The Dublin Liberties Distillery

About the distillery

The Dublin Liberties Distillery is located in the heart of Dublin’s historic Liberties neighborhood and is a thriving urban distillery with roots in the area’s industrial past. Here, a 1700s building meets modern whisky production, and the entire story is tied to the neighborhood’s rebellious, craft-driven, and literary heritage. This makes the place interesting both as a production site and as a living piece of Dublin history.

History

The Dublin Liberties Distillery was established in 2019 with a clear goal: to keep the spirit and fire of The Liberties alive. The building itself, which the distillery calls home, is much older. The structure dates back to the 1700s and previously served as both a mill and a tannery, where rabbit skins were processed. This gives the distillery an unusual physical connection to the area’s working past.

Liberties was shaped over centuries by craft, production, and a more unruly city life. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the neighborhood was a hub for distillers, brewers, creatives, and rebels, and the area held everything from distilleries and weavers to tanneries, blacksmiths, and printing presses. The distillery intentionally places itself within this tradition and lets names, history, and identity grow out of the neighborhood’s stories.

Raw materials and production

The distillery works with 100% Irish malt, sourced from local farmers around Ireland, and uses water from its own well during mashing. Production is scaled to a 2-ton mash tun and fermentation vessels with capacity for 100,000 liters of wash. Distillation is carried out as triple distillation in an arrangement with one wash still of 10,000 liters, as well as an intermediate still and a spirit still of 6,000 liters each.

The process is built for an annual production of over 500,000 liters of new make spirit. Selected yeast strains are also mentioned as part of working with the spirit. At the same time, the site is clearly rooted in a local operating logic: by-products such as spent grains and pot ale are sent to nearby farms as animal feed, and the plant is equipped with heat recovery, LED lighting, and motion sensors to keep energy use down.

Maturation and cask types

The whisky is matured in carefully selected casks under the supervision of the distillery’s own team, and the premium releases receive longer maturation than the legally required minimum period of three years for Irish whiskey. Finishing in different cask types is also used to build depth and complexity. The specific published text does not describe the individual cask types in detail, but it makes clear that maturation is actively used as part of developing the style.

Whiskies

The range is divided into two distinct tracks. The Dubliner series runs side by side with the Liberties series and spans from more accessible bottles to far older single malts. On one end are names like Oak Devil and the various Dubliner expressions, while the other end includes Liberties Copper Alley, Murder Lane, Keeper’s Coin, and King of Hell, with pronounced age and a clear single malt profile.

The whole is anchored in the city and is more storytelling than technical demonstration. The series names draw directly on the neighborhood’s streets, myths, and characters, giving the range a strong Dublin identity—where the story is just as central as the whisky itself.

Visit the distillery

The distillery is open to visitors, and the classic experience is a guided tour with a one-hour whisky tasting for €20. Guests get access to a working distillery in the middle of Dublin, and the visit can also be combined with the café/bar and shop on site. Opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, while Sunday and Monday are closed. Visits and experiences are booked directly with the distillery.

The listed opening hours are Tuesday–Saturday 8:30 AM–17:00 PM; Sunday and Monday closed.
See times and book a visit.

Philosophy and craftsmanship

The Dublin Liberties Distillery builds its identity on a desire to keep The Liberties’ spirit alive. Storytelling, local history, and the neighborhood’s rebellious heritage are not just decoration—they are part of the product and the experience itself. At the same time, there is a clear ambition to support local creatives through events and collaborations, so the distillery functions as a meeting place for both whiskey and culture. Sustainability is practically rooted in the reuse of by-products and energy-efficient operations.

Sustainability

Spent grains and pot ale are returned to local farms as animal feed.
Heat recovery systems are used to increase energy efficiency.
LED lighting and motion sensors reduce energy consumption.

Latest news

A Night for Black & Gold Fans in the Heart of Dublin – 2025-09-27

An event in Dublin 8 with whiskey, food, music, and a special guest performance featuring Brett Keisel (#99).

Irish Coffee Masterclass – 2025-05-09

A late afternoon tour of the working distillery focused on making the perfect Irish coffee.

Stories from the Liberties with Kelly – 2024-06-22

A tour and whisky tasting led by Kelly, described as the distillery’s heart and soul.

Dublin Book Festival events at the distillery – 2024-11-26

The distillery hosted four events in connection with the Dublin Book Festival, where authors, music, and conversations focused on storytelling and literature alongside whiskey.