Old Bushmills Distillery

Old Bushmills glories in the status of the oldest licensed distillery in the world. It is though that distilling may have begun on the site as early as the thirteenth century, but the first permit was granted by James VI and I to Sir Thomas Phillipps, a local landowner, in 1608.

The site was especially well suited for its purpose, standing on the banks of St Columb's Rill, or stream, which flowed over the nearby peaty ground and into the River Bush, and which still provides the distillery with its fresh water supplies today. Belying its antiquity, Old Bushmills is distinctly Victorian-Speyside in appearance - a legacy of its rebuilding and the addition of its pagoda towers after a devastating fire in 1885. Although no longer in use, the tower remain the distinctive landmark of a distinguished distillery.

Whiskies from ‘Old Bushmills’ are renowned for their warm, distinctive taste and the art and craft of distilling them, which has been handed down for generations, can be experienced on a tour through the working distillery. The tour takes you through the processes from the water of the springs of St. Columb’s Rill, the malting of Irish barley, its triple distillation in copper stills and its maturing in oak casks and of course the tour ends with a sample of one of the distillery’s famous, Bushmills whiskies.

Package layout

Day One:

• Evening – Arrive and get settled into your luxury accommodation overlooking the River Derg

Day Two:

• Morning - Have breakfast and set out for the North Coast, taking in some of the most scenic counties in Ireland.


• Afternoon – First you will visit the world famous Giant's Causeway, the seventh wonder of the world. Take a stroll around the beautiful coastline and see if you can find the Giant’s Wishing Chair before you take some pictures of the Giant’s Organ and needle. Return to the Gift Shop for a browse or have a cup of tea/ coffee and a light snack at the Tea Room.
  
  Leaving the Causeway, you can venture across the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge which connects the mainland with the tiny Carrick Island. Once safely on the other side, you can admire the cliffs and look across the Irish Sea to Scotland, 12 miles away on the horizon. All in all, the picturesque surroundings will provide the perfect setting for some breathtaking shots.
  
  To finish the afternoon, we will take you to the famous, Old Bushmills Distillery where you will get a guided tour around one of the oldest distilleries in the world.


• Evening - Return to West Tyrone for a 3-course evening meal at the Duke of Abercorn's Baronscourt Estate* after which you can return to your accommodation and enjoy a relaxing night in outdoor hot tub or be whisked away for an explosive night out.

Day Three:

• Morning - Exchange experiences the morning after the night before as you have some breakfast then take a step back into history and journey through time to share two centuries of Irish emigration at the Ulster American Folk Park.


• Afternoon - Visit the Marble Arch Caves, one of Europe's finest show caves allowing visitors to explore a fascinating, natural underworld of rivers, waterfalls, winding passages and lofty chambers.


• Evening - Return to your accommodation and spend the evening and the local Baronscourt Hunting Lodge Hotel or relax in our outdoor Hot Tub.

Day Four:

• Morning: Enjoy a relaxing breakfast before returning home after an action packed tour.