Slide 01: Our distillery tour begins with Bushmills, which is made in the town of Old Bushmills in Northern Ireland. Because Northern Ireland is primarily Protestant, Bushmills is thought of as a Protestant whiskey.
Slide 02: Bushmills is considered the oldest whiskey in Ireland, having received its original license from King James II in 1608.
Slide 03: The word “whiskey” comes from the Gaelic iskie baha meaning literally “water of life”. This was shortened in English to iskie and then to whiskey.
Slide 04: The Bushmills distillery has been so important to the economy of Northern Ireland that it is featured on the Irish five-pound note.
Slide 05: The last stop on any distillery tour is the chance to sample the wares. One free drink is included in the tour.
Slide 06: Moving south to County Westmeath, you can tour the Kilbeggan distillery.
Slide 07: The Kilbeggan machinery is still powered by a water wheel, as it has been since 1757.
Slide 08: When the water level in the river is low or when the wheel is being maintained, they can keep things running by using steam power.
Slide 09: The product is fermented in huge, wooden vats before being distilled. The odor from these vats is quite strong and not too pleasant.
Slide 10: After distilling, the spirits must be aged in wooden barrels for at least three years before they can legally be called whiskey.
Slide 11: The largest selling whisky in Ireland is made by John Jameson and Sons in the town of Midleton, in County Cork, established in 1825.
Slide 12: This modern distillery outputs over 1 million gallons of whiskey each year, including Jameson, Powers, Paddy and other brands.
Slide 13: Each brand has different products which are aged anywhere from three to 21 years, with small amounts evaporating through the wood over the years. The spirits that evaporate are known as the “angels’ share”.
Slide 14: At the end of a Jameson tour, you not only get a sample, but a whiskey tasting of different brands.
Slide 15: You sample a Scotch whiskey on the left, and American whiskey on the right, and Jameson Irish whiskey in the middle, with a sip of water in between each taste. Everyone on the tour agreed that the Irish whiskey was the best!