Whiskey Way to raise spirits in tourism trade

A new tourism initiative will provide “an increasingly important revenue stream” for one of Ireland’s most identifiable brands.

The Irish Whiskey Association (IWA) came to Westmeath to launch the Irish Whiskey Way, a landmark tourism initiative that weaves Ireland’s distilling traditions, landscapes and community stories into a single, immersive whiskey trail.

Aoife Clarke of Kilbeggan Distillery, vice-president Public Affairs and Alcohol in Society at Suntory Global Spirits, told the Westmeath Examiner about the importance of the Irish Whiskey Way: “It will allow distilleries like Kilbeggan come together to promote the high quality tourism offering that we have. You look around; we have such culture, heritage and history and it’s wonderful to be able to showcase it under one common branding.”

The Irish Whiskey Association chose Kilbeggan Distillery to launch the new all-island tourism trail celebrating Ireland’s Whiskey heritage, on Thursday week last.

The Irish Whiskey Way is a website showcasing Ireland’s leading Irish whiskey distillery experiences and visitor centres and allows any tourist coming to Ireland to build their own food and drink trail across the island.

The interactive Irish Whiskey Way website also provides guides on food pairings, developed in collaboration with Ireland’s best-known chefs, and cocktail recipes, making it more than just a tour of Ireland’s distilleries, but a full cultural and sensory experience.

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke launched the initiative: “This aligns with the government’s intention to promote Ireland’s food and drinks trails to international and domestic visitors,” he said.

Minister Burke spoke of the potential of the trail: “This journey will not only highlight the craftsmanship behind Irish whiskey but also connect visitors with the vibrant communities, food experiences and stories that define Ireland.”

The launch featured a panel discussion moderated by Irish Whiskey Association director, Eoin Ó Catháin, on the future of Irish tourism, opportunities and challenges for the Irish Whiskey sector.

Contributions from Alice Mansergh, CEO, Tourism Ireland; Eoghan O’Mara Walsh, chief executive, Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC); Paddy Matthews, head of Operations, Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, Fáilte Ireland; and Michael Clancy, co-founder of Lough Ree Distillery, gave those in attendance a unique view on the potential the sector presents.

The panellists discussed how recent policy changes have positively impacted tourism and trade, including the relaxed rules on liquid amounts when travelling through Dublin Airport. In September, Dublin Airport increased the limit on liquids in hand luggage from 100mls to two litres, with no limit on the number of items that can be carried.

Michael Clancy, founder of Lough Ree Distillery, said such incremental changes will help the Irish Whiskey tourism offering to cater to the “high-end, high-spend” consumer and will be vital to businesses in the years ahead.

Ms Clarke spoke of the privilege for hosting the launch: “Initiatives like the Irish Whisky Way are so important to distilleries like ours and distilleries all over the country, and they provide a real connection point for visitors.

“But it’s not just about our distillery, it’s about the communities that they are based in, the people who work here, the suppliers who supply to us, and the connections we have with every other distillery around. So it’s a wonderful initiative,” Ms Clarke said.

Minister Burke spoke of encouraging tourism niches as an important approach to developing rural economies: “Like many stories in the agri-sector, we export 90% of what we create, and in really turbulent times like this we need to really focus on the sector,” he said.

“Your success is our success, and we’re really focused now over the next number of years in growing revenue sustainably, growing our visitor numbers, and critically ensuring that there are going to be viable career paths in our hospitality sector and our tourism sector, which is very important.”

In the 12 months to June 2025, some 1 million visitors toured Irish Whiskey distilleries, contributing significantly to local economies. It is hoped that the trail will help both long-established and new distilleries across the island of Ireland to enhance their tourism offering, an increasingly important revenue stream to Irish Whiskey producers.