Irish whiskey maker Bushmills recently introduced its new Causeway Distillery, with the state-of-the-art facility clocking in at 40,000 square feet in size, effectively doubling the brand’s production.
The new investment in infrastructure is part of Proximo’s overall £60-million investment in its Irish single malt distilling and aging facility at Bushmills.
The distillery is named for the Giant’s Causeway, a natural landmark adjacent to the new facility, something that’s inspired Bushmills’ whiskey-makers for hundreds of years.
A statement from Bushmills notes that designers of the new distillery looked to pay homage to the Giant’s Causeway with a structure at Bushmills made of local basalt and limestone, incorporating interlocking and geometric features.
Aesthetics aside, the crux behind the Bushmills’ expansion is to increase production, as demand for single malts across the globe is skyrocketing.
Bushmills officials noted that the challenge in expanding operations is to maintain the essential taste and character of the whiskey. The new distillery does this through technological advances.
The statement explained that the new Causeway Distillery uses updated thermal technology, reducing energy use by 30%, and new distilling techniques increase material consumption efficiency by up to 10%.
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Gordon Dron, Proximo managing director, said of the opening, “This is a proud day for Bushmills and a major milestone since its acquisition by Proximo in 2015. … 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.”
When it comes to the whiskey, Colum Egan, Bushmills’ master distiller, said they are obsessed with the ingredients, the processes, the wood, the aging. “Our second distillery represents a great step forward in ensuring generations to come will enjoy our renowned signature triple-distilled single malts alongside the innovations of the future.”
Proximo officials said that along with the new distillery’s sustainability, they’re also looking to the area as a tourist destination, with plans for a new “immersive” visitor center slated for the campus.
The opening of the Causeway Distillery comes as Bushmills celebrates its 415th anniversary.