Leitrim: Shed Distillery Tour & Gin Tasting with Local Guide

4.89

(193 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I noticed was the faint, earthy smell—something between dried herbs and old wood. Our guide, Aisling, waved us in with a grin that made me feel like we were about to hear a secret. The Shed Distillery sits just outside Drumshanbo, but it feels miles from anywhere familiar. I kept glancing at the copper stills; they almost looked alive under the soft lights. There was this moment when Aisling paused by a barrel and tapped it gently—she said, “That’s where the magic waits,” and honestly, I believed her.

I’d heard about Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin before (my cousin swears by it), but tasting it right there in the glasshouse bar was different. The tonic fizzed up and caught some of the botanicals on my tongue—citrusy but also something floral I couldn’t quite name. Someone next to me tried to guess all the flavors; I just laughed because I was still thinking about how PJ Rigney apparently traveled half the world looking for ingredients. There’s a story behind every bottle here, you can tell.

Kids were running around on their own little tour—one of them tried to pronounce “Drumshanbo” and nearly got it right (better than I did). For non-drinkers or drivers, they handed out these botanical mocktails that smelled like fresh lemon balm. The whole place is wheelchair accessible too, which you don’t always see in older buildings around Ireland. We finished at the Honey Badger bar with one last sip of whiskey—warm, a bit spicy—and then just sat for a minute watching rain streak down the glasshouse roof. Not sure why that part stuck with me.