Bushmills tunes into famed guitar maker

Old Bushmills Irish Whiskey - the oldest licensed distillery in Ireland - has collaborated to create a new limited edition guitar made from Bushmills Irish whiskey barrels, ancient bog oak, and reclaimed sinker redwood.

The distiller, based in county Antrim, has linked up with Lowden Guitars in Downpatrick, county Down, an internationally renowned producer of acoustic guitars.

The limited edition 'Bushmills x Lowden' F-50 guitar combines hundreds of years of cooper and luthier craftsmanship with three types of wood that are steeped in heritage and character.

Bushmills Irish Whiskey barrel wood features in all of the guitar appointments and a custom back inlay with cooper's hammer and luthier's chisel set over two staves to represent the passing on of skills from one generation to another.

The 'Bushmills x Lowden' guitar celebrates those who pass their craft and legacy to the next generation. The guitar links the craftsmanship of the Kane family in Bushmills which has been making whiskey barrels for four generations and the Lowden family of guitar makers.

Since 1974 George Lowden has designed and built guitars in Ireland using only the finest tonewoods and time-honoured techniques with an uncompromising commitment to quality and tone.

The Lowden Guitar is the culmination of this 43 years of guitar design and build experience. From his unique designs to the careful selection of tonewoods and precise build techniques, George is now passing his skills to the next generation to ensure the Lowden legacy will live on for generations to come. Musicians opting for Lowden guitars include Ed Sheeran, Eric Clapton and Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol.

At the Old Bushmills Distillery, the Kane family has been coopering barrels for four generations passing their specialist skills down through the years to ensure Bushmills delivers the same premium quality whiskey it began making 400 years ago.

Colum Egan, the master distiller at Bushmills, says: "Lowden Guitars is famous for its workmanship and quality, and we are proud to join forces with George and his sons on this exciting collaboration which celebrates how specialist hand-crafted are not bought, but perfected over time and passed from generation to generation.

"At Bushmills, our coopers' craft and skill are as fundamental to Irish whiskey-making as the oak barrels they work with, ensuring we produce the same premium-quality whiskey we began making over 400 years ago."

George Lowden, who worked with sons to develop the guitar, adds: "We scour the world for the best tonewoods which are the real 'stars' of our guitars, determining how they sound, feel and play.

"So my sons and I relished the opportunity to work with the coopers at Bushmills to select the best barrel wood for the guitar."

The new guitar is part of the Bushmills' #AnswertheCall initiative to showcase the skills of artists, creators, entrepreneurs and adventurers.