Do I need to book Bushmills Distillery in advance?

Yes — Bushmills Distillery requires advance booking. Tickets sell out, especially in summer. Book via the link above to guarantee your place.

How much does it cost to visit Bushmills Distillery?

Standard adult admission is £20. Guided experiences start from £20 per person.

How long does a visit to Bushmills Distillery take?

Allow 1.5–2 hours for a comfortable visit. Arriving early in the morning or late afternoon helps avoid the busiest periods in summer.

When is Bushmills Distillery open?

Mon–Sat 09:15–17:00, Sun 12:00–17:00

Old Bushmills Distillery, Co. Antrim, Ireland

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

All Attractions

Food & Drink

Old Bushmills Distillery

Co. Antrim · 1.5–2 hours

The Old Bushmills Distillery holds the oldest whiskey distilling licence in the world, granted to Sir Thomas Phillips in 1608 by James I of England for the north Antrim region. The current buildings date largely from the 19th century, when the distillery was rebuilt after a fire, and contain pot stills, washbacks and bonded warehouses within a compact village-sized complex in the centre of Bushmills village.

Bushmills produces three main expressions: Original (the blend), Black Bush (a higher malt content blend aged in sherry casks) and the Single Malt range at 10, 12, 16 and 21 years. All are triple-distilled in the Irish style, using only local barley. The distillery draws water from St Columb's Rill, a tributary of the River Bush that runs through the village.

The distillery is 3 km from the Giant's Causeway, which makes it the obvious lunch-and-tour stop on a Causeway Coast itinerary. The village of Bushmills itself is well-preserved — the distillery dominates one end and a traditional Ulster small town surrounds it.

Highlights

The world's oldest licensed whiskey distillery — licence granted in 1608 to the north Antrim region
Working production floor — active pot stills, fermentation vats and bonded warehouses in a 19th-century complex
Tasting of Bushmills Original, Black Bush and Single Malt at the tour conclusion
3 km from the Giant's Causeway — the natural pairing stop on a Causeway Coast day
Bushmills village itself — a well-preserved Ulster town with the distillery as its centrepiece

Good to know

→Tours run at regular intervals throughout the day — no need to book well in advance, but online booking saves time.
→The 21-year single malt is the prestige expression — available in the distillery shop at less than retail in some cases.
→Combine with the Giant's Causeway (3 km) and Carrick-a-Rede (8 km) for a full Antrim coast morning.
→The distillery café serves good lunch — a more relaxed option than the busy Causeway visitor centre.
→Currency is pound sterling — remember this is Northern Ireland.

Best Time to Visit

Year-round; combine easily with Giant's Causeway (12 km) and Carrick-a-Rede (20 km) in a single north Antrim day. The production floor tour includes the maturation warehouses — quieter Oct–Mar and the tour feels more personal.

Getting There

BFSBelfast International

1 hr 10 min drive

Common questions

How old is the Old Bushmills Distillery?

The distilling licence for the Bushmills area was granted in 1608, making it the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world. The current buildings date from the 19th century after a fire in 1885, but whiskey has been produced continuously on this site in the village of Bushmills in County Antrim for over 400 years.

How much does a Bushmills tour cost?

Standard guided tours cost around £14–18 (2025) and include a tasting. Various premium experiences are available at higher prices — cask tasting, barrel selection, and blending workshops. Tours must be pre-booked through the distillery website. The distillery shop is accessible without booking.

How do I get to Bushmills Distillery?

Bushmills village is on the A2 Causeway Coastal Route, 4km from the Giant's Causeway and about 90 minutes from Belfast by car. The distillery is in the village centre, clearly signposted. Open-top bus and shuttle services run between the Causeway and Bushmills village in summer, making it easy to combine both on the same day.

How does Bushmills compare to other Irish whiskey experiences?

Bushmills is the only major distillery on the north coast, which means it is uniquely positioned for a Causeway Coast day trip. For whiskey depth, Old Midleton in Cork and Jameson Bow St in Dublin are larger operations. But Bushmills is a compact village distillery where you can smell the barley and see the full process in a single building — it feels more intimate than the larger visitor centres.