Many thanks to Bushmills, Emerald Sponsor of the 8th Annual Arizona Irish Festival. They have joined with us as they celebrate the 400th Anniversary of their "licence to distil." Bushmills history is Irish history and we'd like to share some of it with you here.

Bushmills is a small village on the north coast of Ireland, synonymous with the art of distilling whiskey. It is a community of people who are proud of their heritage. Centuries of craftsmanship and willingness to innovate ensure that they look to the future with confidence. They know what it takes to be the best.

The area was once dotted with small distilleries; today there is only one. Bushmills is Ireland's oldest working distillery and their whiskey is different from other Irish whiskeys. There, under one roof, they make and bottle triple-distilled Irish whiskey - and it's this unique distillation process that provides the underlying smoothness that characterizes Bushmills whiskeys.

To make Bushmills requires special ingredients, not the least water. Ireland has it in abundance and on their very doorstep, the River Bush provides Bushmills source. But Bushmills is more than purely physical ingredients. The magic component is time - time for whiskey to mature in the cask, time for the angels to receive their share. Aging can't be hurried so in that part of the world, patience is more than a virtue. It's a way of life.

Come to one of the Bushmills Whiskey Tastings in The Great Hall of the Irish Cultural Center to learn more about the history of Bushmills and Irish whiskey and about the connoisseur's take on the "water of life." Tastings, accompanied by an educational presentation will take place at 1:00pm and 3:00pm. The educational program is free of charge to Festival goers but to enjoy the full experience, we suggest making a $10 donation to the ICLF in order to sample the incredible wares you will be learning about.