains a village business built on local grit and determination.

In 2008, the distillery featured on Bank of Ireland bank notes and has been retained on the new polymer version.

Families have worked in this historic distillery for generations, creating hand-crafted Irish whiskey that’s second to none.

4. Learn about the future of the distillery

Under the ownership of Jose Cuervo, Bushmills Distillery is going from strength to strength.

In 2023, a state-of-the-art distillery called the ‘Causeway Distillery’  was opened next to the old distillery.

It cost a whopping £37 million and it has doubled the distillery’s production capacity.

One of the latest innovations is the use of acacia wood casks to give character and spice to the aging whiskey.

What to do nearby

One of the beauties of doing the Old Bushmills Distillery tour is that it’s a short spin away from a clatter of other Antrim Coast attractions .

Below, you’ll find a handful of things to see and do a stone’s throw from the distillery:

• The Bushmills Inn : An olde-world coaching inn that dates back as long as the distillery itself and includes inglenook turf fires, cosy snugs and an excellent menu
• The heavy hitters: Both Dunluce Castle and the Giant’s Causeway are less than 10 minutes by car
• More Antrim attractions: Dunseverick Castle (11 mins), White Park Bay Beach (13 mins) and the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge , (17 mins)

Frequently asked questions

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from is the Bushmills the oldest distillery in the world to how much tickets cost.

In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.

Is the Bushmills Distillery tour worth doing?

Yes, the Bushmills Distillery tour is well worth checking out. It’s packed with history and you’ll see each step of the distilling process during your visit.

When did the Old Bushmills Distillery open?

The company that operates the distillery was formed in 1784 and it has been in constant operation since a fire in 1885 required the distillery to be rebuilt.

Is Bushmills the oldest distillery in Ireland?

It is indeed. The distillery was granted a license to distill whiskey way back in 1608, making it the oldest licensed distillery on earth.

Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent most of the last 10 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 30 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries . Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Veronica R Morley

Wednesday 27th of October 2021

I have a family ancestor who was born in Ballyhome according to the 1881 England Census. Anthony Morley born about 1826 and 2 sons: Michael and Patrick were born in Ballyhome also before they went to settle in Blackburn England. The small town of Ballyhome is part of Coleraine now, I believe. There is an entrance to Ballyhome Road from Cloyfin Rd (B17) where there is a large entrance monument. Was it the original entrance to Bushmills Old Distillery? Do you know of any information regarding this arched gate? Bushmills Irish Whiskey dates from 1608; the company was formed by Hugh Anderson in 1784. Perhaps the date of the building of the stone arch entrance. Do you have information? It was a surprise to find this beautiful gate and I would love to know its history.

What to Know Before Visiting Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland

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.

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

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We've been here for 400 years and don't plan on leaving soon.

THE WORLD'S OLDEST LICENSED WHISKEY DISTILLERY

Granted a license to distil in 1608, Bushmills is the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world.

Discover our craft

Over 400 years later, whiskey is still being made in Bushmills, thanks to experience and craft passed down from generation to generation.

Visit us today, just a few miles from Ireland’s rugged north coast, and see how we continue to triple distil 100% malted barley in copper pot stills to make single malt whiskey.

The Original Single Malt

Bushmills - distilled, matured and bottled on-site. a 400 year old tradition..

-"Bushmills: 400 years in the making." By Peter Mulryan

Old Bushmills Distillery Tours

Our guided tours let you take in the best our distillery has to offer. Learn about the copper pot stills and production process of our triple distilled whiskeys.

Explore the landscape and terrain that imbue our whiskey with its legendary character, meet the people that represent centuries of knowledge and experience our craft firsthand with a whiskey tasting. We also offer private tours and tasting experiences. Check out our Distillery Tours page for more info.

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HAVE A TASTE OF IRISH WHISKEY AT THE OLDEST DISTILLERY IN IRELAND

Located in the north of Ireland, the small village of Bushmills is a must stop for many visitors, especially on their way to the Giant’s Causeway. It is also the location of the oldest working distillery in Ireland.

Established in 1784 by Hugh Anderson, the distillery has a long and rich history. In the 1850s, while most distillers in Ireland changed their grain, the owners were proud to stick to their original recipe. A clear winning recipe, as they still use it today!

For 400 years, Bushmills has kept to its main philosophy of handcrafting whiskey and involving the town community to produce a fine smooth Irish whiskey.

The biggest business boom for the distillery came in the 20 th century, as the American market was coming out of prohibition at the time. Then in 2008, to celebrate 400 years, the Bank of Ireland put the Old Bushmills distillery on its brand new bank notes.

And if you wonder where you may have heard of this small historic distillery, it may be in literature! Bushmills Distillery was mentioned in James Joyce’s Ulysses in ‘On Booze’.

You could learn more by visiting the distillery yourself. It is open all year long for a fee, with daily tours and tastings available to visitors.

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• Bushmills Distillery Tour: Must Read Review

By: Author James McAlister

The Bushmills distillery tour is a fantastic opportunity to see the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world in action. It’s something not to be missed if you’re in Northern Ireland . 

You don’t have to be a massive whiskey head to enjoy the Bushmills Distillery Tour. In fact it will probably appeal more if you’re not, but we’ll get into that in more detail a bit later.

The town of Bushmills itself is a popular base or stop off for people visiting the incredible Giant’s Causeway . Which let’s face it, should be on every Ireland itinerary .

But while lots of visitors will stay a night or two in Bushmills, most only spend a couple of hours marvelling at the unique charms of the Giant’s Causeway itself. And since the Bushmills distillery tour lasts roughly an hour, that should make it easily doable to squeeze in a visit to discover how they turn water into gold, even for the tightest of itineraries.

Bushmills Distillery Tour Review

This blog post will give you everything you need to know before you book a Bushmills Distillery tour. Including what the tour involves, where to buy tickets and accommodation recommendations for staying in Bushmills town overnight.

What the Bushmills Whiskey Tour Involves

The Bushmills Distillery Tour takes you through the entire process of whisky making from grain to glass, via a journey through their old distillery.

I say old distillery because also on site there is a brand spanking new 36 million pound facility that was only completed in 2022. But they’re super secretive about that and you’re barely allowed to look at it as you walk past, let alone visit as part of the tour.

Along the way you’ll learn about the raw ingredients that go into whiskey, the machinery and equipment that turns it into a spirit, the ageing process and the barrels used at the Bushmills distillery, as well as a look at the bottling process.

A Few Things to Know About Bushmills Distillery

There is absolutely no photography allowed throughout the tour. They say it’s due to the alcohol vapours in the air and the danger poised by battery operated devices. However I’ve never not been allowed to take photos on a distillery tour before (see our Jameson Experience Middleton review as evidence).

At the end your £15 ticket can be redeemed for a single drink, either the Bushmills Original, Black Bush, 10 Year Old or 12 Year Old Distillery Reserve.

The distillery has its own bar called 1608 Bar where you can purchase a wide selection of drinks separately including soft drinks, cocktails or a hot toddy. The bar is beautiful and the prices are pretty reasonable.

There are extra tastings available to buy separately at the 1608 Bar for £10 or £25 where you get to sample the Black Bush, 10 year old and 12 year old distillery reserve or the 12 year old distillery reserve, 16 year old and 21 year old respectively. 

Bushmills Distillery Tour Price

The Bushmills Distillery tour price currently stands at £15. Included in this is the roughly hour long guided tour through the old distillery and a single drink at the end.

There is only one type of Bushmills Whiskey tour available to purchase at the moment so there are no extra options to select from.

Bushmills Distillery Tour Tickets

The best way to purchase your Bushmills Distillery tour tickets is online direct via the Bushmills website .

It’s a very simple process of choosing your date, time and number of attendees and then entering your card details to complete the payment.

Tour groups ordinarily have a maximum size of 12, and this is the maximum number of tickets you are able to book online per slot.

However, if you have a larger group that you would like to enquire about being accommodated then you can email them directly to ask about this.

Either message [email protected] or alternatively email [email protected] for help with any unusual requests or options for your Bushmills Distillery tour tickets.

Bushmills Distillery Tour Times

Tours run daily Monday to Friday, with none running on the weekend. 

Bushmills Distillery tour times are every hour, on the hour starting at 10am and with the final tour commencing at 3pm.

This means the available Bushmills Distillery tour times to book online are at 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, or 15:00.

Bushmills Distillery Tour From Belfast

If you’re looking to do a Bushmills Distillery Tour from Belfast then there are various options available to you.

If you have your own transport then it’s just over an hour’s journey from Belfast to the town of Bushmills.

But if you’re wanting to taste some whiskies and not fall foul of drink driving laws then your best bet will be to join an organised tour.

We’d recommend this one which also includes a visit to the Giants Causeway, The Dark Hedges and Dunluce Castle. Alternatively theres’s a Hop-on Hop-off Northern Ireland Bus Tour with 1-3 day passes which has a stop off in Bushmills Town.

Bushmills Distillery Opening Times

• Monday 10am–4pm
• Tuesday 10am–4pm
• Wednesday 10am–4pm
• Thursday 10am–4pm
• Friday 10am–4pm
• Saturday Closed
• Sunday Closed

Is the Bushmills Distillery Tour Worth Doing?

If you have never done a whiskey tour before then the short answer to “is the Bushmills Distillery Tour worth doing?” is absolutely, yes.

However, as I alluded to at the beginning of the post. If you’re slightly more knowledgeable about whiskey production and have been on some whiskey tours before then you might be better off skipping this one.

The reason for this is that the production of whisky essentially involves exactly the same process the world over. The thing that makes visiting different whiskey distilleries worth it are the elements that are unique to each individual distillery.

This could be anything from an interesting history to a singular philosophy. But while a Bushmills Distillery visit is a good introduction to the production of whiskey, it’s very light on what distinguishes Bushmills from every other distillery.

Having said that, Bushmills does produce very high quality whiskey. So while the tour itself might not be the best option for whiskey aficionados, it’s still well worth visiting the Bushmills distillery, skipping the tour and heading straight to the 1608 bar for a tasting.

The £25 option, which includes a dram of Black Bush, the 12 year old distillery reserve, 16 year old and 21 year old, is a great way to sample the best stuff that Bushmills makes. 

Where To Stay In Bushmills Town

Unless you have a designated driver, you are likely going to want to stay overnight in Bushmills Town. It’s also a great base for visiting other nearby Northern Ireland tourist attractions. Bushmills a great little town with lots of amenities and quality accommodation.

Here’s a handpicked selection of our favourites:

The Lambing Shed | Just 15 minutes walk from the distillery, this modern self catering apartment with cosy log burner, pretty terrace and secure parking is ideal for a couple.

Check prices, availability & reviews

Bushmills Inn | This historic hotel dates back to the 1600’s has an on site restaurant and bar for convenience. Double and twin rooms are available. It’s a 10 minute walk to the distillery.

Maison | A riverside townhouse with two ensuite bedrooms, this is perfect for a small group. It’s less than a 10 minute walk, has a pretty garden, an open fire in the lounge and parking.

Irish Whiskey Good Reads

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Travel lover, professional writer and football (soccer) obsessive, James loves nothing more than getting outside and exploring little known corners of the globe. He’s also very partial to a drop of Guinness.

Sharon Bailie

Wednesday 22nd of February 2023

Thank you for a great blog. Appreciated all details on Old Bushmills Distillery

+44 (0) 2890 240300 [email protected]

Bushmills Irish whiskey tour

Enjoy the bushmills irish whiskey tour while visiting northern ireland.

A trip to Northern Ireland is not complete with a trip to the Old Bushmills Distillery . Located in Co Antrim, the Old Bushmills Distillery is the oldest operational distillery in all of the island of Ireland. A day trip to the distillery allows visitors the unique opportunity to actually watch how whiskey is made and even offers them a chance to taste some of the fine results. Known as the only grain to grass distillery in the country, Bushmills Irish whiskey is a real treat for connoisseurs, so why not take a look at what 400 years of distilling has taught the founders of this grand distillery.

Opening times

The Bushmills Irish whiskey tours run about every 15 to 20 minutes, so there really is no wrong time to show up during the day if you want to visit the distillery. The distillery is open from 9:15am to 4pm Monday to Saturday, as it has been since it was first granted a royal license to distil back in 1608. On Sunday it is also open from noon until 4pm with the gift shop closing up on both days by 4:45pm. Therefore, if you want to grab some gifts to take home, you may want to try to get there before the last tour to make sure you have time to browse.

Each tour lasts about 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the group and how chatty everyone is as they tour the whiskey distillery! There are no set times, so you can just show up and wait for the next chance to travel into the distillery. Groups can call in advance to have tour times set up, but 1pm is the latest time for groups to tour together, and on Sunday no group bookings can be reserved. Groups must have 15 people or more. Be aware that large backpacks are not allowed on the tour, and the distillery does not offer a place to store them safely.

The tour is open to anyone that wants to see how the finest whiskey in the land is distilled, but those who have walking difficulties may find it tricky, and in addition, the distillery is not wheelchair accessible. Children under 8 are allowed to visit the distillery and the gift shop but are not allowed to take part in the guided tours. There is an admission fee that is charged for the tours, and this includes the tasting portion of the tour as well.

A visit to the Old Bushmills Distillery is part of the Giants Causeway Tour run by Odyssey Coach Tours. Enjoy all the experiences of the North Coast of Ireland with us.

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