- Ireland's only working whiskey distillery open to visitors.
- Production, storage and classification of whiskeys are explained in detail.
- Whiskey-tasting session rounds off the visit.
- Remote location.
- One of Ireland's best-known distilleries and the only one open for visitors.
- Situated just south of the Giant's Causeway, in a remote corner of Ireland's Northeast.
- The production process is explained in detail and can be closely observed.
Whiskey, the "water of life", has been distilled and blended in Ireland for ages. And the distillery in Bushmills (County Antrim) is one of the best-known. It also is the only distillery actually open to visitors. Located in the extreme Northeast and near the Giant's Causeway it may, however, be a bit out if the way. So is it worth going there?
It certainly is!
While you might not even be all that interested in whiskey production, the tour will fascinate you. Knowledgeable guides pick you up in a barn-like waiting area and explain the individual steps involved in whiskey-making right up to the bottling. Including the important fact that without Spanish sherry Irish whiskey wouldn't be the same. They will also explain that neither smoking nor flash photography are allowed in the factory. And you will soon smell why - parts of the distillery are so full of whiskey fumes that you feel like you have been immersed in the good stuff. And the din in the bottling area is infernal.
The grand finale of the tour is a whiskey-tasting session. You can either join the fun and games with your guide or have a quieter drink for yourself - on the house. If you are planning on driving afterwards you might want to take a bracing walk at the nearby Giant's Causeway first. Or select a designated driver.
