We explore the historic Liberties district in Dublin, to visit a distillery where whiskey tradition and future, is in the DNA.
As a female whiskey enthusiast, I’m always championing the idea that more women should embrace this timeless spirit. And when it comes to Irish whiskey, it’s an even easier pitch. Thanks to its signature triple distillation, Irish whiskey boasts a silky smoothness that sidesteps the fiery kick many people fear—a perfect gateway for the whiskey-curious.
While I enjoy a classic Jameson now and then, my heart lies with distilleries that fly a little under the radar. Enter Teeling Whiskey. With four of their remarkable expressions proudly displayed in my collection, I’m consistently baffled that this award-winning brand isn’t more widely celebrated.
Every time I bring out a bottle of Teeling, it’s like introducing a secret weapon. Whether it’s the rich complexity of their Single Malt or the approachable charm of their Small Batch, it never fails to win over even the most hesitant whiskey drinkers. Teeling has become my go-to for tempting the whiskey-averse to explore the darker, richer side of the spirit—and they rarely look back.
This particular distillery tour was sandwiched between a visit to the wonderful GPO museum (so enlightening), and a terrific artisanal cheese toastie and a few Rieslings in the cosy, and highly celebrated, Loose Canon on Drury Street.
Since opening up for tours just 9 years ago, Teeling have welcomed over 850,00 visitors. You might even be lucky enough to meet someone very special. On our weekend visit, we were greeted by the utterly charming John Teeling, father of Teeling Whiskey founders Jack and Stephen, and serial entrepreneur, widely regarded as the king of the Irish whiskey renaissance. John founded the Cooley Distillery in 1987 and brought full scale production back to Kilbeggan Distillery in 2007. John sold Cooley Distillery to Beam in 2011 for US$95m. His sons worked with him at Cooley in the 90's until they founded Teeling. This is a family that knows it's stuff and has whiskey running through their veins.
The brand history
Distilling was introduced to Ireland by monks, likely for medicinal use, as far back as the 12th century. Dublin became a whiskey hub, with many distilleries clustering around the River Liffey. By the 1700s, Dublin housed famous distilleries like Jameson and Powers.
The Dublin distillers specialized in rich, triple-distilled pot still whiskey, known for its smoothness. The 1823 Excise Act legalised distilling under license, boosting the legitimacy of Dublin’s distilleries and by the 19th century, Dublin was one of the world’s leading whiskey producers. At this time there were over 37 different distilleries in Dublin alone.
However, competition from blended Scotch, British rule, wars, and Prohibition hit Dublin distillers hard. By the 1970s, all major Dublin distilleries had closed or consolidated elsewhere in Ireland.
The late 20th century however saw an Irish whiskey revival, with new distilleries like Teeling, which opened in 2012, re-establishing whiskey production in Dublin.
Teeling Distillery was established by Jack and Stephen Teeling, Dublin natives with a long-standing family legacy in Irish whiskey that traces back to 1782, when their ancestor Walter Teeling founded a distillery in Dublin. The opening of the new Teeling Distillery marked a significant milestone as the first distillery to be built in Dublin in over 125 years. Renowned for its innovative approach, Teeling Distillery is known for its distinctive whiskey creations achieved through unique cask finishes, such as rum, white wine, and stout barrels. This distinctive flavour profile positions the brand uniquely in an increasingly competitive market landscape. Currently, the distillery produces an impressive 500,000 liters of whiskey annually at its premises.
Teeling Whiskey has earned numerous awards internationally, with their 24-Year-Old Single Malt winning the title of “World’s Best Single Malt” at the World Whiskies Awards in 2019.
Depicted on the center of every Teeling Whiskey label is an image of a phoenix spreading its wings, to represent the industry rising from the ashes.
Although global drinks giant Bacardi acquired majority control of Teeling Whiskey Co. in 2022, Jack and Stephen Teeling continue to own part of the business and run day-to-day operations.
In late 2023, Teeling Whiskey Distillery announced an ambitious €10 million investment to double its production capacity, marking a bold step forward for this trailblazing Irish whiskey brand. The announcement came on the heels of a stellar performance, with Teeling reporting pretax profits of €6.7 million on a turnover just shy of €34 million for the 15 months ending March 2023.
During this period, the brand sold an impressive 1.5 million bottles, a testament to its growing global appeal and resilience in the post-pandemic era. With this latest expansion, Teeling is poised to cement its status as a leading light in the revival of Irish whiskey, blending heritage with innovation to meet the soaring demand for its award-winning spirits.
Visiting the Teeling Distillery: What to Expect
The Visitor Centre design and tour
The Teeling Whiskey Distillery is located in Dublin's Liberties, in the historic distilling district of the city. The 100,000 sq ft visitor experience opened in 2015 and cost €10 million.
This is a real working distillery, with the welcome addition of a state-of-the-art visitor centre for tastings and tours, a café, a bar, gift shop and a private event space.
This is our brand home. We want people to be able to come in an experience first hand real manufacturing, a real distillery, in a real location, where whiskey has traditionally been made, but while doing that, do it in a modern way." (Jack Teeling - Architects of Business film by eoyireland 2022)
The distillery was nominated for the World's Leading Whisk(e)y Distillery Tour at the World Travel Awards 2024 bringing home the title of Ireland's Leading Whiskey Distillery Tour 2024.
From the outset, Teeling wanted to be sustainable and support the local community in the Liberties, an area close to the city centre that had received little in the way of investment. Every year the brand have been donating a percentage of all their admissions to local charities supporting the likes of afterschool and breakfast clubs, suicide helplines and youth projects.
"Whether it’s innovating on our secondary packing for a more carbon neutral future, or sourcing more sustainable ingredients and implementing practices from a production perspective, or even social sustainability to give back to the local community, we look to constantly improve and reduce our global footprint." (Alex Casko, Master Blender at Teeling speaking to Dublin & Cork Airport Duty Free Online 2024)
In 2022 the visitor experience got a refresh and the tour now starts with a self guided wander round the ground floor exhibition on the rich history and provenance of Dublin distilling as well as Teeling’s involvement in the trade over the years. There are lots of reclaimed materials on show plus a smattering of street art from Dublin street artist Shane Sutton, that adds to the visitor experience, showcasing some of the major landmarks of Dublin city.
The tour app wasn't necessary for us, but helpful for those that don't have English as their first language. On our tour there were several couples from Germany, The Netherlands and from the USA.
Before we headed off to watch the obligatory short brand video, we were greeted by the charismatic John Teeling. John asked us where we had all come from and added in a few personal, chatty anecdotes. He was the highlight of our visit and popped up throughout the distillery visit, interacting with guests and staff members.
The benefits of visiting an actual working distillery is that you see production happening in front of your eyes. Our tour guide Alana gave us a quick run down on the main historical points of whiskey in Ireland and the brand. Wearing a microphone really helped Alana to be heard above the noise of the various machines. We were free to walk around the one large, production hall.
Teeling Whiskey uses both malted and unmalted barley in many of its whiskeys. Using some unmalted barley with malted barley is traditional in Irish whiskey production. Although malted barley makes up the bulk of the mash, unmalted barley was historically used to reduce tax costs.
The brand's Master distiller is Alex Chasko, a Portland (Oregon) native (a city we love - and one we'll be back visiting in 2025). He received his MSc. in Brewing and Distilling here in Scotland, at Heriot-Watt University, before moving to Ireland, where he became the innovations manager at Cooley Distillery. His brewing passion came from years of home brews though and he even worked as a whiskey tour guide before making the switch to master distiller.
Teeling have two traditional wooden fermenters, in Oregon pine, with a capacity of around 15,000 litres each, plus two larger stainless steel fermenters, with a capacity of 30,000 litres each.
They are producing 15000 litres of wort every 2-3 days with the spent barley being sent to local farmers for fertiliser or feed. Guests were encouraged to peek inside the fermenters, where the yeast interacts with the sugars.
After many years of trials, Teeling uses 2 yeast strains, a distillers yeast and an African white wine yeast, which sets them apart from the competition. The latter reportedly imparts "a tropical fruit, citrus flavour to the wort."
Next we are told about distillation. The copper pot stills are from master coppersmiths Frilli Impianti from Siena, Italy.
The 15,000 litre wash still, 10,000 litre intermediate still and 9,000 litre spirit are named after Jack Teeling's three daughters Alison, Natalie and Rebecca.
After the first distillation, in the largest still Alison, they produce a spirit at 25% abv. After distillation in the next still, Natalie, the spirit is now 55-60% abv. The triple distillation, what Ireland is best known for, in the last still Rebecca, brings the abv to 85%.
After a few minutes to take some photos and ask questions we headed to the 'maturation room'. This is not the real barrel maturation space, but it did give visitors a glimpse into how one would look and the standard angels share chat was provided. Some of us have heard this hundreds of times, but I am always surprised at how many novice whisky tour visitors there are out there that we encounter on our visits.
Teeling mature their casks in Co Louth, out in the Irish countryside, as the casks are flammable and therefore it's not ideal to have them maturing in a city centre. Their maturation warehouses are stacked 40ft high with ex Port, Sherry, Madeira, White Burgundy, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rum and Bourbon barrels, filled with the amber nectar. The tour had a video to show guests what it looked like. Ireland's climate is temperate so they lose a lot less in evaporation than in hotter climates, such as Kentucky.
The Teeling family vault houses a few very special casks.
Batch One is in there, sitting beside three additional casks, each filled to celebrate the birth of each of the founder's daughters. The girls are getting to open their casks when they turn 21. What a great gift.
And finally we are whisked off upstairs, to the tasting lounge.
The tasting lounge area has several options for guests, from more intimate barrel like booths, to the standing tasting tables. Wrist bands denoted which tastings we were getting.
Our DISTILLERY SELECT TASTING tour provided us with 4 drams to taste at the end of our tour, which made many of the other guests quite jealous. We sampled a
Teeling Small Batch (which we already have), Single Malt, Blackpitts Peated Single Malt & Single Pot Still (which we also have).
The peated was very surprising, as it was heavy smoke on the nose, but completely different on the palette, with pear tart and ice cream flavours. I shared mine with the guest next to me, and he loved it. Sharing is caring after all.
Then there was plenty of time to enjoy our drams at our own pace, in the bar.
Bang Bang Bar
There's John Teeling again in the bar. He was so chatty and talked to us before and after the tour, working his way around all the guests, finding out what they enjoyed on their tours. It was so brilliant for brand advocacy.
The bar got a refresh in early 2024 from design firm Anekdote. The whole space has been updated for a more premium feel. There's a good amount of comfortable seating for those of us that like to linger over a few extra drams. Cocktails and soft drinks are also on the menu. Why is it called Bang Bang? Apparently this references a Dublin eccentric from the 1950's and 1960's, Thomas 'Bang Bang' Dudley, whose antics of travelling around the city shooting people with a make-believe gun, inspired plays, songs and even a mural in the city.
Events
Why not look at booking your festive party or wedding reception at the distillery, as the brand has five unique event spaces. I know I have enjoyed parties at the likes of Lindores Abbey Distillery, and the atmosphere in a working distillery is always storied and special.
Retail Space
The shop is well stocked and offered experiences such as Bottle Your Own and bottle or glass engraving. I really appreciate the repetition of the phoenix motif, here in stained glass.
The non whiskey offers here are a curated offering, from clothing, hot sauce to beard oil. There's an emphasis on local or sustainable products, with all their clothing merch made from 100% sustainable cotton.
The distillery even has something special on their roof. In 2024 Olly’s Farm in collaboration with Teeling, began the process of making honey on the roof of the distillery, honey which is now available to buy in the shop.
The brand's latest 21-Year-Old Single Malt, the limited release Rising Reserve Series 3 Ruby Port Cask, is a welcome addition to their multi award-winning, super premium series, priced at €225.00.
The distillery exclusive when we visited was a Tequila cask. Teeling like to experiment with different wood finishes and previous incarnations have been matured in chestnut, Hungarian virgin oak, Chinkapin American white oak, Black Forest Vermouth casks and native Irish Oak. We were tempted, but a Nordic expression caught our eye.
I'm a fan of a distillery exclusive and came across one of the innovative Teeling Wonders of Wood expressions. These are more than just delicious drams, each bottle contributes towards Teeling's mission to plant exclusively native Irish tree species in designated acres of land across Ireland, in partnership with the Tree Council of Ireland. I love to give back when drinking my whiskey.
The third in the series, this expression was aged, though we don't know for how long, in rare Swedish white oak, and as we work a lot in Scandinavia we thought this could be an interesting tipple. This Single Pot Still whiskey is made from 50% malted and 50% unmalted barley, triple distilled in Dublin, and bottled at 50% ABV without chill filtration. Teeling Wonders of Wood 3 was awarded "Category Winner Best Single Pot Still" at the World Whiskey Awards 2023, so we guessed it would be fabulous.
At €80, it's a considered purchase (as most of them are now in the current cost of living climate), so we wanted to taste before we bought. For this we had to go back to the bar and pay. I usually advise brands to have a bottle open in the shop, as a mini, complimentary snifter in the retail space is always better than maybe losing people who have to move somewhere else and pay. Removing as many barriers to purchase is always a good idea, especially if staff can recognise those of us that are not the Dublin stag do crowd, but rather more of a connoisseur (or at least a semi knowledgeable collector).
It's a cracking dram. I like anything with a heavy, sweet and spicy note and this delivered. The longer it was in the glass, the better it got and you could really appreciate the influence of the Swedish oak.
Luckily we did enjoy our tasting at the bar. Decision made and bottle bought. My other half was one happy visitor and it'll be another bottle for the collection, to enjoy with family and friends.
I was even happy to see a light similar to one I have just commissioned for my home. The designer in me just loves the little details.
Phoenix Café
I am a huge advocate for an on site food offer. It can be as small as a bean to cup coffee dispenser and a vending machine, right up to the likes of The Glenturret Lalique in Crieff, Scotland, a two Michelin-starred restaurant located in the Glenturret distillery. Food and drink prolongs guest dwell time in a brand home. That subliminally creates deeper engagement with visitors to improve future brand awareness and advocacy. Simpler than that, it just makes for a more relaxing experience. And the more relaxed and happy the guests, the more they are likely to spend in your brand shop. Hence why I always advise my distillery clients to add one.
The cafe here was plenty big enough for a tour group and was well used when we visited. Priced reasonably, there was a good assortment of tasty morsels. Check out their crisps, a brand collaboration with local family owned crisp producer, Keogh’s. Each 125g bag of Irish potato crisps uses Teeling Small Batch in the barbeque sauce flavouring.
We certainly enjoyed a coffee and a cake before heading off on our sightseeing.
Simple, crowd pleasing options were plentiful and the cafe was open as long as we were on site, unlike the cafe at some of the other Dublin attractions we visited.
Conclusion
Nothing compares to the immersive experience of visiting a working distillery. The sights, the aromas, and the rhythmic hum of whiskey production, creates a sensory connection that multi million brand powerhouses, no matter how clever or gamified they are, simply cannot replicate. True engagement lies in the authentic moments—a master distiller refining their craft, a casual chat with a pioneer of the Irish whiskey renaissance, or the chance to share a dram with fellow guests from around the globe. These simple interactions foster connections that linger far beyond the visit.
At Teeling Distillery, these authentic experiences come to life. Their tour offers a straightforward, yet thoroughly captivating brand journey, enhanced by the opportunity to explore and indulge in their extensive collection of award-winning spirits at your leisure at the bar.
Nestled in the heart of Dublin’s historic Liberties district, Teeling Whiskey Distillery stands as a beacon of revival, breathing new life into this storied neighbourhood. By reawakening the area’s rich distilling heritage, Teeling has not only rekindled a proud tradition, but also become a catalyst for tourism and economic growth, which benefits the wider community. Beyond crafting world-class spirits, the distillery collaborates with local artists and businesses, blending innovation with tradition, to celebrate and promote Dublin’s vibrant cultural and historic identity.
A tour here is a celebration of tradition, craft, and community—an experience as rich and memorable as the whiskey itself.
Make the trip. You won't be disappointed.
How long was the visit?
We were there for 3 hours with some of this time being spent in the bar and then the cafe.
How much are tickets?
We paid for our tickets and this was not part of any advertising.
Tours are from 20,00 € and must be booked in advance.
We took the DISTILLERY SELECT TASTING tour at 35.00 € which included tastings of Teeling Small Batch, Single Malt, Blackpitts Peated Single Malt and Single Pot Still.
Bottle your own costs 165 € and includes a tour.
Opening times
It's always worth checking with Teeling for their current opening times, as they can vary.
When we visited they were open 7 days a week from 11am until 6pm.
Getting here:
You can get a tourist travel pass for Dublin. However, we struggled to get anywhere that was actually selling them, including all the listed retailers. The bus network is good enough to get you there, but you must pay with cash and the drivers don't offer change, or even take notes. Can we suggest the hop on hop off bus as an option, or just use Uber(or equivalent) like we did. For those feeling fit, you can just walk there. It's a half hour walk from Trinity College, a thirty minute bus ride, or a twenty minute taxi.
Address
Website: Teeling Whiskey
Where we stayed
We were based in Dublin for 3 nights and stayed at the wonderful Mespil Hotel, that was a last minute booking on Booking.com and is now our go to base for visits to the city.
The hotel is in the quieter Dublin 4, surrounded by Georgian townhouses and facing the canal. It has great transport links and some terrific little eateries in the surrounding area. I prefer to stay away from the tourist hot spots of Temple Bar and the Liffey and get away from the stag and hen parties, to enjoy wandering down beautiful streets and catching up with the locals.
What else is there to see close by:
We've travelled many times to Dublin for please but more often for work.
On this trip I finally made it to the Book of Kells Experience and Trinity's famous Long Library. If you can visit before the globe art installation ends then please do, as it is wonderful. The Book of Kells Experience was a real audio/visual delight and well worth a trip and the Library gives all those Harry Potter vibes and plenty of backdrops for the ubiquitous Instagram photo.
The GPO Museum was a very last minute decision and one we did not regret. Living outside of Ireland all our lives, we really did not appreciate the nuances of Irish history and how it shaped the lives of those that lived through some of the many challenges that have faced the nation. The exhibition focuses on the story of the 1916 Easter Rising and how it transformed modern Irish history. An excellent example of bringing history to life, we left with a much greater understanding and appreciation of both sides of the political divide. The exhibition will have you questioning your previously held perceptions.
We have to mention the behemoth that is Guinness Storehouse, just a few minutes walk from Teeling. We did both in one day. You must book in advance, as tours here sell out fast. It is the most visited drinks related brand home in the world after all and was named World’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2023 and World’s Leading Beer Tour Visitor Experience 2023 at the prestigious World Travel Awards. Over 1.5m annual visitors from 165 countries can't be wrong.
Visited: September 2024
Photographs: ©Julie White unless noted otherwise
Disclaimer - The views and opinions expressed are solely my own. I paid for the tours in full and any comments reflect my personal experiences on that day. Please drink responsibly. Please visit and garner your own thoughts and feel free to research the brand and the visitor centre in question.
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