“The start of an exciting new chapter” as Bushmills Irish Whiskey celebrates Causeway Distillery opening and reveals latest aged expressions

Introducing a new star in the Irish whiskey industry: The Causeway Distillery opens

IRELAND. Bushmills Irish Whiskey and owner Proximo Spirits are celebrating the landmark opening of the £37 million (US$46 million) Causeway Distillery, plus the release of two rare 25 and 30 Year Old whiskeys, with a colourful makeover of The Moodie Davitt Report website this week.

The state-of-the-art distillery, which was officially unveiled on 20 April, is part of Proximo Spirits’ £60 million (US$74.6 million) investment in its Irish single malt distilling and ageing facility at Bushmills over the past five years.

“This is a proud day for Bushmills and a major milestone since its acquisition by Proximo in 2015” –  Proximo Managing Director EMEA APAC Gordon Dron

The new expressions mark the 415th anniversary of Bushmills’ license to distill and herald its move into the ultra-prestige single malt category. The whiskeys have been created as permanent additions to Bushmills’ core range and are available now with selected retailers. Bushmills 25 Year Old is priced at €850 while Bushmills 30 Year Old is €2,000.

The 39,000sq ft Causeway Distillery – Proximo’s second on the north coast of Ireland – will blend hi-tech with ancient craft to double production at the Bushmills site and, according to Proximo, place Bushmills among the leading single malt whiskey producers globally.

Bushmills Master Distiller Colum Egan said the expansion marked the “start of an exciting new chapter”. He described the Causeway Distillery as “one of the greatest developments in Irish single malt whiskey in 200 years”.

“We are obsessed with exceptional whiskeys; the ingredients, the processes, the wood, the ageing. Our second distillery represents a great step forward in ensuring generations to come will enjoy our signature triple-distilled single malts alongside the innovations of the future.

“Since 2015 when Bushmills Irish Whiskey joined the Proximo family, we have carefully nurtured the greatest reserve of single malt Irish whiskey in the world. On April 20th, we created history in unveiling the Causeway Distillery. Our commitment to Irish whiskey, our respect for the passion, the craft, the restless spirit of those who have walked the path thus far and our future as a giant of great Irish whiskey for generations to come. Forever restless in the pursuit of perfection.”

Proximo said its investment in the Causeway Distillery marks the company’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.

Proximo Managing Director EMEA APAC Gordon Dron commented: “This is a proud day for Bushmills and a major milestone since its acquisition by Proximo in 2015.

“Consistent with global premiumisation, we are witnessing high double-digit growth of our unique Bushmills Irish single malts in all key segments and across a number of exciting new markets. The Causeway Distillery will enable us to meet the demand of new single malt consumers and seize this fast-growing value opportunity worldwide in the next decade and beyond.”

Proximo is also set to capitalise 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.

With Bushmills whiskeys experiencing increasing demand across the globe, the key challenge in extending operations to the new distillery has been to maintain the essential taste and character of the brand.
Causeway Distillery interior: Blending hi-tech with ancient craftsmanship
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%.
Click on the image for full details of the Causeway Distillery’s sustainability credentials

The distillery takes its name from the nearby Giant’s Causeway, the UNESCO World Heritage site and source of inspiration for Bushmills for centuries. The designers aimed to pay homage to this natural wonder, made of local basalt and limestone and incorporating interlocking and geometric features.

According to Bushmills, its 25 and 30 Year Old whiskeys are drawn from “the greatest reserve of aged Irish single malt whiskey in the world”, and are among the rarest small batch whiskeys ever produced at the distillery in County Antrim. Both are described as “superb whiskeys, distinctively Irish”, with deep triple distilled smoothness; complex and “utterly unique”.

The Bushmills 25 Year Old is a 46% ABV, non-chill filtered Irish single malt that has been matured at the Old Bushmills Distillery for between four and six years before being finished in ruby Port pipes for up to 21 years. The rich and complex liquid has intense notes of ripe hedgerow dark fruit aromas mingled with honey and toasted wood.

The 30 Year Old, distilled in 1992, is the oldest expression released as part of the Bushmills core range to date. Bottled at 46% ABV and non-chill filtered, the whiskey was matured for 14 years before being finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks for 16 years. It is characterised by signature sherry aromas of dried fruits and a “deep and perfect Pedro Ximénez complexity”.

The new releases are presented in bottles and packaging to reflect the whiskeys’ “contemporary yet timeless elegance”. The flared-shouldered bottles have a thick glass base hexagonal punt, a proud nod to Bushmills’ provenance and the Giant’s Causeway. Bespoke hexagonal gift boxes have gold closures and engraved details.

Bushmills Master Blender Alex Thomas said: “As we look to the future, it is fitting to release these two rare expressions. 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.

“We have an obsession when it comes to our ingredients, our processes, and the wood we put our whiskey in. Oak has been our infatuation for over 400 years.

“When we started planning these two new whiskeys over 30 years ago, we travelled all over Europe to hand-select each cask. We collaborated with winemakers to specify the fortified wine recipe used to season them to create the flavours of our future Bushmills whiskey.”

Bushmills 30 Year Old is the oldest expression released as part of the Bushmills core range

Thomas explained that Bushmills continues this process, “down to the detail of cask toasting times and temperatures before we add the wine”.

“We leave the casks to season for at least a couple of years in the hot European climate before transporting the seasoned casks back to Bushmills. We only ship them during colder months to keep them ‘fresher’ for the long maturation ahead.

“We’re proud of that mastery and expertise that ensures every cask is at its freshest and most flavourful to mature our Bushmills whiskey. Even though it takes a lifetime of skill to make something great, it takes an obsession to make something legendary.” ✈


 

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