Bushmills Holds Record £217.9 Million in Whiskey Stocks After Sales Decline

The Old Bushmills Distillery in County Antrim is holding record volumes of aging whiskey after sales fell for a second straight year, a sign of the slower market now affecting much of the Irish whiskey business.

Company accounts for 2025 show Bushmills recorded turnover of £52.3 million, down from £53.9 million in 2024 and £56.8 million the year before. Even with lower sales, the distillery increased pre-tax profit to £9.8 million from £9.6 million, while net profit rose to £6.9 million from £6.2 million.

The accounts show total stock levels reached £217.9 million at the end of 2025, the highest level on record for the business. Most of that was whiskey still aging for more than a year, valued at £182 million. Another £29 million was whiskey expected to mature within the next 12 months.

That buildup comes as Irish whiskey producers adjust to weaker demand after years of rapid expansion. Industry figures showed production fell to 33.7 million liters last year, and around 90% of distilleries, including Bushmills, paused or reduced production in the middle of 2025 because of oversupply and cost pressure before restarting later in the year.

Bushmills also cut back its own output and reduced its workforce. The company’s payroll stood at 114 employees, with a wage bill of £7 million. At the same time, it increased cash on hand to £11.8 million, up from just under £10 million, and reported royalty income of nearly £2 million.

The company is owned by Becle, the Mexican drinks group best known for Jose Cuervo. Despite the softer sales trend, Bushmills is continuing with a £70 million investment plan to expand its maturation and bottling capacity. The project includes 26 new warehouses for aging whiskey and a new bottling facility.

The combination of lower sales and rising whiskey inventories is being watched closely across the broader beverage industry. For spirits producers, especially those that must age stock for years before sale, larger inventories can lock up capital for long periods and make it harder to keep production in line with demand. That pressure can shape investment decisions, staffing, warehouse use, and the pace at which distillers bring new spirit into casks.

Bushmills distills, ages, blends, packages, and distributes its whiskey worldwide from the County Antrim site. The latest expansion is part of a wider upgrade of the distillery, which traces its history to 1608.