Bushmills 10 years old is an exceptional single malt, winner of the "World's Best Irish Single Malt Whiskey" award at the 2007 World Whiskies Awards. Legend has it that the Old Bushmills distillery in Northern Ireland is the world's oldest licensed whiskey producer, having obtained its license in 1608. In the 19th century, the Old Bushmills distillery was purchased by the Irish Distillers group in 1971; this acquisition gave them a complete monopoly on whiskey production in Ireland that lasted until 1987.