Ireland’s Whiskeys & Beers

The word whiskey is derived from two Gaelic words, Uisce Beatha, meaning water of life, and given that Ireland is the land where whiskey distillation originated, what better place to explore whiskey culture further. Why not contact us today to start planning your perfect whiskey tour itinerary.

In the late 18th century Irish Whiskey was the most popular spirit in the world but a number of factors led to a massive decline from the early 1900s. A resurgence began the 1980s, and the past decade has seen Irish Whiskey has been the fastest growing spirit in the world with 18 distilleries now dotted around the island.

With time to explore the whole island, you can take in some of Ireland's oldest distilleries such as Kilbeggan, Tullamore Dew, Bushmills and Midleton and maybe also visit newer operations such as Dingle Distillery or Black’s of Kinsale.

If you've only got enough time to explore Dublins Whiskey sites, you will still have plenty to see with great tours available at Jameson, Teelings and Pearse Lyons. Those visits can be supplemented with a visit to the Dublin Whiskey Museum, or the Dingle Whiskey Bar off Grafton street.

While Ireland's history relating to whiskey has a number of major players, when Irish brewing is mentioned, just one brand comes to mind; Guinness. So any tour to Ireland with a focus on brewing is going to begin with a visit to the Guinness Storehouse.

At the start of the 1800s, there were over two hundred breweries in Ireland but during that century the number fell to about fifty. Economic stagnation following independence in the 1900s meant other small breweries folded, and Guinness and other global brewers bought up many remaining Irish breweries, and by 2007 just over 10 remained.

However, a craft beer movement which began around the mid 1990s has led to the more recent arrival of numerous brewpubs and micro-breweries opening around the country in the last decade. In Dublin, you of course have to visit the Guinness Storehouse, but both JW Sweetmans and the Porterhouse are worth checking out to try their own ranges of greats beers.

Outside of Dublin, a visit to Smithwicks in Kilkenny, who like Guinness have centuries of brewing history, is a must. O Hara's in nearby Carlow is also worth checking out. As it the smaller operation at the Wicklow Brewery also offer and interesting tour, and if you want to experience some Irish “craic”, they host 'Hooley in the Brewery' nights every weekend in the Summer.

Contact our team and we will tailor a great distillery or brewery tour to your needs. We also recommend combining brewery and distillery tours with some visits to Ireland’s renowned pubs and an exploration of Ireland’s food culture.