Whiskey Tours of Ireland

Your own private guide, a local celebrity, will pick you up at the restaurant when you finish lunch and you will enjoy a guided walking tour through Dublin’s colorful center including Temple Bar with its lively pubs and picturesque streets. Arrive to the old Jameson Bow ST. then for your first whiskey experience of the tour. The fine whiskeys of Jameson were made here for over 200 years before moving premises to Midleton in Cork in the 70’s. For decades, the Dublin distillery remained abandoned until finally being revamped and turned into a distillery museum with tasting rooms.

The visit is stellar, very educational and detailed. You will be privy to a connoisseur’s tour (not the standard visit) with your own private whiskey master and tasting of Jameson NV, Jameson 12 year old, Jameson 18 year old, plus a Scotch and American Bourbon for the comparison tasting. Terrific introduction to Irish Whiskey! Tonight then is yours to explore Dublin’s pubs on your own. A visit to the Brazen Head (Ireland’s oldest pub) is obligatory for whiskey lovers!

Conclude the tour, naturally, with a tasting! Taste Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey and a connoisseur’s sampler of the Cooley range. Lunch will then be in a traditional Irish pub and could include local unfussy delicacies like steamed mussels, seafood chowder, smoked salmon on Irish soda bread. Try one or two of Ireland’s fabulous local brews like Kilkenny red or Beamish stout. Carry on to the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre, situated in the historic D.E. Williams Tullamore Distillery dating back to the 1800’s. The location for both of these distilleries was selected as the Irish midlands were ideal for whiskey distillation (the waterways provide ample fresh water throughout the year; you find turf in abundance, and this was used for fuel; and the micro climate was perfect for the cultivation of barley). Apart from whiskey, the Tullamore company updated an ancient Irish recipe for heather wine and coined it “Irish Mist” which boosted sales.

After a tour, enjoy further whiskey tasting including goodies like the Ten Year Old Tullamore blend or the Ten Year Old Single Malt. Sláinte Mhaith! In the afternoon, head back to Dublin. On the way, drive through colorful Dalkey and Sandycove, two of Dublin’s prettiest neighborhoods. See Dalkey castle and enjoy a stroll on the pretty main street. Your driver will drop you off at your hotel in the early evening and the rest of the day is yours. You could do a spot of shopping on Grafton Street and St Stephen’s Green, go for a walk in the delightful Iveagh Gardens, or visit the Guinness brewery. For dinner tonight we suggest Chapter One, a beautiful place with top cuisine located in the cellar of the Irish Writers Centre.

The historic town of Belfast, in Northern Ireland is next where you will stop for a fabulous lunch and walking tour. Dine at Deane’s, the most stylish and elegant haunt in town. Enjoy a three course tasting menu that might include dishes like lobster risotto, aged loin of Black Angus beef and Bourbon vanilla crème brûlée. Delicious! Your charming local guide will meet you at the restaurant when you finish lunch and you will digest lunch over a 90 minute walking tour of the most interesting sites in downtown Belfast. Pop into the Victorian Crown Liquor Saloon and stroll through the Cathedral and Queen’s quarters. Fresh air, a healthy walk and a nice cultural interlude during your whiskey tour.

Bushmills awaits now, and you will drive northwest into beautiful Country Antrim. Not all whiskey makers can say they have 400 years of history, but Bushmills can and it is indeed the oldest distillery in the world – founded in 1608. British King James I granted Sir Thomas Phillips a “royal license” to distil uisce beatha (the water of life the monks had been distilling non-commercially). In the 1880’s the distillery actually burned down to the ground but was rebuilt and got back to distilling quickly. During WWII, distilling stopped but the property kept working as it became a lodge for the American and Allied Forces. Today Bushmills offers well organized tours and tastings which you will get to enjoy. On a connoisseur’s tour, explore the facilities and finish with a tasting of some of their flagship whiskies like Black Bush and 16 year old Malt. Tonight you will sleep in a darling inn (which is actually a coaching inn dating to the early 1600’s) with cozy wood beamed ceilings and sumptuous bathtubs. Dinner is on you own, welcome to Northern Ireland at its best!

Arrive at Dublin around lunchtime and get dropped off at your hotel, with free time to freshen up and relax. This afternoon is one of the highlights of your whiskey tour in Ireland- a private VIP Whiskey Masterclass at the country’s best whiskey merchant. With your charming local expert, taste an array of whiskey styles such as Pure Pot Still, Single Malt, Single Grain, and of course Blended Whiskeys. Learn about some of the key differences between Irish whiskey and Scottish whisky “or “Scotch” and American Bourbon. Before leaving, you will be given a special gift to take home with you. This is a treat and will leave a great flavor in your mouth! The rest of the evening is yours. We suggest dinner at Guilbaud’s for a fancy feast or at Ely’s Wine Bar for trendy, mostly organic fare and a fabulous selection of wines available by the glass.