Thomas will take charge of selection and management of the casks, nurturing of the Bushmills Irish Whiskey portfolio of premium blends and aged single malts, and new product development.

Born in Ballymoney, just 15 minutes from The Old Bushmills Distillery in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, Thomas succeeds Helen Mulholland, who began her long career at The Old Bushmills Distillery almost 30 years ago.

Thomas joined the Bushmills team in 2004. Since then, she has spent over 17 years honing her craft, and was appointed master blender of Sexton Single Malt in 2017.

Speaking about her new role at Bushmills, Thomas said, “It is a privilege to be appointed as Master Blender for Bushmills Irish Whiskey. The Old Bushmills Distillery is a very special place… It is a really exciting time for Bushmills, and I look forward to seeing what the future brings both here at The Distillery and in the industry as a whole...”

Colum Egan, Bushmills master distiller, commented, “We are delighted to announce the appointment of Alex Thomas as master blender at The Old Bushmills Distillery. Over the years, Alex has demonstrated exceptional skills in the art of blending, and her passion and pursuit of excellence has truly made her one of the rising stars in Irish whiskey…”