City: Northern Ireland
Top Things to do in Northern Ireland
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Top 5 Distilleries in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
– in Europe (green & dark grey)
– in the United Kingdom (green)
Restaurants in Northern Ireland
1. The Echlinville Distillery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 46 reviews
Field-to-glass distillery crafting award winning spirits in the heart of County Down, Northern Ireland. Home to Dunville's Irish Whiskey, Echlinville Single Estate Irish Pot Still Gin, Jawbox Gin and Bán Poitín.
Reviewed By MarkH9406 - Newtownards, United Kingdom
Was bought a tour for Christmas and visited in January. Starts with tea/coffee and scones / buns and health and safety briefing with some history. Tour takes you from process start to finish showing gin poteen and whiskey distillation and the differences. Right through to the storage. Post tour you can use your voucher for some drams of the distillery's own whiskies or exchange them against value of some products and merchandise in the on site shop.
2. The Boatyard Distillery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 164 reviews
The Boatyard Distillery is an award winning farm-to-bottle distillery located on the banks of Lough Erne in north west Ireland. Only the best organic ingredients have been chosen for each of our products with the terroir of the land at the forefront of each new spirit. The distillery is open for tours twice per day 6 days per week. Booking through Eventbrite essential before arrival.
Reviewed By celinef938 - Enniskillen, United Kingdom
My Friend and I had a fantastic time at the Boatyard Distillery Gin tour. We arrived by Erne Water Taxi (Barry) which was an extra special treat to ourselves as we were celebrating our 40th Birthdays and the tour did not disappoint. The samples were delicious and the knowledge William & Teresa had was second to none. You couldn't find a nicer Gin experience in a more stunning setting on the shores of beautiful Lough Erne. Cannot Recommend it enough!! Its a must do when you visit County Fermanagh.
3. Killowen Distillery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 5 reviews
Killowen Distillery welcomes you on a tour of a traditional small batch distillery, where the entire production process is explained for gin, poitin and pot still Irish whiskey. The townland of Kilfeaghan in Killowen is renowned for its Nature, history & Lore, and these characteristics are epitomised in the tour.
Reviewed By johnjamesb2020
We visited the distillery last week and had the most enjoyable and educational experience to date . Brendan welcomed us with open arms and it felt like home away from home . The tour was a 5 star tour hands down . Any questions I had about the process of distillation or the stills was well Recieved and answered without hesitation. Everything is hand crafted on site you really need to visit this little gem to truly appreciate the work carried out to produce these spirits and for such a small distillery it's punching well above it weight . We then finished our tour and went to the tasting room to sample the finest products on the market. Weather it's whiskey gin or poitin you drink you will not be disappointed . Be it a stag a hen a couple or on your own you've got to visit the beautiful killowen .im already planning my next visit roll on the summer
4. Bushmills Distillery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,741 reviews
Opened in 1608, this is the oldest licensed distillery in the world and exports its whiskey internationally.
Reviewed By matts23 - Brighton, United States
A tour of the Bushmills distillery was definitely called for when in the area! Overall, the tour was excellent...very informative, and went through the working area of the distillery. Unfortunately, this was during the distilleries' "down" time (approx. 2 weeks), when they perform maintenance and cleaning of most areas, so we didn't get to see any of the production going on. Fortunately, the staff at the visitor's center made it very clear that this was the case (as did their website) before you pay for the tour, so the expectations are clear. As a nice added touch, patrons were provided a small sampler bottle of Bushmills as consolation for not seeing the production. Despite not seeing production, our tour guide was fantastic, and the tour itself very informative. We thoroughly enjoyed this visit. The sample at the end of the tour was also very much appreciated!! In the "sample" bar, there are also options to purchase additional samples and drinks, so there's no rush to leave, and it's easy to pass some time, enjoying the beautiful tasting room. Underage patrons receive a free non-alcoholic beverage, which was appreciated. Of course, after the tasting room is the gift shop, including some limited edition whiskeys, so after the tasting room, it's easy to feel your wallet get lighter........ My only negative is that picutres during the tour were strictly prohibited; it would have been nice to capture some pictures of the grounds and buildings.
5. Rademon Estate Distillery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 106 reviews
Northern Ireland's first award winning craft gin and Irish whiskey distillery. Our small batch philosophy ensures that every aspect of our gin meets our exacting vision. Everything is crafted and perfected by hand. Our craft distillery is located in the stunning Rademon Estate, Crossgar. 18 miles south of Belfast. Our onsite shop is open most days until 5.30pm - please call for weekend opening times, as these may vary. We also operate a bar onsite, for drinks on our terrace. As we are a fully working distillery all tours must be pre-booked. Please note our tours are currently paused at this time.
Reviewed By paulbX6840XX - Newcastle, United Kingdom
Thoroughly enjoyable visit which included a tour of the facilities (established Gin Distillery and Malt Whiskey soon ready for market) and the Gin & Tonic masterclass which will have everyone reaching for the cocktail menu. Very intimate feel which probably stems from the passion and enthusiasm of founders/owners Fiona and David who crucially remain very hands-on in terms of visitor interaction.
