BUSHMILLS MASTER DISTILLER ANNOUNCES FINAL NINE IN GLOBAL CHALLENGE
 
Bushmills Master Distiller Colum Egan today announced the names of the nine contenders who will represent their countries in the international finals of a Bushmills Irish Whiskey® competition that has attracted the interest of tens of thousands of people around the globe.
 
The finalists from the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, South Africa, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Bulgaria will be competing for their chance of glory in the Make it at Bushmills finals later this month. The overall winner will be announced on Thursday 26 August at an awards dinner in the village of Bushmills on Ireland’s stunning north coast.
 
The line-up for the finals was decided by votes, cast by members of the public, on Facebook, for the hundreds of contenders who originally entered the competition. Launched in the New York Stock Exchange on St Patrick’s Day, it offers a prize of a 30 day stay in Bushmills, a chance to be the first person ever from outside the distillery staff to create a new blend of one of the world’s best loved Irish whiskeys, a month’s luxury penthouse accommodation in Ireland and £5,000 spending money.
 
The overall winner will be selected following a two-day ‘Bushcamp’ later this month when contestants will face the Master’s Challenge – a test of skill set by Master Distiller Colum Egan. The performance of the contenders will be judged by a panel that includes Irish rugby legend, Keith Wood and Foy Vance, one of Ireland’s most respected singer-songwriters.
 
Congratulating the shortlisted contenders, Colum Egan said:
 
“All of the finalists have done a fantastic job to make it this far – they have already won their place at Bushcamp. Their character, sense of humour and passion for life are what inspired people to vote for them. I have no doubt these qualities will be tested at Bushcamp when all nine contenders attempt to prove to us they have what it takes to make it at Bushmills.
 
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the interest Make it at Bushmills has generated and it’s been fantastic to see the competition talked about in blogs, magazines, newspapers and TV shows all around the world.
 
“The strong international interest in Bushmills is further reflected in the fact that since creating our first official Bushmills Global Facebook page earlier this year, it has attracted more than 30,000 fans, making it the world’s second biggest Irish Whiskey Facebook site,” adds Colum.
 
The finalists’ progress at Bushcamp will be charted on-line from 25-26 August at the Bushmills Facebook page – facebook.com/bushmills1608.
 
NOTES 
 
The nine finalists for the Make it at Bushmills Challenge are:
Ivan Ivanov – Bulgaria
Koen Cassiers – Belgium
Loïk Tavernier – France
Sietse Offringa – Netherlands
Allister Brown – Northern Ireland
Kevin O’Sullivan – Republic of Ireland
Lance Ralph – South Africa
Nick Ord – United Kingdom
Joshua Wortman – United States

The Old Bushmills Distillery: The Old Bushmills Distillery in County Antrim.