On your guided tour, you will get close to the iconic waterwheel which once powered the whole distillery and kept whiskey flowing through Kilbeggan. Private Irish Whiskey Tour: rural Ireland with Tullamore D.E.W. The 19th century waterwheel is one of the most iconic features of the town and the distillery. Discover real artisan Irish whiskey being made today and learn how Kilbeggan preserves its heritage. The former distillery has been rebuilt as a museum of whiskey history, with most of the original machinery on exhibit. Exploring Three Castle Head and Dunlough Castle on the Mizen Peninsula, Off road driving experience - 4x4 adventure in Kildare. Thank you on advising us on the top restaurants in our town. long history of irish whiskey in an unexpected small town. Tree City Vodka- Heathermeade Distilling - Kenilworth - Alignable Air Travel. Their plan worked, because I ended up buying a fifth of my favorite, my wife bought a shirt, and my kids got sampler packs to give as gifts. Can anyone please tell me how to make reservations? Whilst every attempt has been made to ensure that all information on Mullingar.ie is accurate and up-to-date, we cannot accept any responsibility for errors. Cooley were aided in the process by the fact that since the distillery's closure, each subsequent owner had faithfully paid the 5 annual fee to maintain the distilling licence.[2]. My recommendation to visitors: enjoy your tour. While you are logged in and use plug-ins from other websites, such as Whisky.com, Google uses these cookies to improve your user experience. So a tour thats literally steeped in history, treat yourself to a master class in tasting Kilbeggans four unique Irish Whiskeys, Greenore Single Grain, Kilbeggan Irish whiskey, Tyrconnell Single Malt and Connemara Peated Single Malt. The post-tour ambience in the bar was excellent and conducive to further conversation. At first glance you may think it is a waste of time, do the tour and you will change your mind. The distillery's visitor centre was among the nominations in Whisky Magazine's Icons of Whisky visitor attraction category in 2008. Thats certainly one way of adding additional flavour I guess. Thank you so much for the amazing advice on finding our trip out last weekend! Prior to the recommencement of operations of Kilbeggan, the three brands associated with the distilleryKilbeggan, Locke's Blend and Locke's Malt were produced at the Cooley Distillery in County Louth, before being transported to Kilbeggan, where they were to stored in a 200 year old granite warehouse. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. Charming oldest distillery, out of the way, but worth the trip. The Kilbeggan Experience offers a unique opportunity to see a fully operational traditional Irish pot still whiskey distillery, while enjoying a historical tour of the old distillery which includes the waterwheel and original distillery machinery. [14], As a result, Kilbeggan was forced to cease production of new spirit for 7 years between 1924 and 1931, decimating the company's cash flow and finances. I can't speak highly enough of Tara, whose delivery was so natural, could answer all questions and knew her stuff. more. Told tours were on at 1300h (0 persons booked) and 1500h. [12] By then, the much enlarged distillery was being managed by John's sons, John Edward and James Harvey, who told Barnard that the distillery's output had more than doubled during the preceding ten years, and that they intended to install electric lighting. Independent then of what we owe you, on purely personal grounds, we feel we owe you a deep debt of gratitude for maintaining in our midst a manufacture which affords such extensive employment to our poor, and exercises so favourable an influence on the prosperity of the town. T: +353 (0)57 9332134 Old Kilbeggan Distillery: Nice tour - See 633 traveler reviews, 747 candid photos, and great deals for Kilbeggan, Ireland, at Tripadvisor. Registers a unique ID on mobile devices to allow geographic GPS location based tracking. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. 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I am not in Ireland, so would prefer not to have to call. Since reopening, the distillery has launched a Kilbeggan Small Batch Rye, the first whiskey to be 100% distilled and matured on-site since the restoration was completed. The casks are also charred inside which colours the whiskey. They distill a small amount on-site and the guide briefly described a couple things that were going on. One of the oldest distilleries in Ireland. Even though some new equipment has been installed since 2007, most of the old machinery has been preserved. The Kilbeggan Distilling Company has seen its share of trials and triumphs. Celtic Roots Studio Belvedere House, Gardens and Park The Hill of Uisneach Dn na S Amenity & Heritage Park Need a place to stay near Kilbeggan Distillery? I can't get the website reservation system to work and I have tried emailing them and received no response. Restaurants near Old Kilbeggan Distillery: Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page. - See 631 traveler reviews, 745 candid photos, and great deals for Kilbeggan, Ireland, at Tripadvisor. Do you need to book in advance to visit Old Kilbeggan Distillery? It is just 3km from the Old Rail Trail Greenway. Kilbeggan Distillery Visitor Centre | 7 followers on LinkedIn. Bike. Just happen to see sign off the motorway and what a pleasant surprise - a lovely old distillery which is in really good shape in terms of exhibition space. We had a booking for a Sunday afternoon. OLD KILBEGGAN DISTILLERY: All You Need to Know BEFORE You - Tripadvisor Industries Travel Arrangements Headquarters Ireland Locations Lower Main St, Aghamore, Kilbeggan, Co. Westmeath Ireland, ie Get directions Similar pages COOLEY DISTILLERY (NI) LIMITED . The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. while the older section is no longer in use, the distillery does still operate as a specialty, small batch distillery. Located in the town of Kilbeggan, on the Brosna River, Kilbeggan Distillery is the oldest licensed distillery in Ireland. If youre the designated driver or just not a fan of whiskey, you may have to be content with a sniff test instead! This cookie records the number of visits, timestamp of your first visit, the previous and current visit. If you want to get in-depth, you'll be disappointed, but if you just want to scratch the surface on an hour tour, this was very good. This slot is intended for displaying content of the external provider (https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/). Lovely small old destillery. What restaurants are near Old Kilbeggan Distillery? A unique double distilled process with some unique flavors on offer. This website uses cookies, to provide best functionality for you. So if whiskey is not your thing, that might be a better way to give it a go. And luckily they serve a perfect Irish Coffee in the bar! [12] Barnard remarked that at the time of his visit over 2,000 casks of spirit were ageing in the distillery's bonded warehouses. Would highly recommend this tour! GermanyLegal Notice. TELEPHO NE N U MB ER. [2] Cooley later also took over the running of the museum, and began the process of re-establishing a working distillery on-site. It is the quintessential Irish whiskey distillery, with whitewashed walls, weathered slate roof, brick chimney stack, creaking timber water wheel and even regular ghost sightings! Old Kilbeggan Distillery - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go - Tripadvisor 97% of travellers recommend this experience. The Kilbeggan Distilling Company, being Irelands oldest permitted distillery, has experienced its fair share of ups and downs. Old mash tuns and fermenters are still in their original positions and the new Kilbeggan malt spirit flows from ancient pot stills one of which is over 186 years old! From the creaking timber water wheel, to our giant steam engine, a guided tour of this distillery will transport you back two centuries and captivate your senses. The Kilbeggan Whiskey Bar is worth a visit to browse the complete range of whiskeys, while the Pantry Restaurant has everything you need for a hearty lunch. The whiskey here was the strongest in flavor out of all the other I toured which made it memorable. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. I treated myself after the tour and can confirm theyre very delicious. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Ireland, Europe. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in Ireland. A stroll across the courtyard takes you to the present day, where whiskey is still being produced using ancient traditions, passed on from generation to generation. Also the whiskey was just so-so. Tours start from 8, although there are multiple tour options available. The Jealous Wall at Belvedere House & Gardens. Such great suggestions on this site. The tour is rich in history and stories. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. This is no mere "visitor centre" but a real working distillery run by a team of young enthusiastic craftspeople (and a few wise old heads too), skilled in the traditional ways of making Irish whiskey. Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more. We went mid day during the week, so our tour group was very small (only 6 people) our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. [12] At the time of his visit, the distillery was producing 157,200 proof gallons per annum, though it had the capacity to produce 200,000. Kilbeggan Distillery - Wikipedia The tour starts with a cocktail of the whiskey and ginger ale in the garden of the distillery. In 1843 the Locke family took over the distillery and business flourished. The distillery's visitor centre was among the nominations in Whisky Magazine's Icons of Whisky visitor attraction category in 2008. Here, Have you visited Strokestown Park and the National. Westmeath Visit Website Lough Ennell Caravan & Camping Park Mullingar [4] Also in the 1920s, both of John sons passed away, John in 1920, and James in 1927, and ownership of the distillery passed to Locke's granddaughters, Mary Evelyn and Florence Emily. The distillery has been producing whiskey since 1757, making it one of the oldest distilleries in the world. The museum feature was converted into a distillery visitor centre, which continues to be a must-see for tourists, one that was recognised by Whisky Magazine's Icons of Whisky visitor attraction category in 2008. After the tour, they handed out some small sample shots. Founded in 1757, the distillery spent the next 200 years making a whiskey beloved the world over. The post-tour ambience in the bar was excellent and conducive to further conversation. Original bottling We've been using other sites before, but none of them compare to iVisit. The three whiskeys sampled during the tasting. Using funds raised locally, the Association restored the Distillery, and reopened it to the public as a whiskey distillery museum. This cookie is necessary to limit the banner ads on our website. They continued despite the fact that it was neither quick nor easy. A trip to this well-known attraction will enable you to discover the history of authentic artisan Irish whiskey, and to sample it for yourself. OLD KILBEGGAN DISTILLERY - 2023 All You Need to Know - Tripadvisor Their plan worked, because I ended up buying a fifth of my favorite, my wife bought a shirt, and my kids got sampler packs to give as gifts. From Galway: Aran Islands & Cliffs of Moher including Cliffs of Moher cruise. [14] It is the oldest working pot still producing whiskey in the world today. [2][5][15] However, when they failed to come up with the deposit, the duo were arrested and promptly interrogated by Irish police. The distillery can also be powered by a steam engine, which is in working condition but rarely used. Then in April 1952, the Irish government introduced a massive hike in excise duties and this was the final nail in the coffin. We were taken to the mashing and fermentation area upstairs, learning about how the process goes from grain to wash. This was due to the combined effects of loss and hampering of market access due to prohibition in the United States, the trade war with the British Empire, shipping difficulties during the world wars, and Irish Government export quotas; as well as competition from blended Scotch, and disruption to production during the Irish war of Independence. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. [12], In 1893, the distillery ceased to be privately held, and was converted a limited stock company, trading as John Locke & Co., Ltd., with nominal capital of 40,000. Kilbeggan Distillery Visitor Centre | LinkedIn Having arrived 15 minutes before our tour was due to commence, we had time to have a look around the outside of the whitewashesd and quaint old distillery which had an absolutely beautiful working water wheel powered by the local river. It was established in 1757, when Matthew MacManus obtained a license to produce whiskey. E: info@kilbeggandistillery.com We had an awesome time on our tour of the Old Kilbeggan whiskey distillery. Whiskey Bar. W: http://www.kilbegganwhiskey.com. Traditional Irish Whiskey mit Glas (Geschenkpackung), Manage details and settings for cookies and third party providers, Kilbeggan Black: the Irish distillery presents a peated version of the famous whiskey, Kilbeggan Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey: New whiskey based on an old recipe, Kilbeggan presents new design and changes core range. Then, in 1988 the distillery was purchased by Cooley Distillery, along with the licence to produce whiskey under the Kilbeggan and Lockes Whiskey brands. [3][21] However, following recommencement of operations at Kilbeggan, new whiskey produced on-site has been sufficiently mature for market since around 2014. [2] Most of the staff at the distillery were let go, and the distillery slowly sold off its stocks of aged whiskey. On the first part of the tour you are taken back in time to the traditional method of producing whiskey. Free parking. Not a whiskey drinker, but my group enjoyed the tasting. It is owned by Beam Suntory. [5][13], In the early part of the 20th century, Kilbeggan, like many Irish whiskey distilleries at the time, entered a period of decline. At the time of his visit, the distillery was producing 157,200 proof gallons per annum, . Following an accident on-site which had rendered a critical piece of equipment, the steam boiler, inoperable, the distillery had come to a standstill. In 2010 Kilbeggan became fully operational once again, with the installation of an oak mash tun and Oregon pine fermentation vats. Doireann Garrihy takes a trip to the Kilbeggan Distillery, located in the heart of Kilbeggan Town.