For someone who hasn’t been able to travel for a while, the idea of a passport (really, at this point, any passport) is a thing of wonder. Add to that, the temptations of Irish whiskey and a collection of distillery tours and seriously, we think the Irish Whiskey Association to truly onto something.
In 2019, when the world seemed shiny and bright, the Irish whiskey association developed Irish Whiskey 360, a site that aimed at encouraging tourism across the Irish distilleries. This year, they have released The IrishWhiskey360° Passport that provides “a unique record of your journey through extraordinary Irish whiskey distilleries”.
if you think that’s good, then there is more and this is the thing that caught our attention. The passport will have stamps. That’s right, you can collect stamps at every distillery on your journey. And not only that but those who collect six stamps can become an “IrishWhiskey360° Champion,” where they received special rewards that will be announced at a later date.
“Irish whiskey distilleries have developed a world-famous reputation as great places to visit – all offering unique experiences,” said William Lavelle, Head of the Irish Whiskey Association. “We hope the new IrishWhiskey360° Passport will encourage staycationers and future international tourists to explore Ireland’s diversity of distillery experiences.”
IrishWhiskey360° is an industry-led platform that promotes Irish whiskey tourism and features 24 distilleries and brand homes with visitor experiences. The www.IrishWhiskey360.ie website offers details and maps on distilleries and regions to visit.
Having been closed to visitors for many months, many of Ireland’s whiskey distilleries have recently re-opened their doors to offer a range of safe experiences from self-guided tours to outdoor tastings and cocktail experiences.
Irish whiskey distilleries attracted over one million visitors in 2019 but that fell 88 per cent last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The IrishWhiskey360° Passport can be picked up at Irish Whiskey Association member distilleries around Ireland. For more information, go to irishwhiskey360.com