Updated August 2024--While Ireland’s big whiskey brands naturally come to mind for many people who are interested in discovering more about Irish whiskey, there are other whiskey distilleries across Ireland that are unknown to tourists.
This post contains affiliate links and I may earn compensation when you click on the links at no additional cost to you.
Below is a list of Ireland on a Budget's picks for the 10 undiscovered whiskey distilleries in Ireland that you should put on your bucket list.
1. Achill Island Distillery, County Mayo
This distillery is Ireland’s only offshore island-based facility.
Officially opened in July 2019, Achill Island Distillery is the maker of several brands of whiskey.
They include the Irish American Classic Blend, the Irish American Ten-Year-Old Single Malt, the Founder’s Reserve Cask Strength 19-year-old Single Malt, the Achill Island Single Malt Bourbon Cask, the Achill Island Single Malt Bordeaux Cask Finish, and the Achill Island Peated Single Malt, among others.
Their whiskey is known for having a distinct fruity flavor with vanilla and caramel notes from the bourbon cask barrels that they’ve been matured in, along with a hint of spice.
Its visitor center is well worth a look if you’re touring the island.
Part of the experience includes tasting its signature whiskeys at the Barley Field Bar, as well as its famous Mayo Mojito cocktail.
The distillery’s Classic Tour includes the history and heritage of Achill, as well as information on the company's handcrafted distilling process from barley to barrel.
Tickets for the tour are €15 for adults and €10 for those under the age of 18. Children under 10 are admitted free.
Average Price Per Bottle of Achill Island Distillery Whiskey: $45 US/€40/£34 Sterling/$60 CAD/$66 AUD
Where to Buy Online: U.S. customers: Mash & Grape. European customers: Irish Malts.
2. Ballykeefe Distillery, County Kilkenny
A 140-acre farm that grows malting barley is the setting for this relatively new distillery in County Kilkenny.
Owned by the Ging family, the Ballykeefe Distillery located on the outskirts of Kilkenny city is a revival of a 200-year-old tradition of Irish family farm distilleries once common all across the country.
The distillery produces not just whiskey but also gin, vodka, and poitín (the Irish version of moonshine, which is pronounced “putsheen”).
At the eco-friendly Ballykeefe Distillery, you’ll see a real working farm in action, as well as the steps that are taken to keep this operation running, the only on-farm distillery in Ireland.
On the Ballykeefe Experience Tour, you’ll learn about the origins of Irish whiskey and see the whiskey distilling process, from the mill house to the brewhouse, as well as the farm’s on-site bottling plant.
A tasting is also available.
You must contact the distillery in advance to book the tour. Tour prices are not available on the website.
Average Price Per Bottle of Ballykeefe Distillery Whiskey: €60/$66 US/£50 Sterling/$90 CAD/$98 AUD
Where to Buy Online: On the Ballykeefe Distillery website (free shipping for Republic of Ireland customers).
3. Burren Distillers, County Clare
At the Burren Distillers facility located in the heart of this beautiful region of Ireland, you’ll discover that whiskey-making has been a part of this area for a very long time.
As far back as the 13th century, Cistercian monks at Corcomroe Abbey in the northern region of the Burren were known to have maintained a still.
During the 16th century, the practice was so widespread that locally made whiskey was used to barter for other goods.
Today, that rich whiskey tradition has been revived in Clare with the opening of the Burren Distillers in 2013 by Noel Ó Lochlainn.
What makes Burren Distillers different from others in Ireland is the fact that the company uses what is known as the old “sean gael” method of distilling, which essentially means making it by hand.
Burren Distillers is the only one in Ireland to reintroduce this artisan tradition, which includes floor malting, a historic technique that is used to prepare barley for fermentation.
Water from the company’s own well is used in the distilling process after which it is stored in custom-made traditional oak vats and copper stills.
The result is a unique Irish whiskey with sherry, viognier, cognac, muscat, and port flavors.
Tours are not yet available at the Burren Distillers.
Read More About County Clare and Its Many Attractions
4. Dingle Distillery, County Kerry
To achieve the flavors that you’ll find in Dingle Distillery’s single malt Dingle Whiskey, the company uses three distinctive, hand-crafted copper pot stills.
Its first batch of whiskey was released in late 2016 and consisted of two triple-distilled whiskeys.
Its second batch was released in 2017 and included three single malts and a single pot still whiskey.
On a tour, expect to get an inside look into the entire production process as well as a history of Irish whiskey. Tastings are also included.
The distillery also produces gin and vodka.
The cost of the tour is €22 per adult. Admission for students (18 and above) and seniors is €16.
Average Price Per Bottle of the Dingle Distillery Whiskey: €85/$94 US/£71 Sterling/$127 CAD/$139 AUD
Where to Buy Online: U.S. customers: Flaviar. European Customers: On the distillery website. Customers in the Republic of Ireland can also find the brand in various stores (enter your EIR code on the website).
5. Copeland Distillery, County Down
This distillery is among the youngest on the list, established in 2019 and located a stone’s throw from the historic harbor in Donaghadee, County Down.
The name is taken from the Copeland Islands in the North Sea, which can be seen from the harbor. It is among a number of distilleries that are now open in Northern Ireland.
For centuries, the islands were used as a conduit to smuggle spirits from Scotland to Northern Ireland.
Today, this award-winning distillery is known for its Classic Irish and Navy Strength gins and brand of rum, which contain a selection of wild botanicals and fruits sourced from local County Down farms.
The facility contains three copper stills, aptly named Betty, Hessie, and Pam after the founders’ grandmothers and mother.
Two stills are used for whiskey making and one is for gin.
Tours are available for £22.50 per person.
Average Price Per Bottle of the Copeland Distillery Whiskey: £40 Sterling/$52 US/€47/$71 CAD/$77 AUD
Where to Buy Online: On the Copeland Distillery website.
6. The Shed Distillery, County Leitrim
Established in 2014 by PJ Rigney, the man behind Boru Vodka and Sheridan’s Liqueur brands, the County Leitrim Shed Distillery is another one of Ireland’s whiskey distilleries that may be totally unknown to visitors coming to Ireland for the first time.
Located in a former jam factory in the town of Drumshanbo, the Shed Distillery is best known for its Gunpowder Gin.
However, its single pot, triple-distilled Irish whiskey called Drumshanbo Single Pot Still is also popular.
The company also makes the Sausage Tree Pure Irish Vodka.
Five copper still pots, made in Germany, are used in the distilling process.
The distillery’s visitor center includes a botanical glasshouse, an extensive visitor journey into the heart of the distillery, The Honey Badger Bar, a bright and spacious café, as well as a gift shop.
Give yourself at least two hours to get the most out of the distillery tour. A tasting is available afterward.
Distillery tours are available. Prices start at €19 per person.
Average Price Per Bottle of The Shed Distillery Whiskey: €60/$67 US/£50 Sterling/$90 CAD/$98
Where to Buy Online: US Customers: Flaviar. European Customers: On the Shed Distillery website.
Become a Member of Flaviar, the Club for Whiskey Lovers
7. Sliabh Liag Distillers, County Donegal
The Sliabh Liag Distillers company located on the beautiful Donegal coastline, which operates the Ardara Distillery, has the privilege of being the first distilling company to open in the county in over 175 years.
Indeed, Donegal has a rich and storied heritage when it comes to the creation of spirits, specifically poitín.
The last legal distillery in Donegal produced a whopping 200,000 gallons of grain spirit and employed a staff of 60 during the late 1830s.
In 1841, it closed due to the temperance movement, a declining population from the effects of the Great Famine, and a change in drinking tastes, from whiskey to beer and porter.
Since starting their venture in 2017, husband and wife team James and Moira Doherty have gone from strength to strength, with sales in 26 countries.
The distillery produces a number of award-winning products.
They include the Legendary Silkie Irish Whiskey, An Dúlamán Irish Maritime Gin, Assaranca Vodka, The Sliabh Liag Donegal Single Malt Irish Whiskey, the Sliabh Liag Donegal Pot Still Irish Whiskey, and An Béal Bocht Donegal Straight Poitín.
Its Silkie whiskey, a blend of double and triple-distilled single malts, soft grain whiskey, with a hint of peated malt, is inspired by tales of mythical Silkie seals off the Donegal coast.
Distillery tours are available. You must either email or call to book in advance.
The price of admission for tours without a tasting is €15, and €20 for the tour and tasting (either whiskey or gin).
Children ages 8-18 years of age are admitted free of charge. Children under 8 are not allowed on distillery tours.
Average Price Per Bottle of the Sliabh Liag Distillery Whiskey: €50/$56 US/£42 Sterling/$75 CAD/$82 AUD
Where to Buy Online: All customers can purchase its whiskey on the Sliabh Liag Distillers website. The Silkie brand is also available on Flaviar.
8. West Cork Distillers, County Cork
Established in 2003 by childhood friends John O’Connell, Denis McCarthy, and Ger McCarthy, this small but growing whiskey distillery in West Cork, one of the 10 undiscovered distilleries in Ireland, contains eight pot still and two-column stills that produce almost 4,000,000 liters (just over a million gallons) of alcohol annually.
An additional three stills are used for making the company’s brand of gin.
The company’s signature brands include its West Cork Irish Whiskey, Garnish Island Gin, and Two Trees Vodka.
Its whiskey is 75% grain, 25% malt, and is aged in ex-bourbon casks.
Its whiskey can be distinguished from others, with a taste that is reminiscent of sugar cookies, dried fruits, and toasted vanilla beans.
To book a tour, email [email protected].
Average Price Per Bottle of West Cork Distillery Whiskey: €40/$44 US/£33 Sterling/$60 CAD/$66 AUD
Where to Buy Online: On the West Cork Distillery website (delivery to over 40 countries is available).
Take a Private Whiskey Tour at Tullamore D.E.W.
9. Glendalough Distillery, County Wicklow
Finding a whiskey distillery in the heart of the Glendalough region in Co. Wicklow is not surprising.
Whiskey distillation in Ireland began in monasteries like Glendalough, which is one of the top tourist attractions in Ireland.
The flavors that you might associate with whiskey today are unlike that used by Irish monks when they first began to distill whiskey, peppering it with herbs like mint, thyme, or anise.
The Glendalough Distillery was established in 2011 by five friends from Wicklow and Dublin who had a passion for reviving the craft of whiskey distilling in Ireland.
The company’s products include two gin brands as well as its Glendalough Double Barrel Irish Whiskey, its Glendalough Pot Still Irish Whiskey, its Glendalough 7-Year Single Malt Whiskey, and its 13-Year Single Malt Finish Mizunara Cask Whiskey.
Its double barrel brand is first matured in ex-bourbon barrels before finishing for six months in Oloroso sherry casks, giving it the double-barrel name.
This whiskey has the perfect blend of caramel sweetness, with tastings of creamy chocolate fudge, vanilla frosting, and cinnamon spice.
Tours are not available at the distillery at this time.
Average Price Per Bottle of Glendalough Distillery Whiskey: $40 US/€35/£30 Sterling/$54 CAD/$58 AUD
Where to Buy Online: U.S. customers can purchase a bottle of Glendalough whiskey from Flaviar.
10. Lough Gill Distillery, County Sligo
An old Palladian mansion in County Sligo is the setting for the Lough Gill Distillery, the makers of the Athrú brand of single malt whiskey.
The Lough Gill Distillery triple distills its brand using the highest quality malted heritage barley and locally sourced water.
The distillery is located in one of the most beautiful spots in the county, once the summer home of the famous poet William Butler Yeats.
The company’s signature brand is its Athru single malt whiskey.
That includes its Oloroso, Tojaki, and 16 Year PX bottles.
Average Price Per Bottle of Lough Gill Distillery Whiskey: €100/$111 US/£84 Sterling/$151 CAD/$164 AUD
Where to Buy Online: On the Lough Gill Distillery website.
Are you a lover of Irish whiskey? Have you visited any of the 10 undiscovered whiskey distilleries in Ireland that are mentioned above?
If so, let me know in the comments below.
I was looking for the unheard but talented craft distillers in Ireland and your web page was really helpful
Cheers!
Thank you!