Gin, botanicals, and tea in one hour. This Stillgarden Distillery masterclass in Dublin mixes a warm welcome, a tasting flight of four signature gins, and a guided Q&A into a tidy one-hour format. I especially like starting with a welcome drink and then getting a structured sampler instead of an aimless bar crawl.

The other big win for me is the way the class connects flavors to ingredients: you learn about distillation history and you’ll see Stillgarden’s wall of 120 botanicals, plus sustainability talk like its zero food waste approach. The one drawback to consider is timing: the session is only 60 minutes, and if you want extremely detailed gin-tasting notes, it may feel a bit rushed for the price.

Key things to know before you go

• A true guided tasting, not just pour-and-go: you’ll taste four signature gins with explanations and a Q&A.
• 120-botanical wall: you get ingredient context behind the styles.
• Ticket includes afternoon tea: cakes and sandwiches come after the tasting portion.
• Modern Irish gin focus: the story is built around Stillgarden’s Modern Irish Spirits approach.
• Non-alcohol and non-gin options are available if you request at booking.
• You can stay on-site after for bar time and a community garden visit.

Stillgarden Distillery: modern Irish gin with real ingredient context

If you’re the kind of person who wants more than a quick sip, this is built for you. Stillgarden’s whole setup is about connecting the glass back to the plant. You don’t just taste gin and move on; you’re guided through where the flavor ideas come from, including the botanicals behind the range.

The distillery experience is especially practical for Dublin visitors who want something that feels local and grown-up, but still easy to fit into a day. The timing is tight and clear: the fully guided class runs for 60 minutes, and tickets are designed to roll into the rest of the on-site experience afterward.

The 60-minute masterclass flow: what to expect, step by step

The guided part is one hour long, led by Stillgarden liquid experts. That hour is where you’ll get the core learning, the core tasting, and the Q&A.

Here’s the typical flow you can expect:

• You start with your welcome drink, then settle in for the story.
• You’ll get a walkthrough that covers distillation history and how Stillgarden thinks about its Modern Irish Spirits.
• You’ll see the wall of botanicals, which helps make the tasting feel less random.
• Then comes the main event: a tasting flight where you sample four signature gins.
• The session closes with a Q&A so you can ask about ingredients, techniques, or the company ethos.

Because it’s structured, you don’t have to guess what to look for in the glass. You also avoid the common problem with tastings where you’re left to figure out what you’re tasting on your own. This one is set up so the explanations come before and during the tasting.

The botanicals wall and distillation story that make the gin make sense

The standout teaching tool here is the wall of 120 botanicals. That’s not just a fun visual. It’s the key to understanding why gin can taste so different from one bottle to another.

Gin styles often get described as floral, citrus, spicy, or resinous, but the real magic is usually in the botanical lineup and how it’s used. In this class, you’ll learn about the gin inspiration behind Stillgarden’s crafted range, then tie it back to the ingredients you’re seeing on that botanical wall.

You’ll also get a guided look at distillation history. Even if you don’t consider yourself a spirits person, the basic timeline helps you understand why the same botanical can behave differently depending on process choices. It makes the tasting feel less like guessing and more like recognizing patterns.

Your tasting flight: getting the most from the four signature gins

Your ticket includes a tasting flight of four signature gins, plus a mixer. That matters for two reasons.

First, it means you’re not stuck with only neat pours. Having mixer available lets you explore how a gin changes when you adjust sweetness, acidity, or dilution. Second, it helps the tasting feel more usable in real life, since most people eventually make gin drinks outside the distillery.

How to get the best experience from a short tasting flight:

• Pace yourself and smell first. With a guided set, you’ll get better answers if you can describe what you’re noticing.
• Ask the Q&A what to look for in the next bottle. Since the session ends with questions, you can steer your learning toward what you like.
• If you already have a preferred gin style, use it as your anchor. Compare each of the four against your baseline rather than trying to treat all four as equally mysterious.

One note from the overall feedback around this experience: the welcome drink tends to be the part people talk about most, while some find the rest of the flight only average. Translation for you: come in ready for the tasting, but don’t expect every gin to land as a total home run. The value is in the guidance and ingredient story, not just the number of bottles you sample.

Afternoon tea after the tasting: a nice Dublin finishing touch

Tickets include afternoon tea with a selection of cakes and sandwiches after the tasting portion. This is one of the reasons the experience can feel good value, even at a set price point.

Gin tastings can be tiring when you only get liquid and more liquid. Afternoon tea changes the rhythm. You get something to slow down your palate, and you’ll have food that works alongside the gin styles you just tasted. It also makes the experience feel more like a complete outing, not a quick stop.

If you’re planning a Dublin day, this makes the timing easier too. You can treat it as your midday plan, then let the rest of your afternoon unfold without needing to hunt for something later.

Sustainability talk and the Social Botanist spirit

The class doesn’t only talk about flavor. You can also ask about Stillgarden’s company ethos, sustainability projects, and its zero food waste policy. Even if those topics aren’t your main interest, it adds context to why a distillery might handle ingredients, operations, and waste differently than a place that’s only focused on production volume.

There’s also an on-site community garden, where botanicals are grown. If you like the idea of understanding a botanical’s origin, this is the part that turns a lecture into a place. It gives you something to do with your curiosity after the tasting.

And if you happen to be in Dublin on Sundays, there are meetups for gardening, foraging, or wildlife walks connected to the Social Botanist Project. Afterward, the distillery experience wraps with a complimentary drink. That’s a fun bonus if your travel style includes learning through doing, even at a casual level.

Bar time, corn-hole, and how to extend the experience without overthinking it

After the class, you’re welcome to stay in the bar for further drinks. The experience even mentions a game of corn-hole if you want to keep things light afterward.

This is a good option if:

• you enjoyed the guided part and want more time with the flavors
• you’re traveling with people who want to keep the social mood going
• you want a low-effort extension without booking a separate activity

It’s also a smart way to avoid the classic timing problem: you finish the class at an early hour, then scramble to fill the gap. Here, you can keep the momentum without planning anything extra.

Price and value: is $45 fair for what’s included?

At $45 per person, this isn’t a budget activity. But it can be a fair price when you look at what’s folded in.

Your ticket includes:

• a welcome drink
• a 4-gin tasting flight
• mixer
• afternoon tea (cakes and sandwiches)
• a fully guided 60-minute session with a final Q&A

For Dublin, that combination is the value engine. You’re getting guided learning plus multiple tastings plus a meal. If you were to price those pieces separately—especially afternoon tea plus a structured tasting—$45 starts to make more sense.

The main thing to watch is expectation. If what you want is extremely detailed, slow, nerdy gin tasting notes, the 60 minutes can feel like it moves quickly. If you want a guided orientation that connects botanicals to the drinks, it’s set up to deliver that efficiently.

Practical details that affect your day

A few small logistics points matter more than you’d think.

• The class runs rain or shine, so don’t rely on weather for a smooth plan.
• Sessions happen on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for public bookings.
• Non gin and non alcoholic options exist, but you need to request them at booking.
• It’s in English.
• It’s not suitable for children under 18.
• The experience is wheelchair accessible.

Also, a few things are listed as not allowed: baby strollers, baby carriages, climbing, and bare feet. Plan for comfortable shoes and simple movement.

If you’re booking, it’s worth choosing the start time that fits your appetite for food afterward. Since afternoon tea is part of the ticket, the better you coordinate meal timing with the tasting, the more comfortable the whole experience will feel.

Who this gin masterclass suits best (and who might want something else)

This is a strong fit if you:

• want a guided spirits experience rather than a self-guided tasting
• enjoy learning the ingredient logic behind flavors
• like Dublin activities that feel local and social without being overly complicated
• want something that includes food, not just drinks

It might be less perfect if you:

• want a long, deep tasting session focused on minute flavor notes
• are coming strictly for the gin itself and not the explanation, botanicals, and Q&A
• expect every pour in a four-gin flight to be your personal favorite

FAQ

FAQ

How long is the gin masterclass at Stillgarden Distillery?

The fully guided class lasts 60 minutes.

What’s included in the ticket price?

Tickets include a welcome drink, a 4 gin tasting flight (with mixer), and afternoon tea with cakes and sandwiches. The class is also guided and ends with a Q&A.

Are there non-alcohol or non-gin options available?

Yes. Non gin and non alcoholic options are available, but you need to let the provider know at the time of booking.

Which days do public sessions run?

Public sessions run on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Is the experience suitable for children?

No. It is not suitable for children under 18.

Is it wheelchair accessible?

Yes, it is wheelchair accessible.

Does the experience run in rain or shine?

It runs rain or shine.

Should you book this Stillgarden gin masterclass?

Book it if you want an easy, guided Dublin outing that blends modern Irish gin, a structured tasting flight, and afternoon tea into one smooth hour. The best part for most people is the way the class connects flavor to botanicals, especially with the wall of 120 botanicals and the guided Q&A.

Skip it or consider your expectations if you’re hunting for a long, ultra-detailed tasting experience. The session is designed to be efficient, and that’s great for orientation, but it may feel short if you want deeper analysis of every botanical and flavor step.

If you’re excited by ingredient stories, sustainability talk, and a distillery day that doesn’t end when the tasting ends, this is a solid pick.