Tipple a rarey at these five whiskey tasting spots in Ireland

Across the island of Ireland, you’ll find bountiful bars and pubs with wonderful and mind-boggling whiskey collections — plus, in many cases, live folk musicians, roaring fires and friendly fellow drinkers to boot. But there’s an increasingly intriguing and eclectic number of places on the Emerald Isle offering tours and tastings that’ll deepen your appreciation of the so-called Uisce beatha (water of life). Here are five possibilities.

AT THE DOCKS . . .

A little over a century ago, Irish liquid gold was the top dog. But a bunch of setbacks, sparked by Ireland’s quest for independence from Britain and Prohibition in the USA, splintered its export markets and Scotland’s whisky makers capitalised instead. Recent decades, however, have seen the Irish re-emerge as key players in the global industry, both through stalwarts like Jameson and Bushmills and newcomers like Titanic Distillers, the first distillery to open in Belfast since Prohibition. Set in a converted harbourfront pumphouse, it takes its name from the vessel constructed in the shipyards here between 1909 and 1912. Learn about the whiskey-making process, and sample the distillery’s premium whiskey and vodka, on one of its signature 60-minute tours or plump for the longer tour that plunges underground for a glimpse of the antique pumping engines, then outside to see where the Titanic last rested on dry ground before her maiden voyage. You could blend your distillery experience with a trip to Titanic Belfast, a fantastic multimedia exhibition charting the ship’s history and legacy. You can’t miss it: it’s in a dazzling waterfront building that looks like a cross between icebergs and ship hulls. See titanicdistillers.com

BEHIND BARS . . .

History is also woven into the Northern Ireland capital’s newest distillery. Reviving a brand established by brothers John and James McConnell in 1776, McConnell’s occupies a snazzily converted wing of Crumlin Road Gaol, an infamous landmark that previously held everyone from colonial-era convicts awaiting transportation to Australia to political figures banged up during “The Troubles” that dogged the province in the late 20th century. You can absorb the gaol’s storied past on a self-guided tour that has you ducking inside its decommissioned cells, while more fascinating tales and mouth-warming tipples await at the distillery. You’ll learn, among other things, about the differences between Scottish and Irish whisk(e)y. While both need to be matured in wooden casks on home soil for a minimum of three years, Scotch is typically distilled just twice, whereas Irish is normally triple-distilled, with connoisseurs claiming this gives it a smoother, more delicate finish. In the 19th century, most Irish distilleries began spelling whiskey with an “e” to make it stand out from Scotch. But McConnell’s upholds tradition, sticking to the original spelling and honouring the company that helped Belfast leapfrog Dublin and Cork as the Emerald Isle’s No.1 whiskey-making city back in Victorian times. See mcconnellsirishwhisky.com

AT CHURCH . . .

For more than 250 years a malty tang has curried the breeze in the Liberties district of Dublin, for this is the birthplace of Guinness. Both a working brewery and hugely popular tourist magnet, it looms large in the neighbourhood, but it’s far from the only tipple producer here. Just down the road is Pearse Lyons, perhaps the most striking of the new wave of whiskey distilleries doing business in the Liberties. Founded by a late Irish-born Kentucky bourbon maker, it’s nestled inside the converted St James Church, which is capped by a contemporary glass steeple that lights up at dusk. After hearing the inspiring backstory of Mr Thomas Pearse Lyons himself, visitors are invited to try the distillery’s silky-smooth small-batch whiskeys and botanical-spiced gins. A nice place to sip and hang out is the bar in the church’s former nave, where shiny copper stills face colourful facades of mock-up Dublin shopfronts while stained-glass windows portray the distilling process (and the Irish harp). You can also sign up for demonstrations that’ll teach you how to concoct gins and whiskey-based cocktails. See pearselyonsdistillery.com

ON AN ISLAND . . .

A particularly alluring place for a splash-out whiskey-tasting adventure is Lambay, a private off-grid island and nature reserve that has retained an air of intrigue and mystery despite being anchored just 5km off Ireland’s east coast. Bespoke group tours can be booked for between April and October, with visitors ferried over to the island by boat from the harbour of Malahide, just north of Dublin. You can sample Lambay’s own triple-distilled whiskey, which is finished here in French oak cognac casks and fuelled with the island’s volcanic well water before bottling. Pair the whiskey with Lambay’s craft chocolate and take walks with guides who’ll have you encountering the island’s wildlife, including Ireland’s only wild breeding population of red-necked Australian wallabies, which were first brought to Lambay in the 1950s. Deer, sheep, grey seals and sea birds can also be seen on and around this island, notably Atlantic puffins, which are illustrated on the labels on Lambay’s whiskey bottles. See lambaywhiskey.com

ON A COUNTRY ESTATE . . .

Fancy combining whiskey tasting with a walk around a stately home with its resplendent gardens? Venture 20km south of Dublin towards the village of Enniskerry in County Wicklow, where the magnificent Powerscourt Estate is an award-winning visitor draw. Restored in 1996, the 18th-century Powerscourt mansion is the centrepiece of the grounds where you can also witness Ireland’s highest waterfall. Tumbling 121m, that provides mineral water for the Fercullen whiskeys that have been distilled on the estate since 2018. Situated inside the estate’s former mill house, the Powerscourt Distillery and Visitor Centre offer a choice of tours, including food-paired whiskey tasting aided by locally produced honey, cheese and charcuterie. The estate has an upscale hotel and spa if you’re after a bed (and pampering), while the glorious green Wicklow Mountains next door provide oodles of scenic hiking opportunities. See powerscourt.com

Steve McKenna was a guest of Tourism Ireland. They have not influenced or read this story before publication.

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+ For more information on visiting the Emerald Isle, see ireland.com

+ Bespoke whiskey tours on the island of Ireland, with expert guides and drivers, can be arranged via whiskeyisland.ie