Dublin and whiskey go back a long way. The Irish even gave the spirit its name: uisce beatha, the water of life. The city has been pouring it long before whiskey became the global obsession it is today. From candle-lit Victorian snugs to modern tasting rooms stacked with rare bottles, here are the best whiskey bars in Dublin, starting in the heart of it all: Temple Bar.
The Temple Bar Pub
Few pubs are as woven into Dublin’s story as The Temple Bar Pub. Trading since 1840, with its unmistakable red façade and live traditional music from open to close, it’s home to Ireland’s largest whiskey collection. The pub even has its own Temple Bar Whiskey range, including the Signature Blend, reviving the old tradition of a Dublin pub bottling its own spirit. Order a dram, settle in beside the music, and you’re tasting a piece of the city’s living history.
The Whiskey Reserve
Just up the road sits its sister venue, The Whiskey Reserve. The crown jewel for serious fans. Part shop, part tasting room, it holds over 2,000 unique and rare bottles, the single largest collection in the country. Opened in 2021, it’s built around one mission: introducing as many people as possible to the world of whiskey. Pull up a stool at the horseshoe bar for the Taste of Ireland flight, four drams that walk you through Ireland’s single pot still and single malt traditions, or try the Irish Coffee Making Masterclass. It’s where a Dublin whiskey afternoon can happily disappear.
The Palace Bar
A short stroll away on Fleet Street, this is one of Dublin’s great Victorian pubs, dark wood, etched glass and a famous back snug. Long a haunt of writers, it’s also known for its whiskey, including its own Palace Bar bottlings. The spot for a slow, considered dram.
Bar 1661
For something more contemporary, Bar 1661 on Green Street is one of the city’s most exciting drinks destinations. Named after the year poitín was outlawed, it champions Ireland’s once-banned spirit, but the whiskey list is no afterthought, with a strong focus on single cask, cask strength and independent bottlings.
Bowes Bar
Also on Fleet Street, Bowes is a snug, old-school pub with a quietly serious offering of well over 200 bottles. No fuss, just good whiskey, good pints and an unhurried atmosphere.
Plan your visit
Dublin’s whiskey scene runs from centuries-old snugs to world-class tasting rooms, and much of it sits within a few minutes’ walk in Temple Bar. Make The Temple Bar Pub your first stop for the music, the history and a dram of something special, then head next door to The Whiskey Reserve to taste your way through Ireland’s largest collection.
