Storehouse Dublin Guinness vs. Jameson Bow St. Distillery Tour

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If you’re heading to Ireland, the Storehouse Dublin Guinness tour is probably on your radar, but what about the Jameson Bow St. Distillery Tour? I did both on my recent trip and I’m going to break down which tour I think you should do and why.

Jameson Bow St. Distillery Tour

The Jameson Bow St. Experience is a 45-minute guided small group tour that’s broken into three sections and led by a Jameson ambassador. When you check in for your tour, you receive a voucher for a Jameson signature cocktail which can be redeemed before or after your tour, depending on timing.

The tour begins with a history of Jameson, which dates back to 1780. The presentation is engaging and includes a mix of video, audio effects, and information shared by your guide. Next, you move into the process section of the tour where you learn about how Jameson Whiskey is made. The presentation is a mix of technology and practical sensory elements as you’re invited to smell different components at various stages of the distilling process. Finally, your tour concludes with a guided tasting of three Jameson varieties.

After the requisite gift shop, you can head to the bar and enjoy your included signature cocktail if you didn’t down it before the tour. Additional drinks and tastings are available for purchase and the bar is a vibrant and lively place to spend a few hours.

Other tour options like a Whiskey Cocktail Making Class and the Black Barrel Blending Class are also available.

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Storehouse Dublin Guinness

The Guinness Storehouse is probably one of Dublin’s best-known attractions. The Guinness Storehouse Experience is an unguided tour where you can expect to spend 60-90 minutes exploring seven levels of the Storehouse. Large groups are moved through the tour every 15 minutes and I found the experience to be rather crowded.

The tour starts with a brief in-person introduction and then you’re sent off to do your own thing and watch videos, read signs, and view Guinness-related artifacts along the way. Personal audio guide devices are available for non-English speakers. Due to the volume of people moving through the Storehouse, it was hard to get close to the small video screens and informational signs throughout the tour. I tried waiting until the end of our group passed through, but with groups being spaced just 15 minutes apart, the next group was crowding in right behind us.

Along the way, you’ll learn about the Guinness brewing process, how the casks are made, and learn about the history of Guinness ads (including the very odd whistling oyster). You’ll also be treated to a guided Guinness tasting, complete with an adorable miniature pint-style glass.

The experience culminates on the seventh floor at the Gravity Bar where you can enjoy your complimentary pint and enjoy 360-degree views of the city.

Which One Should You Do?

So should you do the Storehouse Dublin Guinness tour or the Jameson Bow St. Distillery Tour? If time allows, I would say to do both. However, if you’re tight on time in Dublin and don’t have a particular fondness for Guinness, I’d highly suggest the Jameson Distillery Tour. The smaller groups and the guided nature of the Bow St. tour left me feeling like I learned something while the Storehouse tour simply left me frustrated and overwhelmed.

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