Real whiskey making, then you play bartender. At Roe and Co Distillery in Dublin 8, I love that the tour runs inside the old Guinness Powerhouse, and then you get hands-on at a cocktail workshop using the Five Pillars of Flavour. The Power House Bar finish means you’re not just tasting samples—you’re winding down with a proper signature serve.

The only catch: it’s just one hour, so come with curiosity, not hopes of a long tasting marathon.

Key highlights worth booking for

• Former Guinness Power Station setting in Dublin 8, turned into a working distillery visit
• Two workshop styles: Flavours (pillars-based cocktails) or Beyond The Blend (taste-and-blend approach)
• Hands-on tools and station setup for your cocktail-making, with smells, tastes, and practical steps
• Flavour science that actually helps you choose what you like, not just what you’re offered
• A second signature pour after the workshop at the Power House Bar
• Good guide energy: names you may see include Andrew, Luke, Isaac, Erin, and Oisin

Roe & Co Distillery in the Liberties: the Guinness Powerhouse you can walk through

Roe and Co’s distillery visit is in the Liberties district of Dublin 8, inside the former Guinness Power Station. That matters because it isn’t a generic tasting room. You start your experience at the Roe and Co Distillery in the old Guinness Powerhouse, so you’re seeing whiskey-making in a real, working urban site.

If you’re staying near central Dublin, you can also get your bearings fast on foot. From Trinity College, walk down Dame Street toward Christ Church Cathedral. Pass the Cathedral, continue to Thomas Street, and you’ll find Roe and Co on the right after about 500 meters.

If you’d rather use public transport, buses 13, 40, or 123 from O’Connell Street or Dame Street take roughly 10–15 minutes, and you can get off at Thomas Street or Watling Street (it’s across the road). On the Luas, the nearest stop is James’s (Red Line). You’ll end back at the meeting point after the workshop.

The 1-hour flow: tour, workshop choice, then a signature drink

This experience is designed to be efficient. You’re looking at about one hour, including a guided tour and the workshop portion, with the day’s finale happening at the Power House Bar.

That timeline is part of the value. You’re not stuck waiting around for long segments where nothing changes. Instead, you move from:

1) guided distillery viewing,

2) workshop selection and hands-on mixing/blending,

3) a final drink serving in the Power House Bar.

It’s also why this works well as a “real” Dublin activity. It fits into a packed day and still feels like you learned something and made something.

Flavours Workshop: use the Five Pillars to build a cocktail

If you love the idea of ordering based on your palate, choose Flavours.

Here’s the core concept: you explore the Five Pillars of Flavour—sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami—and then use that framework to select your whiskey cocktail. Instead of guessing, you’re guided through what each flavour family tends to feel like, then you match those notes to a drink.

What I like about this setup is that it turns a tasting into a decision you control. If you tend to go for sweeter profiles, you’ll gravitate toward one style. If you prefer sharp or savoury, your selection shifts. Guides can help you understand why Irish whiskey shows up the way it does across these flavour types.

Once you’ve chosen your style, you move into the fun part: hands-on cocktail-making. Reviews often highlight that you get proper equipment at your station and instructions that make it doable, even if you’re not a “cocktail person.”

And yes, there’s a payoff at the end. After the workshop, you relax with a signature Roe and Co serving in the Power House Bar. Multiple people also mention that the experience can include an extra cocktail as part of the overall structure.

Beyond The Blend: taste three whiskeys, then make your own blend

If you want something a bit more whiskey-forward, go with Beyond The Blend.

This option is built around exploring the wider flavour range that defines Irish whiskey. You’ll taste three premium whiskeys and you’ll get a pairing with artisan confectionery. Then you create your own whiskey blend.

The blending part is where this becomes more than a demo. You aren’t just learning terms—you’re making choices and connecting flavour tastes to how you build a blend. After you create that blend, you transform it into a cocktail, so you leave with a drink you understand, not just one you sampled.

For anyone who worries that whiskey tours will be too “serious” or too hard to follow: this format tends to keep it practical. You’re smelling, tasting, and building along the way, and it stays grounded in flavour rather than tasting jargon.

What you actually learn about Irish whiskey flavour (and how to use it later)

Even though the experience is short, it teaches you a repeatable way to think about flavour. The Five Pillars framework is the clearest example. Instead of treating whiskey as one flavour category, you learn to break it into components—sweet, sour, bitter, salty, umami—and then connect those to what you like in a finished cocktail.

That’s useful once you’re back in your hotel or pub. You’ll have a vocabulary for why a whiskey feels smooth, sharp, dry, savoury, or rich. And if you’re ordering drinks in Dublin afterward, you can aim your choice instead of rolling the dice.

A couple of reviews also mention that guides provide recipe notes for the cocktails. If you’re lucky enough to receive them, that’s a great souvenir you can actually use at home.

Power House Bar: your relaxed finish, not just a photo stop

After your workshop, you get to unwind at the Power House Bar with a signature Roe and Co serving. This matters because many distillery experiences end right after the final tasting. Here, you get a clear end point that feels social.

Also, since the distillery is located in a repurposed Guinness power station, the atmosphere carries that “urban history meets modern production” feel. It’s a nice contrast to the traditional pub setting—and it gives you a place to sit down after mixing and tasting.

Price and value: what $28 buys you (and what to consider)

At $28 per person, you’re paying for a guided tour plus a live workshop and then a cocktail serving at the end. In practical terms, you’re not just buying entry to a brand space—you’re paying for instruction and for your role in making the drink.

Is it a bargain? It can be, because so much of the experience is hands-on. People also call out the value when comparing it to other well-known Dublin alcohol stops, mostly because the format here feels more interactive and class-like than a purely observational visit.

The trade-off is time. It’s one hour, so you won’t get an all-day tasting education. If you want that, you’d need a longer tour option elsewhere. But if you want a high-energy, flavour-based workshop that fits into your schedule, this price can feel very fair for what you do and what you take home.

Who should book this workshop (and who might pass)

This is a smart pick if you:

• enjoy cocktails and want a structured way to choose flavours,
• like whiskey but don’t want a heavy lecture,
• want a short Dublin experience that feels like an activity, not just a visit,
• appreciate good guide humour and clear instructions (guides such as Andrew, Luke, Isaac, Erin, and Oisin come up in feedback).

It may not be your best match if:

• you want a long, slow tasting marathon,
• you’re traveling with children (the experience isn’t suitable for under 18),
• you’re pregnant (it’s not suitable in that case).

Practical tips before you go: ID, timing, and how to fit it into your day

Bring a passport or valid ID card. You must present it (or proof of age) to take part. It’s one of those small items that can ruin your day if you forget it.

Also plan around the start times, since the workshop runs at scheduled intervals and lasts about one hour.

If you’re coordinating your day, remember that hotel pickup isn’t included. Build in a little time to get from your base to the Liberties district and back—then you’ll arrive relaxed and ready to mix.

Should you book Roe and Co Distillery’s cocktail workshop?

If your ideal Dublin day includes something hands-on, flavour-focused, and actually learnable in an hour, I’d book this. The setting in the old Guinness Powerhouse is a genuine Dublin contrast, and the two workshop styles give you a choice: either map your taste using the Five Pillars of Flavour, or go deeper with the taste-and-blend approach of Beyond The Blend.

Skip it only if you’re hunting for a long whiskey deep-dive or you need an experience designed for children or pregnancy.

FAQ

How long is the Roe and Co Distillery cocktail workshop?

It lasts about 1 hour.

How much does it cost?

The price is $28 per person.

Where does the workshop take place?

It starts at Roe and Co Distillery, located in the old Guinness Powerhouse in Dublin 8.

What are the two workshop options?

You can choose either Flavours or Beyond The Blend.

What happens in the Flavours workshop?

You explore the Five Pillars of Flavour (sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami) and use your palate to choose and make a whiskey cocktail.

What happens in the Beyond The Blend workshop?

You taste three premium whiskeys with a pairing of artisan confectionery, then create your own whiskey blend and turn it into a cocktail.

Is a guided tour included?

Yes, you get a guided tour as part of the experience.

Is food or another drink included?

You’ll get a Roe and Co cocktail, and the experience includes relaxing with a signature serving in the Power House Bar after the workshop. (Some groups also note an extra cocktail as part of the overall experience.)

What do I need to bring?

Bring a passport or a valid ID card. You must present it or proof of age.

Is it suitable for kids or pregnancy?

No. It’s not suitable for children under 18, and it’s not suitable for pregnant women.

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