Jameson Whiskey, Guinness Stout and Bailey’s Irish Cream are not only Ireland’s three best-known beverages, but are also the nucleus for engaging events that are easily arranged for groups meeting in Dublin or just south in County Wicklow.
Bailey’s Irish Cream Tasting Workshop
Orchard Centre in County Wicklow is a popular conference facility and team-building venue offering activities that range from treasure hunts and orienteering to learning to play the bodhran, an ancient Irish musical instrument. Also a working farm where 130 black and white cows provide the key ingredient for Bailey’s Irish Cream, its signature event is the Bailey’s Irish Cream Tasting Workshop.
“Groups can come out to the farm for the workshops or I can come to their hotel or other location,” says Joe Hayden, managing director of Orchard Centre and one of 1,500 Irish farmers who provide cream to the distillery. “Our cows eat fresh, natural grass throughout the year, which is why Irish cream is of the highest standard.”
Hayden starts his workshops by revealing the Bailey’s not-so secret formula, showing participants how to make the drink at home. He pours cream into a pint glass, then adds Irish whiskey, a copious amount of sugar and then dashes of vanilla and cocoa, which give the mixture its rich color.
During the workshop, attendees sample various flavors of the Irish liqueur as well as comparing it served at room temperature, on the rocks and blended with ice into a smooth frappe. Hayden prefers the last two options.
“When it’s cold, it has a smoother taste – there’s no burn from the whiskey,” he says.
Guinness Storehouse
Ireland’s most popular visitor attraction, the Guinness Storehouse is a seven-story attraction where visitors can get a behind-the-scenes look at how the famous stout beer is made, shop for Guinness products and taste the black brew at various places such as the Gravity Bar with its 360-degree views of Dublin. Able to accommodate groups of up to 2,000, the Storehouse offers a variety of venues, including the Gravity Bar, and such options as a multi-course tasting menu created from recipes where Guinness is a key ingredient.
The Old Jameson Distillery
Located in a centuries-old stone warehouse filled with memorabilia that includes chandeliers made from whiskey bottles, Old Jameson Distillery in Dublin provides an atmospheric tour of exhibits on the 234-year-old history behind Jameson whiskey. For groups, the distillery arranges private tours and the chance to taste Jameson and compare it with well-known whiskeys from Scotland and the U.S. For groups of 80 to 195, the distillery puts on the Exclusive Shindig, a tour followed by an evening of Irish music and a multi-course dinner.
