Dublin: Gin Masterclass with Welcome Drink & Tasting Flight

Gin can tell a Dublin story. Stillgarden Distillery makes this one-hour class appealing with four onsite gins and a look at its wall of 120 botanicals. I also like the welcome drink and the chance to ask a liquid expert about distillation, sustainability, and the distillery’s zero-food-waste policy. The main drawback is value: at $45 per person, the class may feel pricey if you find only the welcome drink truly memorable.

This is a good pick if you want a compact tasting rather than a long distillery visit. The class runs in English, accepts wheelchair users, and offers non-gin and non-alcoholic choices if you request them when booking. The afternoon-tea details need checking, since the description refers to tea, cakes, and sandwiches, but the listed inclusions clearly confirm the welcome drink, four-gin flight, and mixer.

Key points about the Stillgarden gin class

• Four signature gins: Taste Stillgarden’s range while learning how different botanicals shape the final drink.
• A wall of 120 botanicals: This gives the class a useful visual focus and helps explain the ingredients behind modern Irish gin.
• Welcome drink included: The opening drink is part of the ticket and may be the highlight for anyone less impressed by the tasting flight.
• One-hour guided format: You get a focused introduction without giving up a whole afternoon in Dublin.
• Sustainability and community work: Ask about the onsite garden, zero-food-waste policy, and Social Botanist Project.
• Non-alcoholic options available: Tell Stillgarden at booking if gin is not for you or if you want an alcohol-free alternative.

Entering Stillgarden Distillery in Dublin County

Stillgarden is the home of what it calls Modern Irish Spirits, and this experience gives you a look at the distillery rather than sending you straight to a generic bar tasting. The class begins with a welcome drink, which gives you something in hand while the guide sets the scene.

I like this opening because it makes the experience feel social from the first minute. You are not simply handed four glasses and left to guess what you are tasting. The welcome drink also gives you a useful point of comparison before the formal flight begins.

The setting is a working distillery with its own gins made onsite. That matters. You are tasting products connected to the place where they are created, and the guide can explain the thinking behind Stillgarden’s range as you move through it.

The class is aimed at adults. Children under 18 are not permitted, and baby strollers and carriages are not allowed. The experience is wheelchair accessible, but climbing is not permitted, so anyone with particular mobility concerns should confirm the layout with the provider before arrival.

The distillation story and 120 botanicals

The first main section covers the history of distillation and Stillgarden’s approach to gin. The most useful feature here is the wall of 120 botanicals. Rather than treating gin as a single fixed flavor, this display shows how many plants, spices, fruits, and other ingredients can influence a spirit.

You will learn about the botanicals used in the gins and the equipment involved in making them. The supplied details do not promise a full production-floor tour or a hands-on distilling session, so I would set your expectations accordingly. This is a guided tasting class with distillery context, not a full technical apprenticeship.

Still, the botanical wall gives the talk a clear focus. If you already know gin as juniper with tonic, this section can help you notice more. You might find that one sample feels herbal, another more citrus-led, and another shaped by spice or floral notes. The exact tasting notes depend on the current selection, but the point is to connect flavor with ingredients and method.

I especially like that the experience presents gin as a modern Irish product rather than only repeating old distilling stories. Stillgarden’s branding centers on experimentation, local involvement, and contemporary spirit-making. Ask the guide how the company’s ethos affects its recipes and day-to-day work.

Tasting four Stillgarden signature gins

The heart of the class is a four-gin tasting flight. Each sample is made by Stillgarden, so you are comparing expressions from one producer rather than sampling unrelated brands.

That makes the flight useful for spotting the house style. You can consider how each gin differs in aroma, taste, strength, and balance with the mixer provided. If you normally order gin without thinking about the spirit itself, this is a chance to slow down and compare.

The published details do not identify the four gins served at every session. Recipes and selections can change, so I would not book this expecting a particular bottle unless Stillgarden confirms it beforehand. The guide should explain what you are tasting as the flight progresses.

The included mixer is important. Gin rarely shows its full character in the same way when tasted neat and when combined with tonic or another mixer. You may prefer one sample on its own and another in a longer drink. Take notes if you are looking for a bottle to buy later, or simply pay attention to which style suits your own taste.

There is one useful caution. The available rating is 4.6 from eight reviews, but one three-star assessment found the welcome drink better than the other gins and felt the class was expensive for the level of detail provided. That criticism is worth taking seriously. The quality of a tasting depends not only on the liquid but also on how clearly the guide explains it, and this class may satisfy curious beginners more than serious gin specialists seeking advanced production detail.

A one-hour format with room for questions

The fully guided class lasts 60 minutes, including a final question-and-answer session with one of Stillgarden’s liquid experts. That compact schedule works well in Dublin. You can fit the class around other plans without turning it into a major day commitment.

The Q&A is where you can shape the experience around your own interests. Ask about the recipe design, the 120 botanicals, the equipment, or how Stillgarden develops modern Irish spirits. You can also ask about sustainability projects and the company’s zero-food-waste policy.

I would use this final portion well. The class description puts real emphasis on the company ethos, but the amount of detail you receive may depend on your questions and on the guide leading the session. If you want a more technical discussion, ask directly rather than waiting for every subject to appear.

Public sessions run on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Private sessions are also available by contacting Stillgarden. The public schedule makes this especially practical for a weekend in Dublin, while a private booking may suit a group that wants more control over the pace or discussion.

Afternoon tea: an important detail to confirm

The experience description presents the outing as gin and afternoon tea, with a selection of cakes and sandwiches. Another section confirms a welcome drink, four-gin flight, and mixer, but does not clearly list the tea food among the included items.

That difference matters at $45. If cakes and sandwiches are part of your booking, the price becomes easier to assess as a combined tasting and light meal. If the ticket covers only the drinks and class, you may judge the cost more strictly.

I would confirm the afternoon-tea arrangement before paying. Ask whether it is included in the $45 price, served during the one-hour class, or available as an additional purchase. This is not a minor point if you are planning the activity as lunch or an afternoon treat.

The wording suggests an inviting pairing: sweet and savory food alongside the gins. But you should not assume the food is guaranteed from the inclusion list alone. A quick confirmation can prevent a disappointing surprise.

Staying after the class at the distillery bar

The class ends after the Q&A, but you are welcome to remain in the bar for further drinks. That gives the experience a more relaxed finish than a tasting where everyone is sent out immediately after the last sample.

You can use the extra time to order another drink, revisit a favorite style, or continue the conversation with your group. The price of additional drinks is not provided, so plan to pay separately.

There is also a game of corn-hole at the distillery. That small detail adds a casual social touch. It will not matter to everyone, but it can make the venue feel more like a local hangout than a formal tasting room.

The bar extension is also helpful if the one-hour class feels too short. You get the structured introduction first, then the option to linger. If you are looking for a tightly managed, highly technical lesson, though, the informal after-class period will not replace more detailed instruction.

The community garden and Social Botanist Project

Stillgarden has an onsite community garden where it grows many of its botanicals. You can visit the garden after the class, which helps connect the ingredient display inside with living plants outside.

This is one of the more distinctive parts of the experience. A botanical wall can feel abstract, but seeing the community garden gives the distillery’s ingredient story a physical link to the site. The supplied information does not guarantee a formal garden tour, so think of it as an additional place to visit rather than a scheduled section of the one-hour class.

If you enjoy gardening, foraging, or wildlife, Stillgarden also invites people to join its Social Botanist Project. Sunday meetups include gardening, foraging, or wildlife walks, followed by a return to the distillery and a complimentary drink.

That project is not the same as the paid masterclass, and it is not presented as part of the $45 ticket. It is an optional way to connect with Stillgarden’s community work. For a short visit to Dublin, you may not have time to join, but anyone spending longer in the area could find it a worthwhile follow-up.

Is $45 a fair price?

The $45 cost sits in the range where expectations matter. You are paying for a welcome drink, four tastings, a mixer, a guided class, access to a liquid expert, and the distillery setting. If afternoon tea is included, the package looks stronger. If it is not, the value rests mainly on the quality of the teaching and the drinks.

I would call it reasonable for a casual gin enthusiast who wants an organized Dublin activity and appreciates the company’s community and sustainability work. I would be less quick to recommend it to someone who wants a long production tour, extensive technical detail, or a large number of spirits.

The one critical assessment of the experience found the welcome drink better than the four tasting samples and considered the ticket too expensive. That tells you to book for the complete experience, not simply for the promise of four gins. The setting, botanical presentation, guide, Q&A, and optional bar time all contribute to the value.

The ability to reserve now and pay later also helps if your Dublin schedule is still changing. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund. Check the booking terms at the time you reserve, since starting times and availability can change.

Who will enjoy this Stillgarden experience?

I would recommend this class to adults who want a short, social introduction to Irish gin. It suits a couple, a small group of friends, or anyone who enjoys tasting drinks but does not want to spend several hours at a distillery.

It is also a sensible choice for visitors interested in the wider story behind a product. The community garden, sustainability projects, and zero-food-waste policy give you more to discuss than flavor alone.

You may want to choose another activity if you are a committed gin expert looking for advanced spirit analysis. The class covers distillation, botanicals, equipment, and four gins, but the available details do not promise a specialist-level production tour.

Non-gin and non-alcoholic choices make the class more flexible for mixed groups. Tell Stillgarden when booking if someone in your party does not drink gin or alcohol. That way, the provider can prepare the right option rather than leaving it to chance on the day.

The tour runs rain or shine. Most of the main activity is at the distillery, but keep that policy in mind if you plan to spend time in the community garden.

Should you book the Stillgarden gin masterclass?

Book it if you want a one-hour Dublin tasting with a clear local identity, four onsite gins, and a chance to ask about botanicals and sustainability. I especially like the 120-botanical display and the link to the community garden, since they give the class a sense of purpose beyond simply pouring drinks.

Before booking, confirm exactly what the afternoon-tea portion includes. At $45, that detail can change your view of the value. I would also approach the flight with open expectations, since one available assessment found the welcome drink more impressive than the other samples.

For a relaxed introduction to Stillgarden and modern Irish spirits, it is a sensible choice. For a serious gin education, it may feel brief and a little costly.

FAQ

How long does the Stillgarden gin masterclass last?

The fully guided class lasts one hour, including the tasting and a final question-and-answer session.

How many gins will I taste?

You will taste four signature Stillgarden gins made onsite at the distillery.

Is a drink included?

Yes. The ticket includes a welcome drink, a four-gin tasting flight, and a mixer.

Is afternoon tea included in the price?

The experience description refers to afternoon tea with cakes and sandwiches, but the inclusion details clearly confirm the drinks and tasting flight rather than the food. Confirm the afternoon-tea arrangement with Stillgarden before booking.

Are non-alcoholic options available?

Yes. Non-alcoholic and non-gin options are available if you tell Stillgarden when booking.

Is the experience suitable for children?

No. The activity is not suitable for children under 18.

Which days do public sessions run?

Public sessions run on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Private sessions can also be arranged by contacting Stillgarden.

Can I cancel the booking?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. Reserve-now, pay-later booking is also available.