Basalt Distillery was founded in 2021 by James Richardson and Martha Garbe, who set up production at Castlecatt outside Bushmills. Both founders came from scientific backgrounds before turning to distilling, and the name and branding draw on the basalt rock of the Causeway Coast rather than any historic distilling connection to the town. The distillery's main products are Basalt Volcanic Rock Gin and a matching vodka, made using modern stills rather than traditional pot equipment. Bottles are sold online and through stockists across the Causeway Coast rather than from a public shop on site, and the business has entered its spirits in national competitions, winning a Great Taste Golden Fork award in 2025. It is a separate, independently owned operation from the long-established Old Bushmills Distillery in the town centre, run instead as a small-batch producer by its two founders rather than a corporate ownership group.
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