Whiskey distilleries in attracted 1,040,159 visitors between June 2025 and June 2026, as spending rose, according to The Spirits Business publication. New figures from the Dublin-based Irish Whiskey Association (IWA) show visitor numbers were up by 30,000 from the previous 12-month period.
It also marks the second consecutive year tourist numbers at Irish distilleries have passed one million, after exceeding the mark for the first time since 2019.
Visitor numbers in 2022 after Covid-19 restrictions were lifted were 677,000.
The IWA found tourists were also spending more on their visits, with average spend at €50 (US$56) per person, up from €42 (US$47) in 2025. IWA said the rise reflected more visitors choosing premium distillery experiences.
Furthermore, IWA noted that more than one-third of all guests didn’t drink alcohol on-site, which it said showed distilleries are ‘drawing people interested in Ireland’s heritage, culture and craftsmanship, as well as those seeking a tasting experience’.
The most visits came from the US, followed by Ireland, the UK, Germany, and France.
They included King Charles III and Queen Camilla who visited Titanic Distillers in Belfast in May.
IWA director Eoin O’Cathain said that “reaching one million visitors for the second year in a row shows that Irish whiskey tourism has real staying power, and that is down to the innovation and resilience of our distilleries and visitor centres”.
The Jameson Distillery on Bow Street in Dublin was the most popular Irish whiskey experience in the 12 months to June 2026. The Old Bushmills Distillery in Antrim was placed second. Teeling Irish Whiskey in Dublin, Midleton Distillery in Cork, and The Shed Distillery in Leitrim then rounded out the top five.
For the fastest-growing Irish whiskey distillery visitor experiences, JJ Corry in Clare led the rankings, surging by 85 percent.
Ardara Distillery in Donegal was the second fastest-growing (visitors up 33%), followed by Skellig in County Kerry (up 20%), The Shed Distillery (up 20%), Titanic Distillers in Antrim (up 18%), and Ahascragh Distillery in Galway (up 17%).
The IWA also launched the Irish Whiskey Way last November, which the association described as a ‘landmark’ tourism initiative that lets users build their own food and drink trails across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The initiative also aims to spread tourism across the country, with 73 percent of distilleries located in rural areas, bringing tourism benefits outside the main hubs including Belfast, home to McConnell’s Whiskey in the old Crumlin Road Gaol as well as Titanic.
McConnell’s will feature in the Irish Whiskey Awards later in the year.
Northern Ireland distilleries, including Rademon Estate in Crossgar, home of Shortcross Gin, Whiskey and Poitin, Hinch at Ballynahinch and Echlinville at Kircubbin, home of Dunville’s, have all invested significantly in visitor centres with associated programmes of events and tours.
Hinch has also developed a gourmet restaurant on-site.
Old Bushmills, still the most popular with visitors especially from North America, has also built an impressive information centre as an integral part of a £60 million expansion of the complex at Bushmills.
“Just as importantly, visitors are spending more and travelling further, bringing that value into rural communities across the island,” Ó Catháin added.
“Since we launched the Irish Whiskey Way, it has given visitors a new way to discover our distilleries, and we welcome the renewed emphasis on culinary and experiential tourism in the Irish government’s tourism plan, which closely matches what our members offer.
“With continued support from government, state agencies and our tourism partners, Irish Whiskey can play an even bigger role in growing tourism in every region of Ireland.”
According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) in Dublin, overseas visitor numbers and visitor spending declined in Ireland during much of 2025. The IWA noted that growth in Irish whiskey tourism ‘stands out’ as the tourism sector faces “economic headwinds”.
At the recent Spirit of Life conference hosted by Spirits Europe in Brussels, travel writer Thom Breathnach also said travellers are “prioritising experiences over destination, and Irish whiskey distilleries are ‘well-poised to capitalise”.
“These strong numbers reflect the spirits industry’s enhanced tourism offering throughout Ireland, as the sector meets demand for more immersive tourism experiences: from tasting experiences and food pairings to interactive cocktail-making classes,” he said.
“But beyond the actual product, the distillery experience is also offering its visitors an all-important window and snapshot into the wider local community, heritage and culture, which is all important as we seek more authentic and local experiences.”
The sector has seen major developments this year, with US president Donald Trump promising to remove the 10 percent whiskey tariff that has been inhibiting access to the US, the biggest global market for Irish whiskey, which was the biggest selling spirit there before Prohibition in the 1930s.
1. Gin
Husband and wife team David and Fiona Boyd-Armstrong, it is now the home of Shortcross Gin Photo: u
3. Whiskey
Jarlath Watson is the Group finance director and head of Whiskey at The Echlinville Distillery and Dunville's Irish Whiskey Photo: Paul FAITH
4. Whiskey
John Kelly, CEO at Belfast Distillery Company, newly restored McConnell's Irish Whisky brand across the globe, premium Irish whisky Photo: u