6. Echlinville Distillery, County Down
A visit to the Echlinville Distillery offers an insight into the workings of the island of Ireland’s first farm distillery. Follow the journey of the spirits from ground to glass, seeing how the farm-grown barley is sown, grown, harvested and hand malted. After the tour, enjoy two drinks of your choice – whiskey, gin or poitín – in the bar.
7. Micil Distillery, County Galway
Six generations of know-how have led to the creation of a range of exceptional handcrafted Irish spirits based on family recipes. The Micil Distillery offers cocktail masterclasses, a whiskey experience and a poitín and gin experience. All combine fascinating production insights with entertaining anecdotes about the family’s illicit distilling heritage.
8. The Shed Distillery, County Leitrim
In the heart of rural Ireland sits The Shed Distillery, where traditional distilling methods and state-of the-art stills combine to produce a range of spirits “from the Curious Mind of PJ Rigney”. A guided tour offers tastings of the excellent Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey and Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin.
9. Roe & Co Distillery, Dublin
This vibrant distillery claims to be the home of cocktail exploration and modern Irish whiskey. It offers a range of visitor attractions including a Blending Experience which explores the process of whiskey blending. A Flavours Experience cocktail workshop unpacks the five pillars of flavour – sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami – to help you understand your unique palate and whiskey preferences.
10. Clonakilty Distillery, County Cork
Located on the windswept Wild Atlantic Way, Clonakilty Distillery has created a range of award-winning whiskeys, gins and vodkas with a maritime character. A tour promises a multi-sensory experience where you get to experience the sounds, smells and touch of a working distillery and savour a sip of the produce.
11. Hinch Distillery, County Down
This grain-to-glass distillery has been custom built to produce a particular style of Irish Single Malt Whiskey using water from the Mourne Mountains and traditional Irish mashing processes. Guided tours of the visitor centre give you a behind-the-scenes look at the distilling journey while special events include a Christmas Distillery Experience.
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