Whiskey

Meet Alex Thomas, the master blender behind some of Ireland’s best whiskeys

The master distiller at Bushmills explains how her job combines experience, taste and a healthy knowledge of science

Alex Thomas: “The ultimate aim is to create an expression that will excite whiskey lovers and inspire those who are just starting out”

Think about any great Irish whiskey you’ve ever had. Consider its succulent taste, perfumed aroma and luxurious mouthfeel. In order for the spirit to achieve that wondrous state, whiskey masters must all work their respective magic.

The master distiller creates the raw spirit, the master cooper provides the barrels to age it in, and the master blender brings it all together. Alex Thomas of the Bushmills distillery in Co Antrim is one such master blender, ...