Is it worth booking Jameson Distillery in advance?

Walk-up entry is usually possible, but booking in advance secures your preferred time slot and avoids queues in peak season (June–August).

How much does it cost to visit Jameson Distillery?

Standard adult admission is €33. Guided experiences start from €33 per person.

How long does a visit to Jameson Distillery take?

Allow 1.5–2 hours for a comfortable visit. Arriving early in the morning or late afternoon helps avoid the busiest periods in summer.

When is Jameson Distillery open?

Daily 10:00–18:00 (last tour 17:00)

How do I get to Jameson Distillery?

The nearest major airport is Dublin (DUB), approximately 30 min by car. Jameson Distillery is best reached by car — this is a self-drive destination.

Jameson Distillery Bow St., Co. Dublin, Ireland

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Food & Drink

Jameson Distillery Bow St.

Co. Dublin · 1.5–2 hours

Jameson Distillery Bow St. stands on the site of the original John Jameson & Son distillery founded in 1780 in the Smithfield district of Dublin. The Bow St. premises ceased distilling in 1971 when production moved to Midleton, but the original buildings — a Victorian complex of warehouses, maltings and cooperages — were preserved and converted into a visitor attraction. A €11 million renovation in 2016 created the current experience.

The guided tour runs through the history of Irish whiskey and how it differs from Scotch whisky (spelling, triple distillation, blending philosophy), followed by a walk through the original distillery buildings. The whiskey tasting at the end — three whiskeys comparing Irish, Scotch and American styles — is the centrepiece for most visitors. A more detailed Whiskey Maker's Experience and a bar school (cocktail-making class) are available as upgrades.

The Smithfield district surrounding the distillery has changed significantly in recent years — the old fruit and vegetable market has been redeveloped and the area is now one of Dublin's more interesting neighbourhoods for bars and restaurants. The distillery sits in a large cobbled courtyard that opens onto Smithfield Square.

Highlights

Original 1780 distillery buildings in the Smithfield district — one of Dublin's oldest industrial complexes
Guided tour comparing Irish, Scotch and American whiskey production methods, ending in a tasting
Whiskey Maker's Experience upgrade — a deeper dive into blending and barrel maturation
The Distillery Bar — one of the best whiskey bars in Dublin, open without a tour ticket
Smithfield Square location — a 5-minute walk from the Phoenix Park gate and the Old Jameson archive library

Good to know

→Book online — tours run on the hour and fill up in summer, especially at weekends.
→The standard tour is 70 minutes and includes one tasting flight. Upgrade to the Whiskey Maker's Experience if you want to do your own blend.
→The distillery bar is open without buying a tour ticket — good for a whiskey in a genuine historical setting.
→Old Midleton Distillery in Co. Cork is the working Jameson production facility — Bow St. is the history; Midleton is the scale.
→Teeling Distillery (20 min walk, teelingdistillery.com, €20) is a working craft operation open since 2015 — the right follow-up if whiskey is a focus of your trip.

Best Time to Visit

Year-round; weekday morning Oct–Mar is quietest. The whiskey comparison tasting (Irish, Scotch, American) runs during the main tour. The Bow St. bar serves cocktails until late for visitors who want to linger after the tour.

Getting There

DUBDublin

30 min drive

Common questions

How much does the Jameson Distillery Bow St tour cost?

Standard guided tours cost around €25–28 (2025) and include a tasting at the end. The Jameson Maker's Experience (a premium option at around €60) includes a whiskey blending class. Book online in advance — weekend tours sell out. The distillery shop is accessible without booking.

How long is the Jameson Bow St tour?

The standard guided tour takes about 1.5 hours including the tasting session. The premium Maker's Experience runs approximately 3 hours. The building also houses a bar and restaurant that are accessible without taking a tour.

How does Jameson Bow St compare to Old Midleton Distillery?

Bow St is the original 1780 distillery building in Dublin's Smithfield district — now purely a heritage and experience centre, no longer producing whiskey. Old Midleton in Cork is where Jameson is actually made today, and the tour shows live production. Bow St is easier for visitors without a car; Midleton requires a short train journey from Cork.

Is Jameson Bow St easy to reach in Dublin?

Yes — Jameson Bow St is on Bow Street in the Smithfield area, a 15-minute walk from the Liffey or 5 minutes from Smithfield Luas stop on the Red Line. It is in a lively area with good bars and restaurants nearby. The tour is one of Dublin's most popular paid experiences and is popular with both tourists and corporate groups.