Dingle Distillery

Oliver Hughes, founder of the Porterhouse Brewing Company, established Dingle Distillery on 29 November 2012. The location was chosen deliberately: Dingle's extraordinary natural setting, strong community identity, and position on the Wild Atlantic Way gave the project a sense of place that Hughes wanted embedded in the spirits. A converted sawmill in Milltown provided the production base, and the copper pot stills — designed by John McDougall — were installed to produce whiskey, gin, and vodka from the outset.

The distillery established a cask programme from early in its life, building a community of cask owners who became invested in Dingle's maturation journey. The first whiskeys were released in late 2016, three years after the distillery opened — meeting the Irish legal minimum for whiskey maturation. In 2017, the release of the first independent Irish single pot still whiskey in several decades announced Dingle as a serious player in the renaissance of traditional Irish whiskey styles. The Celtic Wheel of the Year series — special editions tied to the Celtic seasonal calendar — became a hallmark of the distillery's creative approach. The 10 Year Old Single Malt release marked a further coming-of-age moment, with the additional maturation delivering greater depth and complexity.

Dingle operates three large copper pot stills for whiskey and one smaller pot still for vodka and gin — four stills in total. The copper pot stills were designed by John McDougall, and the distillery produces approximately two casks of whiskey per day. The Single Malt is matured in ex-bourbon casks at 46.5% ABV; the Single Pot Still is matured in Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks at 46.5% ABV. The distillery produces approximately 100,000 bottles of Dingle Gin annually.

Dingle Single Malt (46.5% ABV, ex-bourbon cask maturation) is fresh and fruit-forward, with vanilla, light orchard fruit, and coastal air character. The Single Pot Still (46.5% ABV, Pedro Ximénez Sherry cask) is richer and more complex, with dark fruit sweetness, spice, and the cereal creaminess characteristic of the traditional pot still style. The 10 Year Old Single Malt shows the benefit of extended maturation — deeper, more layered, with oak integration and greater aromatic complexity. The Celtic Wheel of the Year series explores different finishes and seasonal influences. Dingle Gin is botanical and vibrant, drawing on the plant life of the Dingle Peninsula.

The distillery offers tours exploring production, history, and tasting experiences. Book via tours@dingledistillery.ie or through the website. A physical shop is on site. The online shop (Ireland and EU) is at shop.dingledistillery.ie. International distributors: USA — Hotaling & Co.; Australia — Artisan Ireland; New Zealand — Whisky Galore. The distillery is located in Milltown on the outskirts of Dingle, County Kerry. Contact: +353-66-402-9011.