Lough Mask Distillery
Lough Mask Distillery is a small craft whiskey, gin, and vodka producer on the eastern shores of Lough Mask in Tourmakeady, County Mayo, in the west of Ireland. Founded in 2016, it operates within the Mayo Gaeltacht — an Irish-speaking region — making it one of the few Irish distilleries embedded in an active Gaeltacht community. All products are produced under the Loch Measc brand name, the Irish language name for Lough Mask.
The visitor centre opened in 2018 following the restoration of an old factory in Tourmakeady, and in January 2019 Lough Mask became the first distillery in Ireland to sell its products directly to the public on-site — a historic retail milestone for Irish craft distilling. The distillery employs seven local staff and operates as an important economic driver for this small, rural, Irish-speaking community.
Tours
Available
On-site Shop
Open
Online Shop
Not available
History
The distillery was founded in 2016 with a vision of producing craft spirits that reflected the character of the Connaught landscape — the clear waters of Lough Mask, the wild Atlantic bogland, and the Gaeltacht heritage of the Tourmakeady valley. Construction and establishment of the distillery took place through 2016 and 2017.
The visitor centre was opened in 2018 following the restoration of an old factory building in the village, giving the distillery a public-facing home. In January 2019, Lough Mask Distillery achieved a landmark in Irish spirits retailing: it became the first distillery in Ireland to sell spirits to the public directly on its premises — a milestone noted in the Irish craft spirits industry. A visitor investment appeal was launched at some point to support continued development and growth.
Production
Lough Mask uses the clean, soft waters of Lough Mask — one of the largest lakes in Ireland, fed by underground karst limestone springs — as its primary water source. The distillery produces whiskey (single malt), gin, and vodka under the Loch Measc brand, with all production undertaken on-site. The finest malt barley available is used for the single malt whiskey. The gin and vodka round out a full range of Irish craft spirits.
[!question] Gap — still count and annual capacity not confirmed at time of writing
Tasting Character
Loch Measc Single Malt Whiskey reflects the clean, mineral-rich waters of Lough Mask and the west Connacht landscape. The distillery's position in the Gaeltacht and the quality of the limestone-filtered lough water contribute to the character of the spirit. Loch Measc Gin and Loch Measc Vodka extend the range with botanical and grain spirit options. Full tasting notes for the core expressions require further verification.
[!question] Gap — detailed tasting notes for Loch Measc expressions need external verification
What They Produce
Notable Bottlings
- Loch Measc Single Malt Whiskey — Core Irish single malt; Mayo barley and Lough Mask water
- Loch Measc Gin — Irish gin using the distillery's own spirit base
- Loch Measc Vodka — Clean Irish vodka; grain-based, distilled on-site
Visiting
The visitor centre in Tourmakeady is open to the public, with distillery tours and tastings available. A physical shop is on site — historically significant as the first in Ireland to sell distillery spirits directly to the public (January 2019). Situated on the shores of Lough Mask, the distillery makes for a scenic destination in the Connacht landscape. For current visiting hours and booking, see loughmaskdistillery.com.
Official Website
