There's no better place to get a taste of whiskey's history than at the first recorded distillery, Old Bushmills, which opened its doors in 1608. On weekdays, it's a noisy, active place, and visitors can watch the process from distillation and fermentation through bottling. It's the only working Irish whiskey distillery open for tours.
Tours include whiskey or a non-alcoholic beverage. Visitors may volunteer to do free comparison tastings or can schedule one by paying a premium.