Jameson’s Iconic Distillery Re-Opens After €11m Refurbishment

The new-look brand home of Jameson Whiskey has opened its doors to the public following an €11 million investment.

Jameson Distillery Bow St., located in Smithfield, Dublin, was officially opened by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and Dublin Central TD Paschal Donohoe last week, becoming the whiskey brand’s immersive and interactive new home.

TBWA\Dublin worked with Jameson to signal the closure and subsequent reopening of the distillery. The theme ‘a good story cannot be devised, it has to be distilled’ is immortalised in the distillery’s large open bar.

TBWA\Dublin utilised the brand’s legendary and iconic barrelmen in print, digital and OOH, including signage at Dublin airport, using them to communicate the temporary closure and relaunch.

“It’s really great to work with a client as passionate and as collaborative as Jameson,” says Des Creedon, Creative Director, TBWA\Dublin. “Over 230 years ago, John Jameson started his story on Bow Street, Dublin, among those who knew a thing or two about craft and graft in equal measure, and now it’s brilliant for TBWA\Dublin to be involved in adding a new chapter to this enduring story.”

The site has undertaken a complete overhaul since it closed in September 2016, now offering three interactive experiences to visitors – Bow St. Experience, The Whiskey Makers, and The Whiskey Shakers. Purists will be delighted to see that the legendary Jameson chandeliers have remained intact and now hang proudly in the bar. 

The Bow St Experience brings the stories of Jameson’s rich heritage to life in a fully guided, immersive tasting tour. Split across three rooms, visitors can uncover the history of Ireland’s best-selling Irish whiskey and discover the innovative triple distillation process that makes Jameson one of the world’s favourite, smoothest whiskeys. 

The Whiskey Makers experience is a 90-minute masterclass exploring Jameson Original whiskey and the trio of whiskeys that complete the Makers Series - Distiller’s Safe, Cooper’s Croze and Blender’s Dog – each of which has been developed by one of Jameson’s Master Makers. The tasting experience deconstructs the ingredients, craft and different flavours of each whiskey, before allowing visitors the chance to blend their own that they can then take home. 

Finally, The Whiskey Shakers experience is an immersive cocktail masterclass, hosted by a Jameson bartender, who guides visitors through the history, ingredients and recipes of world-famous Jameson cocktails. In the Shakers’ Room you’ll be provided with all of the professional bar tools and ingredients required to turn the recipes into masterpieces, before continuing into the Maturation Warehouse to sample whiskey straight from the cask.

For the first time in over four decades, whiskey is once again being matured on Dublin’s Bow Street.

Claire Tolan, Managing Director – Jameson Brand Homes, comments: “Giving our guests the opportunity to touch, taste, smell and interact with Jameson in the original Bow St. Distillery buildings is extremely powerful. The pinnacle for many visitors will be their visit to our Maturation Warehouse. A whiskey’s flavour is greatly influenced by the barrels it’s stored in. We have liquid quietly resting in a mixture of ninety bourbon & sherry casks, the aroma as a result of the Angels’ Share is palpable; it’s a magical experience”.  

Deirdre Waldron, CEO, TBWA\Dublin, adds: "This is just the beginning of a new agency-client relationship. There's much more to come from this new Jameson brand home and we're delighted to partner with Jameson on this new chapter of the story of Jameson on Bow Street."

Jameson Distillery Bow St. will support the Irish Whiskey Tourism Strategy target of trebling the number of Irish whiskey tourists visiting Ireland annually, to 1.9 million by 2025.