Uncovering the best distilleries in Ireland

Everyone knows that Ireland produces some of the best whiskeys in the world. Whether it's blended, single malt or single pot still, it's always sweet on the palate.

If there is any information on the exact origin of Irish whisky, it is argued that a monk must have brought the recipe for distillation to Ireland around the 6th century. When the English invaded Ireland in the twelfth century, the British discovered this strange alcohol produced by the Irish whisky distilleries.

Named initially "Uisce Beatha", this alcohol with a complex name greatly frightened the English. They believed that the absorption of this "brandy" made the Irish fighters particularly ferocious in the fight. It is also to the English that we owe the name of Whiskey by dent of deformation: uisce, fuisce, uiskie and finally, whiskey.

The whisky distilleries Ireland is home to currently were set up on the mainland some 5 centuries back. Several tax reforms have been applied to this wonderful beverage to control its popularity in the old times. These stringent reforms helped the Irish distillers give birth to a wave of illicit whiskey production in the country. To regularize the production and keep up the quality of the product distilleries in Ireland set up some important ground rules concerning the production and distribution of this golden spirit.

Some of these rules, included an extensive ageing period of upto 3 years minimum for the product to be officially labelled at “Irish Whisky”. This helped discourage the illicit production of distilleries in Ireland and gave rise to some of the best distilleries in Ireland. Many producers decided to unite their forces around the Irish distillers at this point and new strategies were put in place, which helped Irish whiskey distilleries achieve the huge market share that they enjoy today.

Hence, for you to truly appreciate whiskey, what better way than to start at the very source? All distilleries in Ireland come with their own history and tradition. This is where you can discover the fascinating stories of this ancient art and how each distillery uses its ingredients to create that characteristic taste, texture, colour and smell.

Embark on an exclusive whiskey tasting experience around some of the best distilleries in Ireland and discover the true essence of this spirit and the vibrant country, where the story began.

Contact our local travel expert or choose from one of our select members to plan yourself a fully customized whisky tasting experience in the Irish whiskey distilleries.

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