Discover Dublin's Whiskey Distilleries: Private Tasting Tour

On your private tour, as you taste whiskey, you’ll learn about the rich history of whiskey-making in Ireland.

As a little preview, here’s a brief history of the stories into which you’ll be diving with each sip. Irish whiskey dates back more than 1,000 years when Irish monks began making their own “uisce beatha”. In 1608, The Old Bushmills Distillery in Co Antrim became Ireland first licensed distillery. By the middle of the 18th century, there were more than 1,000 registered distilleries in Ireland, as demand for whiskey reached saturation levels. In the 19th century, Irish whiskey sales were badly hit by the Temperance movement and the Great Famine.

Whiskey exports thrived, however, and America, in particular, was fast falling in love with the smooth nectar from the old sod. In the early 20th century, Ireland was fighting a War of Independence, and Irish whiskey became a major casualty. Prohibition in the US also badly hit exports.

Scottish distillers were quick to seize the opportunity, and Scotch soon overtook Irish as the world’s favourite whiskey. In 1987, John Teeling launched Cooley Distillery, the first independent distillery in 100 years, marking the beginning of a renaissance for Irish whiskey.

Irish whiskey is now the fastest-growing premium spirit category in the world, and Whiskey tourism is growing in Ireland, too, with 814,000 people visiting Irish whiskey attractions in 2017. Learn about all this and more while exploring Dublin through whiskey with your private guide.