Founded: 1608 (royal license to Sir Thomas Phillipson); current distillery: 1784 (ESTABLISHED FACT) Location: Bushmills, County Antrim, Northern Ireland Founder: Sir Thomas Phillipson (license); Hugh Anderson (current distillery)
Bushmills holds the oldest licensed distilling heritage in Ireland, with a 1608 license granted by King James I to Sir Thomas Phillipson. The current distillery on the River Bush dates to 1784. Bushmills uses malted barley and triple distillation. Owned by Casa Cuervo (acquired from José Cuervo in 2024, previously Diageo). [UNVERIFIED: ownership details as of 2024]
Signature style: Clean, smooth, malt-forward — honey, orchard fruit, vanilla, gentle oak. Triple-distilled.
Famous expressions: Bushmills Original, Bushmills 10 Year, Bushmills 16 Year, Bushmills 21 Year, Bushmills Black Bush.
Trivia: Bushmills claims the oldest distilling license in the world, granted in 1608 by King James I. — ESTABLISHED FACT