Irish whiskey is not only one of this country’s great export success stories, but it is also making an increasingly important contribution to the island’s tourism offering.
In the 12 months to the end of June 2024, the 26 Irish whiskey distillery visitor centres that comprise the Irish Whiskey Way attracted 817,000 visitors. That number is expected to exceed one million when the figures for the year ending June 2025 are finalised.
“Irish whiskey tourism has exploded in the last two decades in parallel with the growth in Irish whiskey sales internationally,” says Eoin Ó Catháin, director of the Irish Whiskey Association, the Ibec trade body which promotes, protects and represents the Irish whiskey category globally.
“The Irish Whiskey Way includes iconic brands like Jameson, Midleton and Tullamore D.E.W., which have been joined by up-and-coming distilleries like Lough Ree in Longford, Boann in Meath, and Ahascragh in Galway. It also includes the oldest licensed distillery in the world, in Bushmills and Kilbeggan, the oldest working distillery in the world, dating back to 1757. Every distillery is unique and has its own story to tell. That’s one of the reasons we put together the Irish Whiskey Way, to allow people to experience that variety.”
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Visitor experiences serve a dual purpose for many of the companies involved. “Tourism is part of the revenue stream and a brand builder,” says Ó Catháin. “For some companies, it helps to keep the lights on while they are waiting for the product to mature. For older brands, if people know the story behind it, they have more of an affinity and connection to it. That’s a motivation for many companies as they try to strengthen their foothold in a crowded market.”
The prospect of a transatlantic trade war has presented new challenges for the industry. “We have been experiencing turbulence since the start of the year and a lot of that is down to the US market,” he notes. “It’s our biggest market for sales and where a lot of visitors come from. All of the distillers are trying to respond and adapt. For a lot of companies, the tourism side of things allows them to continue to reach new customers. We are fortunate to have had very good engagement with the Irish Government and the European Commission on the trading environment.”
Tourism plays a strategic role for Tullamore D.E.W. “While it contributes directly through ticket sales and retail, its real value lies in deepening brand engagement,” says Clara Kelleher, global head of comms, heritage brands with William Grant & Sons. “When visitors experience the story, the process, and the product first-hand, they form a much stronger emotional connection to the brand. That kind of loyalty often translates into long-term brand ambassadors and increased global recognition.”
The company moved the visitor experience to the working distillery site in Tullamore in 2022, she adds. “This gives visitors the chance to see, smell, taste and touch every aspect of how the world’s second-largest Irish whiskey brand is produced, from grain to glass. What makes our tours truly special is their intimate nature. By welcoming no more than 12 guests at a time, we create a warm, relaxed setting that allows for genuine connection and conversation.”
Titanic Distillers in Belfast, with its slogan of “blood, sweat and years”, is a relative newcomer to whiskey tourism. The distillery is located in the original pump house building that pumped water in and out of the dry dock where the Titanic was built. “We opened the doors in April 2023 following an £8 million investment in the building,” says general manager Siobhán Winston. “We are open seven days a week and are attracting people from Ireland, the UK, Europe and further afield. We work very closely with Tourism Northern Ireland and Tourism Ireland and had 17,000 visitors in our first year. We think we will get 20,000 to 25,000 next year.”
The distillery and visitor centre have brought a new lease of life to the bottom end of Belfast’s maritime mile, she adds. “It’s really great to get people coming this far and we are giving Belfast a new tourist attraction as well. People can come and visit an amazing innovative whiskey distillery, do a tour and come to masterclasses to learn more about whiskey. We are on a journey. We’ve only been open for just over two years and are working hard at getting new visitors in the door.”
Positive engagement with Tourism Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland plays an important role, according to Ó Catháin. “They have been very important partners for us. More support would be welcome. Irish Whiskey tourism is important for the country as well as the industry. Eighty-seven per cent of the visitor centres are in rural areas and provide valuable support for local communities. The Shed in Drumshanbo, Co Leitrim, employs 100 people, for example. It really is a rural champion.”
For more information, visit irishwhiskeyway.ie
