Over the last decade, several new distilleries have emerged across the Island of Ireland, a country with a great history of distilling whiskey. Located in the heart of Ireland, the Boyne Valley is the perfect destination to discover this history by visiting 3 distinct distilleries including tastings of their best spirits on this day trip from Dublin.
On your private day trip from Dublin, you will:
The Boyne Valley is not only the home to some of Ireland's oldest and most famous distilleries, including the Old Kilbeggan Distillery, which dates back to 1757, and the nearby Locke's Distillery, which was established in 1757; but is also home to a number of modern distilleries that continue to make the region an important centre of whiskey making in Ireland.
The Whiskey-making tradition in the Boyne Valley has always been closely tied to the region's agricultural heritage and its access to clean water from the River Boyne. The limestone soils in the region were particularly well-suited to growing barley and other grains used to make whiskey, which many distilleries today continue to use in their production.
The River Boyne also provided a means of transporting whiskey to other parts of the country and beyond, while the nearby town of Drogheda was an important port for exporting whiskey to the rest of the world.
Embark on this whiskey-making journey to the Boyne Valley with your whiskey specialist and discover what this great region has to offer!
Please note all guests must be above the age of 18 to enter the distilleries
Enjoy learning about Irish whiskey and exploring the city, all while tasting whiskey in 3 different distilleries in the heart of Dublin with your expert host.
On your whiskey-tasting tour, you will:
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.
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