Things to do in Dublin: the Jameson Distillery

When you arrive in Dublin, Ireland, you will be faced with an ultimatum: to visit either the Guinness or the Jameson's Distillery on Bow Street. Of course, you can visit both during your time here but it does usually come down to whether you are more of a stout or a whiskey fan. Whilst Josh's parents opted for the former, Josh and I decided to head to Jameson's after a lovely trip to the Leprechaun Museum. By this point we were pretty high on life despite Storm Gazza trying to thwart our spirits, and eventually found our way there.

Immediately, we could see that no expense was spared in terms of the design of the place. The forum/atrium area was one of the most inviting and convivial bar spaces I have ever been in. And whiskey all around. We had looked online beforehand at all the tours available and decided that we wanted to actually do something, rather than just be shown around. So, we queued up, booked our slot in the Secret Whiskey-Tasting Tour for two, and sat down with a Jameson's and Ginger Ale until it was our time.

It wasn't long before we were ushered in to a quiet little room in the back that was designed to mirror Jameson's original office and his own personal bar. All the photos we took here back in April are a little bit dark, but the low lighting gives it a speak-easy look that I love. Our tour guide was very personable and knowledgeable about the company (of course, but you have to give credit where it's due) and other than myself and Josh there were only two other guests. So if you are looking for a quiet, intimate tasting then the Secret Tour is the way to go about it.

I'm sure you are all wondering now about the alcohol. Well, it was a treat. You each get four different types of Jamesons Whiskey to taste, one of which is only available at the Distillery itself, so potentially a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I won't give too much away about what was said - after all it is secret, but I will show you a cheeky pic of our view as the drinks were slowly starting to go down. It goes without saying that you are encouraged to drink slowly and add water where needed, as these drinks are a very high percentage (and neat).

The fun didn't stop after the tour ended. We stayed for a while in the atrium, printed our Jameson's tour certificates and paid a visit to the gift shop, where Josh bought his own whiskey glass to remember the experience. It's been months now since we did this and still I would do it all over again. We were very impressed by the tour and the building itself, and now we recommend that all you whiskey lovers give it a go! They also offer a Whiskey-blending experience and a Cocktail Masterclass. Stay tuned for more Dublin posts 👀

Image adapted from Neil Turner on Flickr