Bushmills Irish Whiskey, the world’s oldest licensed distillery, celebrated 415 years of whiskey heritage with the opening of its new Causeway Distillery.
The opening is part of parent company Proximo’s £60 million investment in its Irish single malt distilling and ageing facility at Bushmills over the past five years. The 39,000 sq ft facility, valued at £37 million, is situated on Ireland’s north coast and blends tech with craft to double production at the Bushmills site.
With the brand experiencing increasing demand across the globe, the challenge in extending operations to the new distillery has been to maintain the brand’s essential taste and character. To achieve this, Bushmills has combined generations of knowledge and experience with the technical excellence of the new distillery and its processes. The new Causeway Distillery deploys the latest thermal technology, which reduces energy usage by 30%, and state-of-the-art distilling innovations that have boosted material consumption efficiency by up to 10%.
The distillery takes its name from the Giant’s Causeway, the legendary landmark, which has inspired Bushmills’ whiskey-makers for centuries. The designers have sought to pay homage to this natural wonder on the distillery’s doorstep with a visually arresting structure made of local basalt and limestone, incorporating interlocking and geometric features.
Colum Egan, the Master Distiller at Bushmills, said the expansion marked the “start of an exciting new chapter.”
“We are obsessed with exceptional whiskeys – the ingredients, the processes, the wood, the ageing,” said Egan. “Our second distillery represents a great step forward in ensuring generations to come will enjoy our renowned signature triple-distilled single malts alongside the innovations of the future.”
The investment in the Causeway Distillery marks Proximo’s unwavering commitment to accelerating the growth of the Bushmills portfolio, which saw depletions grow over 10% in 2022, passing one million case sales for the first time in its long legacy.
To celebrate the opening of the new distillery, Bushmills introduces two high-end additions to its range of products – a 25 Year Old and 30 Year Old Single Malt. With the 30 Year Old set to retail at a top price of $2,200 a bottle, the company describes the launch as a “bold entry into the ultra-prestige” market.
“Today, as we look to the future, it is fitting to release these two rare expressions,” said Alex Thomas, Bushmills Master Blender. “They are a testament to our passion for aged single malt. Maturing patiently and cared for by a generation of skilled craftspeople, these refined whiskeys have spent a lifetime in hand-selected oak casks and are now ready to take their place as true legends of Irish single malt.”
Bushmills’ owners Proximo are also set to capitalize on the area’s popularity as a tourist destination. Plans for a visitor experience at the new distillery signal an exciting boost for Irish whiskey tourism and the opportunity to engage new global whiskey lovers. Visitors can expect an immersive experience that includes Sharvagh House – linked to Hugh Anderson, one of Bushmills great whiskey pioneers – bridging the old and new worlds of whiskey-making in the region.
