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Origins of Whiskey logo

Discover the history of whiskey – its unexpected origins, sacred traditions, and the generations of Irish men & women who have kept its legacy alive.

Chapter 1

The Beginning

It all started with the Irish.

1350 C.E.

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THE BEGINNING

Of all places, why was whiskey able to thrive in a remote corner of the world? Why Ireland? [+]

THE WATER OF LIFE

The original distillers weren’t actually trying to make whiskey. They were in fact monks and alchemists who were looking for the so-called "water of life", an elixir for medicinal purposes. Most of our modern words for alcohol – be it whiskey, eau de vie or vodka – are derived from the Irish Gaelic's translation of “water of life.”

The earliest known reference for people making the spirit that would become whiskey dates back to the 14th century and is found in the Irish text, the Red Book of Ossory.


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1400 C.E.

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THE EARLY SPIRIT

A cottage industry built on “uisce beatha” [+]

1541 C.E.

IN 1541, QUEEN ELIZABETH DECLARED HERSELF A FAN OF IRISH AQUA VITAE.

The queen had stocks of the stuff delivered to her court, publicly proclaiming that Irish “usquebaugh” is better than the aqua vitae of England. Bold move.

Chapter 2

THE FIRST WHISKEY INDUSTRY

The village of Bushmills marks the first epicenter of whiskey.

1550 C.E.

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THE ROOTS OF BUSHMILLS

Known for bootleggers, mineral rich geography, and the perfect water for whiskey making [+]

1693 C.E.

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THE GIANT'S CAUSEWAY

“An enduring symbol of the north coast of Ireland vaults Bushmills' special whiskey to worldwide fame. [+]

1740 C.E.

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IRELAND'S POTSTILL

Trying to raise revenue, the English crown imposes a series of excise taxes on spirits in the 1740s. This has the unintended consequence of distillers reinventing traditional production methods to avoid paying taxes. These tax dodges create some of what we know now as Irish whiskey’s signature characteristics, including the size and shape of the stills used and even the use of malted and unmalted barley. Taxes will again shape Ireland’s whiskey in the 1800s when food shortages and famines risk whiskey’s primary ingredient.

BUSHMILLS FINALLY AGREES TO PAY ITS TAXES

While the local community of County Colerain and the town of Bushmills had been distilling for centuries, legally and illegally, in 1784 Hugh Anderson decided to make his enterprise legitimate, seeking a distillery license for the “Old Bushmills” distillery. For the first time, Bushmills began to pay its taxes.

Even in 1784, the Bushmills distillery was already known as the “Old Bushmills” distillery.

1762 C.E.

THE FIRST ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE WAS HELD IN NEW YORK CITY IN 1762.

While it can’t be said for certain, it’s likely that there were no green wigs or green bagels, but ample stocks of Bushmills whiskey.

Chapter 3

Whiskey’s Rise

Whiskey becomes a global phenomenon

1830 C.E.

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THE POT STILL ENDURES AT BUSHMILLS

When everyone else took the cheaper route, Bushmills stayed true. [+]

1845 C.E.

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THE POTATO FAMINE AND HOW IRISH WHISKEY CAME TO BE

An unprecedented series of events that changed the course of Irish whiskey forever [+]

1850 C.E.

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THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR & THE EFFECTS OF PHYLLOXERA

With the majority of the American industry behind enemy lines, the United States becomes Irish Whiskey’s best customer [+]

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A GLOBAL BRAND, BEFORE THERE WERE GLOBAL BRANDS

The road to name recognition in Ireland and America [+]

1889 C.E.

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PARIS EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE

The 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle was one of the biggest events of the century, with the elegant Eiffel Tower serving as the world fair entrance. The attendees included an impressive group of celebrities, including Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, Annie Oakley and Buffalo Bill Cody. The fair was the pinnacle of both innovation and culture in the world at that time. Bushmills was there and the distillery brought home the only gold medal awarded to a whiskey at the Exposition, a medal that still adorns the label to this day.

1890 C.E.

IN 1890, THE SS BUSHMILLS MADE ITS MAIDEN VOYAGE

So popular was Bushmills Whiskey at this time, the distillery built its own boats to ship it around the world. Belfast would eventually become a global leader in shipbuilding, home to both the Titanic and the many war ships that supplied the allies in World War II.

A steamship owned and operated by the distillery, the SS Bushmills, made its maiden voyage across the Atlantic to deliver Bushmills Whiskey to America. It called on ports in Philadelphia and New York before heading onto Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Yokohama. When it landed in Philadelphia in October, 1890, The Philadelphia Telegraph reported that it was the largest ship to ever enter the Philadelphia port, filled to the brim with the world’s most famous whiskey.

Chapter 4

IRISH WHISKEY’S FALL & REBIRTH

The world loses, then regains its taste for whiskey.

1900 C.E.

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PROHIBITION

Almost overnight, Irish Whiskey’s biggest market grinds to a halt. [+]

2021 C.E.

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REBIRTH

As the popularity of Irish whiskey has exploded over the last decade, so has interest in Ireland’s ancient single malt craft. [+]

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WORLD'S OLDEST LICENSED WHISKEY DISTILLERY

Born in 1608, Bushmills is the Original Whiskey.

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