The Old Jameson Distillery

When it comes to Ireland’s food and drink heritage, the Old Jameson Distillery in Smithfield, Dublin 7, is one of the country’s most visited tourist attractions.

Located on the site of the original distillery on Bow Street, this was Ireland’s most famous whiskey distilling plant for nearly 200 years. Founded in 1780, operations at this plant lasted until the 1970s, and were then switched south to Midleton, Co. Cork.

Nowadays, an award-winning visitor centre sits at the location on the north side of Dublin city, and it is easily reached from the city centre, by Luas (tram) or by foot. The Old Jameson Distillery is also a stop on the Dublin Hop On - Hop Off Bus Tour, so you’ve no excuse for not visiting!

Tours run very frequently throughout the day, and, though the machinery is no longer in use, a tour will take you through the lovingly restored machinery, and recreated distillery scenes will take you through the seven stages of whiskey making – from malting and milling right through to maturation. In actual fact, Jameson has recreated the old distillery on a smaller scale.

An engaging and exciting experience, the tour is interactive. It re-tells the story of John Jameson and is an excellent way to understand the process by which Ireland’s favourite whiskey was made. It offers fascinating insight into the story of smooth Jameson Irish whiskey, from grain to glass, and there will be some surprising and humorous stories along the way!

Tours are multi-lingual, and guides are very friendly and knowledgeable. Importantly, at the end of each tour, you will be afforded the chance to sample a drop of the hallowed liquid. There’s also the chance to take part in a comparative taste testing, which affords you the luxury of tasting the differences between Jameson, bourbon and Scotch whiskey.

Tours can be booked in advance online, but you can also simply turn up.

After the tour, you’ll be given the opportunity to visit the well stocked Jameson store, which offers everything from special vintages of the whisky itself, to personalised gifts, clothing and much more!

Also on site is the renowned 3rd Still Restaurant, which is popular with visitors and locals alike. The menu is diverse, and you can peer over the balcony and enjoy your meal. There are also two bars on site, should you wish to continue your tasting experience, or simply pop into any of Dublin’s many public houses and simply ask for a “Jemmie!"

A wonderful experience, it’s certainly one tour we’d recommend if you’re visiting Dublin this year.