Lift Staycation Spirits with a Distillery Visit

Lift Staycation Spirits with a Distillery Visit to one of three great distilleries in the UK and Ireland

If you are looking to lift spirits during a UK or Irish staycation why not include a distillery visit in your itinerary. With a variety of tours, tastings, and masterclasses on offer, what could be a better way to spend an afternoon than learning the masterful art of distilling.

Cotswolds Distillery – Warwickshire – Recently voted the most popular whisky distillery in the UK and Ireland 

Cotswolds Distillery Phillip’s Field, Whichford Road, Stourton, Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire CV36 5EX

The Cotswolds Distillery is situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty nestled in the Cotswolds countryside. Inspired by the natural beauty of the Cotswolds and produced with the innovative skills of the distilling team, Cotswolds Distillery is renowned for its award-winning range of Gins and Whiskies.  

The Cotswolds Distillery offers visitors a range of distillery experiences, from their award-winning Tour & Tastings to their interactive Blending Masterclasses and Virtual Tastings. A new visitor centre opened in May 2019 which includes a shop and café serving food made with locally sourced ingredients and a range of cocktails. The Cotswolds Distillery has received a Hidden Gem award from VisitEngland and in 2021 was named a Travellers’ Choice Winner by Tripadvisor for the second year running. 

A distillery tour & tasting lasts around 90 minutes and is £20 per person to include a guided tour of the distillery including the still house and cask warehouse, followed by a tasting of the distillery’s full range of spirits which includes their Single Malt Whiskies and Dry Gins.

For the gin lover, a gin blending masterclass is £100 per person and includes a guided tour of the distillery (Distillery Masterclass only), 1 x Cotswolds Cloudy G&T, 2 x gin cocktails, 2 x 20cl bottles of bespoke gin and 1 x 20cl bottle of Cotswolds Dry Gin. 

For the whisky drinker, Cotswolds’ whisky blending masterclass is also £100 per person and includes a guided tour of the distillery, 1 x whisky highball, 1 x whisky cocktail, 2 x 20cl bottles of bespoke single malt whisky and 1 x bottle of Cotswolds Signature Single Malt Whisky. 

Virtual gin and whisky tastings are also available at a cost of £24.95 per head and include 5 x 30ml samples of spirits and a 60 minute virtual tasting. 

They also offer a Cocktail Masterclass for £50 per person to include a Cotswolds Cloudy G&T on arrival, 2 x cocktails and a takeaway goody bag. 

Cotswolds Distillery Experiences are available to book here

57 ˚ Skye Earth + Sea Distillery – Skye

 Broadford Distillery, Ford Rd, Isle of Skye, IV49 9AB

If you are north of the border 57 ˚ Skye earth + sea distillery in Broadford on the Isle of Skye is worth a visit. Opened in 2022, the distillery and visitor centre are located at the food of Being na Caillich, which, at over 730 metres high, creates a stunning backdrop.

The distillery Seumas Gorman, a native of the Isle of Skye, is constantly exploring the fusion of new botanicals, native sea weeds and kelps, pushing the team to consider new ideas and embrace the unique flavours of the island. A visit gives the opportunity to see their multiple award-winning gins and whiskies being produced and of course, sample them. The Isle of Sky is a place of unspoilt natural beauty surrounded by the fertile waters of the Inner Hebrides and 57 ˚ Skye earth + sea distillery is proud to include local botanicals from the earth and surrounding seas, the name being a reference to their location. 

Micil Distillery – Galway, Ireland 

Micil Distillery Oslo Bar, 226 Upper Salthill Rd, Galway, H91 N9WK, Ireland

Micil (pronounced Mik-il) Distillery was founded in honour of Micil Mac Chearra, who began distilling poitín in 1848 on a Connemara hillside. His family have been crafting exceptional Irish spirits on the shores of Galway Bay ever since, representing Ireland’s longest unbroken family distilling tradition. For over 170 years the family have preserved these traditions, skills and recipes and passed them down from generation to generation. 

Production at Micil Distillery is headed up by Pádraic and Jimin Ó Griallais, sixth generation Connemara distillers and direct descendants of Micil. The distillery produces a range of multi-award-winning Irish spirits, made using 100% Irish grains, local Connemara botanicals and unique family recipes. In January 2021, Micil Distillery produced Galway’s first whiskey in over 100 years. 

Family and community are at the heart of everything at Micil, along with an unwavering belief in the pursuit of excellence, and a passion for crafting extraordinary Irish spirits. 

For a chance to explore the real history of whiskey and poitín in Ireland and discover what makes Micil Whiskey so unique, enjoy their Whiskey Experience. The tour takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes and costs €25 per person.

The Micil Distillery Experience gives you an inside look into a working distillery, focusing on poitín and gin production. Tours cost €25 per person and last 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Micil’s Cocktail Masterclass is a hands-on ninety minutes of pure fun. Learn about various types of botanicals, and how they influence flavour, followed by an interactive mixology class. You will learn some real-life bartender secrets as you get to plan, create and mix two signature cocktails of your very own, using Micil spirits. €45 per person for the 1 hour and 30 minute experience.

A visit to the Micil Distillery is sure to give you a true taste of Ireland, past and present and is open from Tuesday to Saturday for pre-booked tours, tastings and distillery experiences. Private tours are also available on request.

Micil Distillery Tours and Tastings available to book here