Dublin Whiskey Bars
As Jim Morrison once said, “show me the way to the next whiskey bar.” Jim would have been in his element in Dublin these days with dedicated whiskey bars popping up everywhere. Whiskey is once again coursing through the veins of this city as the industry awakens from its slumber. We couldn’t be any happier. Here are a few of our favourite places to discover or rediscover our national spirit.
The Dingle Whiskey Bar
We’ve already written a standalone blog for the Dingle Whiskey Bar, the final stop on our Whiskey Trail, but we can’t complete this list without mentioning it. Tucked away beside the Porterhouse Bar on Nassau St, this unassuming location plays host to an amazing assortment of whiskies. Stepping inside is like falling into a giant cask. The walls are lined with oak from old casks featuring the names of people who made Dingle Whiskey possible. There is nowhere in the bar that isn’t a dark comfy corner to disappear into. You;ll find a well versed staff who are more than happy to find the right dram for you; there’s a whiskey for every mood! The bar also plays host to industry legend Fionnan O’Connor who provides tasting sessions every Tuesday night. Be sure to pop in and say hi from us!
The Rag Trader
Another stop on The Whiskey Trail, the Rag Trader opened in August 2016 and has already been nominated in the Sky Whiskey Bar of the Year 2017. An amazing feat! The Rag Trader is located on Drury St in Dublin’s fashionable Creative Quarters. With over 100 Irish whiskeys on offer as well as some Scotch, Bourbon and Japanese whiskey, the Rag Trader offers tasting trays as part of their menu. We recommend Keith’s Tray. If you want to know what makes it special, ask Keith himself. Believe us when we say you won’t regret striking up a conversation with this man.
Whiskey Palace at The Palace Bar
A pub steeped in literary history, and wherever Irish writers go whiskey tends to follow. The lounge upstairs was renovated into a whiskey bar to keep up with consumer tastes. We love to pull up at the bar and stare at all the bottles on display while enjoying friendly conversation with the staff. The Whiskey bar even has its own bottling, reason enough to visit alone. There are a few relics on display, like an unopened bottle of D.W.D. whiskey from the early 20th century. Although they tell us they won’t open it for anyone, perhaps you’ll have more luck than we did.
L. Mulligan Grocer
A real gem of a pub widely cited as one of the best venues in Dublin to discover real Irish produce. We keep coming back for their whiskey and food pairings, something we here at The Whiskey Trail go crazy for. They have a full menu of whiskey and food pairings for you to choose from, a perfect way to complete a day of wandering around Phoenix Park.
Bowe’s
Tucked away from a bustling Westmoreland St on Fleet St is Bowes. One of the last original Victorian pubs of Dublin, this venue boasts a comprehensive international whiskey collection. The amount of Japanese whiskey available is unparalleled to any other whiskey bar we’ve visited in Dublin. The perfect pub for afternoon whiskey tastings, if the cosy atmosphere doesn’t win you over the whiskey collection certainly will.
