The 1990s Bushmills 10-Year-Old is a sought-after, collectible "pre-boom" release, defined by improved wood policies and a shift in style from the 1980s. As the first, pioneering single malt with an age statement from the brand (starting in 1985), this era of 10-year-old is recognized for its light, honeyed, and fruity profile, representing a "classic" era for the distillery. The 1990s bottling with its distinctive labelling is considered a "liquid time capsule" from a period when the distillery improved its cask selection. During this decade, Bushmills was heavily involved in rebuilding the reputation of Irish Single Malt. These bottles often show a different, more traditional flavour profile compared to modern, post-2000s releases. In the early 1990s, the brand was still under the umbrella of Irish Distillers (before the acquisition by Pernod Ricard in 1988). 

Located in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, the Old Bushmills Distillery is widely considered the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery, with a royal license to distil granted in 1608. Founded formally in 1784, it survived a 1885 fire, Prohibition, and changing ownership to remain a premier producer of triple-distilled single malt Irish whiskey. 

While the official company was registered in 1784 by Hugh Anderson, the area has a distilling tradition dating back to 1276. In 1608 King James I granted Sir Thomas Phillips the license to distil in the area, a date that is proudly featured on all Bushmills Irish Whiskey bottles. A massive fire destroyed the original buildings in 1885, but the distillery was quickly rebuilt to meet high demand, particularly from the US. During US Prohibition Director Wilson Boyd stocked up on whiskey correctly predicting a surge in demand once the ban was lifted. The iconic pot still emblem, introduced in 1784 to mark the formal, legal establishment of the company, is still used on packaging today. In 2008, to celebrate 400 years of local distilling, the Bank of Ireland featured the Old Bushmills Distillery on its sterling banknotes. Throughout its history, the distillery has changed hands several times, including periods under Pernod Ricard and Diageo. The distillery, which draws its water from the River Bush, remains a vital part of its local community.