Ireland’s first destination whiskey hotel has launched an exclusive whiskey tasting flight that offers a rare opportunity to immerse your senses in the spirited luxury of four of Bushmills’ finest whiskeys.
The newly opened Harbourview Hotel in Carnlough has curated an exclusive ‘by appointment only’ Bushmills Whiskey tasting flight with Darryl McNally – co-owner of the hotel and former Bushmills master distiller – featuring some of the oldest and rarest whiskeys from the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery.
Priced at £1,608, a quirky tribute to the year Bushmills was awarded its license to distil, the tasting flight includes four iconic Bushmills whiskeys; and with only 20 flights available, will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for whiskey connoisseurs.
The ‘off menu’ 1608 Whiskey Flight will be bookable by appointment and includes two of the oldest and rarest bottles ever to be released from the Old Bushmills Distillery: Bushmills 46 Year Old Secrets of the River Bush (released March 2025) and the Bushmills 36 Year Old Hill Street Edition(released February 2024), alongside two rare whiskeys from the Bushmills Causeway Collection, a 33 year old port cask and 18 year old Grand Cru cask.
The Harbourview Hotel is poised to capitalise on the growing whiskey tourism market in Ireland. Launched ahead of this summer’s Open Championship in Portrush, it’s anticipated the exclusive tasting flight appeal to visitors looking for a unique taste of some of Northern Ireland’s finest whiskeys.
Commenting on the announcement, Harbourview Hotel co-owner Adrian McLaughlin said
“As Ireland’s first ever destination whiskey hotel, we pride ourselves on offering the finest collection of whiskeys, alongside exceptional events and experiences.
“To celebrate the opening, we wanted to create something special, and we’re proud to present this exclusive whiskey flight in tribute to the iconic Old Bushmills Distillery, which is located just 40 miles from the hotel on our beautiful Causeway Coast.
“This exclusive tasting flight will be an experience to savour for whiskey connoisseurs that might not otherwise get the opportunity to taste such rare whiskeys. It is offered alongside a core collection of 11 flights, with prices ranging from £15 to £40, and a special ‘Owners Collection’ of rare whiskeys priced at £570, meaning there is a flight to suit every budget.”
In the spirit of giving back to a community that has welcomed the new hotel so warmly, the Harbourview will donate a 1608 whiskey flight and overnight stay for the RNLI to use in their ongoing fundraising actvities to support their life saving work.
Whiskey will be an integral part of the hotel, from resident nightcaps and a turndown gift of whiskey-infused chocolates to a special ‘Whiskey Chamber’ retail store, from which guests can purchase whiskey and exclusive branded merchandise to bring home with them.
Alongside its new collection of exclusive whiskey tasting flights, the hotel bar will serve a collection of over 300 whiskeys, and a classic selection of whiskey cocktails. A full menu of the whiskey flights, cocktails and mixed drinks can be viewed here.
A diverse programme of events and tasting experiences is planned, with world-famous heritage brands including Bushmills, Midleton and The Macallan sitting alongside Copeland, Ardbeg, Shortcross, plus The Harbourview’s own Outwalker and Limavady whiskeys. The programme, which features monthly events scheduled through to February 2026 will also include boat trips to Islay for guided tours of the Bruichladdich and Ardbeg distilleries.
The Carnlough Whiskey Festival (20- 23August) is a key event on the hotel’s schedule this summer, promising four days of whiskey, music and craic. Featuring local brands Bushmills, Shortcross, Garden County, Copeland, Outwalker and Limavady, the festival also features a full line-up of live music including The Rogues, The Causeway Shantymen and String Ninjas. Further information on the series of events is available at theharbourviewhotel.com/whiskey.
To celebrate the opening, a ‘New Beginnings’ package, available for stays between 19 May to 4 June, offers guests the opportunity to be amongst the first to experience the new hotel. Priced from just £150 for a double room with breakfast, the special package includes a complimentary cocktail of your choice from the house cocktail list to toast the hotel’s opening.
For further information, visit www.theharbourviewhotel.com or connect with The Harbourview Hotel on Instagram, @theharbourview_hotel or Facebook, @heharbourviewhotel. To register your interest in a whiskey flight or event send an email to enquiries@theharbourviewhotel.com and include your name, selected event and how many tickets you require.
The Bushmills 1608 Flight
- The Bushmills 46 year old is the oldest single malt ever released from the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world and marks a new chapter in ultra-prestige Irish whiskey. With just 300 bottles available globally, this limited release represents over four decades of maturation under the care of two generations of whiskey makers. The name pays tribute to the River Bush, which has flowed through the distillery since its establishment in 1608, shaping the character of Bushmills whiskey for over 415 years. On thenose, expectripe dark fruits, sweet apricot, caramel, and warm oak. Thepalatedelivers aspicy medleyof cinnamon, crushed clove, and nutmeg, followed bysweet black cherries, apricots, roasted coffee, oak, and warm toffee. Thefinishis bothsmooth and robust, withlingering spiced fruit.
- The Bushmills Hill Street Edition 36-Year-Old single malt was released in February 2024 in celebration of the shared history of Bushmills Irish Whiskey and Belfast’s famous whiskey shop and museum, The Friend at Hand. Just 208 bottles were bottled. On the nose, delicate aromas of warm honey and ripe red berries are peppered with a subtle spiciness and gentle antique wood undertones. Luxurious notes of apricot, plum, raisins and figs followed by toasted oak and dark chocolate mingle with toasted almonds and hints of cinnamon and clove.
- Bushmills Causeway Collection 33 year old Port Cask was released in February 2023. Only 690 bottles were made available, sold exclusively by World Duty Free’s specialist World of Whiskies stores at Heathrow Airport, UK. This rare expression was filled on April 19, 1989, and spent 33 years maturing in fortified port casks from northern Portugal. Alex Thomas, Bushmills’ master blender, kept watch over this malt as it took on the flavours of dark fruits like blackcurrants and blackberries. The exclusive bottling completed The Causeway Collection – a selection of 10 cask-finished and fully matured Irish single malt whiskeys.
- Bushmills Causeway 18 year old Single Malt Grand Cru Cask is a Causeway Coast collection exclusive for the Chinese market, only 288 bottles were released. Purchased at auction by the Harbourview Hotel earlier this year, this rare whiskey has been dubbed the ‘Unicorn’ by Bushmills fans, with many collectors having long given up completing their Bushmills Causeway Collections as they could not to track down a bottle. Many bottles were sold to investors in China and to whiskey clubs. The Irish Whiskey Association believes there are only three bottles in Ireland, all within private collections.
