The Jameson Distillery

JAMESON DISTILLERY BOW STREET

The original distillery on this site was called the Bow Street Distillery and was established in 1780. John Jameson took full ownership (he was previously the general manager) and expanded the distillery in 1805. By 1810, the operation was officially renamed to John Jameson & Son’s Bow Street Distillery. The distillery grew to an upwards of 5 acres by 1886.

At this time, it was described by many as a "city within a city". The distillery also housed a Smithy, Cooperage, saw mills, engineers, carpenters, painters and coppersmiths’ shops. Water for the distillery came from two deep wells dug underneath the site. Cellars were also dug underneath nearby streets to store maturing whiskey, while four stills and two wash stills, each holding 24,000 gallons, were heated by both fire and steam coils above.

Following a difficult period that included American Prohibition, Ireland’s trade war with Great Britain, and the introduction of Scotch blended whiskey, the Jameson distillery fell on hard times and decided to form the Irish Distillers Group with their previous rivals, the Cork Distilleries Company and John Power & Son in 1966. Eventually, it became one of the last distilleries in Ireland to close in 1971. The operation was then moved out of Dublin to the New Midleton Distillery

Jameson whiskey is the world’s biggest selling Irish Whiskey and its origins go back to 1780, when an enterprising Scots man, John Jameson made Dublin his base and founder the distillery that was to bear his name. In 1804 his son, also John, took over at Bow Street and laid the foundations for the international success of the firm by modernising and expanding operations. He in turn was succeeded by John Jameson III, the first of the family to live at Portmarnock.
By the 1880’s the Jameson Distillery extended over 5 acres in Dublin City century and employed over 200 men. Whiskey was exported from there all over the world. Irish whiskey at that time was the drink of connoisseurs prepared to pay higher prices for quality products.
Today production has moved to a greenfield site in Midleton, Co. Cork but visitors to Dublin can still call to the Jameson Distillery Bow Street for a tour or a tasting, on the site where it all began in 1780.



Find Out More

    Opening Times 

 Open 7 days a week.
 
Monday, Thursday & Friday: 10:00am - Last Tour at 6pm
 
Tuesday, Wednesday & Sunday: 10:00am - Last Tour at 5.30pm
 
Saturday: 10:00am - Last Tour at 6.30pm

  Getting There

 17.5 Km from Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links

Approx 30 minute drive (traffic dependant) 

Dublin Bus (32) to Talbot Street & take the Luas from (Busaras Stop) to Smithfield stop

Approx 55 minutes 

Visit the Jameson Distillery". Jameson Whiskey. 20 March 2017. Retrieved 06 February 2018
"Ireland Whiskey Trail". Ireland Whiskey Trail. Retrieved 06 February 2018
"Bow Street Distillery (John Jameson & Son) - Dublin". Irish Distillers. Retrieved 06 February 2018