Guided Tour to Shed Distillery of PJ Rigney in Leitrim

Distilling gets personal here. The Shed Distillery of PJ Rigney offers a two-hour guided visit to the home of Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin and Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, with a look at how the distillery works and two built-in tastings. I like the expert whiskey tasting and the relaxed Gin and Tonic served at the end in the Honey Badger bar. I also like that this is a small-scale visit, capped at 26 people, rather than a huge factory tour.

The main point to consider is the location. Although the experience is often associated with Sligo, the meeting point is actually at The Food Hub in Drumshanbo, County Leitrim. You will need to plan your transport carefully, and anyone expecting a broad sightseeing tour may find the visit focused almost entirely on spirits.

Key points at a glance

• A rare Connacht distillery: The Shed was the first distillery in Connacht in more than 101 years.
• Two signature drinks: The visit includes a tasting of Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey and a Gunpowder Gin and Tonic.
• A botanical finish: The final drink is served at the Honey Badger bar inside a striking botanical glasshouse.
• A compact two-hour visit: The schedule works well as a focused stop rather than an all-day outing.
• A rural meeting point: You meet at The Food Hub, Carricknabrack, Drumshanbo, County Leitrim.
• Good value for drink enthusiasts: At $25.34 per person, the guided tour and two tasting moments make the price reasonable for the right audience.

Arriving at The Shed in Drumshanbo

The experience begins at The Shed Distillery of PJ Rigney, located at The Food Hub in Carricknabrack, Drumshanbo, County Leitrim. The listed address is N41 WR22. This detail matters because the tour is connected with the wider Sligo area, yet the actual meeting point is in County Leitrim.

I would put the address into your navigation app before setting out. The information provided says the site is near public transportation, but it does not give a specific bus route, stop, or timetable. You should confirm your route and allow enough time to arrive before the start.

The rural setting is part of the appeal. This is not a polished city tasting room tucked into a busy shopping district. You are going to the working home of a modern Irish drinks company, in the part of Ireland where the distillery chose to make its spirits. That gives the visit a stronger sense of place than a standard bar tasting.

The tour is offered in English. Confirmation arrives when you book, and the group can include up to 26 people. That is large enough to give the visit some energy, but still far more manageable than a mass-market attraction with several dozen people moving through at once.

Why The Shed Distillery matters in Connacht

The distillery is presented as the first in Connacht in more than 101 years. That gives the visit a clear regional story. You are not simply learning about a bottle of gin on a shop shelf. You are seeing the home of a distillery that helped return large-scale spirit production to this part of western Ireland.

PJ Rigney is the creative force behind The Shed. His approach is described as curious and experimental, which helps explain the range of products made here. The best-known names are Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin and Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, but the tour also introduces other creations from the distillery.

I like this focus because it gives the guide something useful to explain. You can learn how the distillery produces whiskey and gin, then connect those methods with the flavors in your glass. A good tasting becomes easier to appreciate when you understand what you are tasting and why it tastes that way.

The supplied comments point to this as one of the strongest parts of the visit. The tour makes time for the production methods, the botanical flavors in the gin, and the tasting itself. If you enjoy knowing how a drink is made, rather than simply being handed a sample, this is a sensible stop.

Seeing how whiskey and gin are made

The first part is a fully guided visit through The Shed Distillery. The exact room-by-room route is not specified, so you should not expect a minute-by-minute production schedule. What is clear is that the guide explains both whiskey and gin production, including the way different botanicals shape the gin’s flavor.

That comparison is useful. Whiskey and gin may share a distillery, but they offer very different lessons in aroma, ingredients, and style. The whiskey tasting gives you a chance to focus on the spirit itself, while the gin discussion brings attention to botanical flavors and infusion.

The tour is called a journey into the inner workings of the distillery, but the value will depend partly on your guide and the pace of the group. With a maximum of 26 people, you may have a chance to hear clearly and ask questions. Still, this is a shared tour, not a private appointment, so the amount of personal attention can vary.

I would arrive ready to listen, rather than treating the visit as a quick photo stop. The distillery story is the main attraction. The drinks at the end are rewarding, but they make more sense after you have heard how the products are created.

The Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey tasting

The formal tasting includes Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey with one of the distillery’s curious ambassadors. No individual guide names are supplied, so you cannot request a particular host. The important point is that the whiskey tasting is led by a distillery representative rather than left as a self-serve sample.

This is the part I would value most if you are interested in Irish whiskey. A guided tasting can help you notice details that disappear when you simply take a sip and move on. You can pay attention to the character of the whiskey, ask about its production, and compare what you taste with the explanation from the ambassador.

The wording suggests one whiskey tasting rather than a broad flight of several whiskeys. Keep your expectations in check. This is an introduction to the distillery’s signature spirit, not a full whiskey seminar with a long lineup of rare bottles.

The tasting also helps make the $25.34 price feel fair. You are paying for the guided visit, the production explanation, and a hosted whiskey sample, not just entry into a building. If you do not drink whiskey, the tour may still interest you, but this section will naturally have less appeal.

Finishing with Gunpowder Gin in the glasshouse

After the distillery visit and whiskey tasting, the experience finishes with a Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin and Tonic at the Honey Badger bar. The bar is located in a botanical glasshouse, which gives the final part a distinct setting.

This is a smart ending. The tour moves from production, to tasting, to a more relaxed drink. You can chat with other people in the group while enjoying the gin in a setting that connects neatly with the drink’s botanical identity.

The Gin and Tonic is included, not an extra purchase. That matters when you compare the cost with an ordinary distillery admission. You receive two separate tasting moments: the Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey and the final Gunpowder Gin and Tonic.

The Gin and Tonic also received strong praise in the supplied feedback. One person especially enjoyed the chance to talk with fellow participants over the drink. That tells you something about the mood at the end: less classroom, more social wind-down.

If you prefer a quiet, private tasting, this setting may feel more communal than intimate. If you enjoy swapping impressions over a drink, it is likely to be one of the best parts of the visit.

Is two hours enough?

Two hours is a useful length for this kind of stop. You have enough time for a guided look at the distillery, an explanation of the drinks, the whiskey tasting, and the final Gin and Tonic without giving up an entire day.

I like the balance. A shorter visit might feel rushed, especially when you are trying to understand both whiskey and gin. A much longer session could become repetitive unless you are deeply interested in production details.

The exact timing of each section is not provided, so keep your schedule flexible around the two-hour estimate. The activity ends back at the same meeting point, which makes it easier to plan the next part of your day.

Do not book this as a broad County Leitrim sightseeing tour. The visit is concentrated on one distillery. You are getting a focused look at PJ Rigney’s spirits, not a guided tour of nearby villages, scenery, or local landmarks.

What the $25.34 price includes

At $25.34 per person, the tour sits in a reasonable range for a two-hour distillery experience with tastings. The value comes from the combination of admission, a guided presentation, a hosted whiskey tasting, and a Gin and Tonic at the end.

I would judge the price this way:

• If you enjoy gin or whiskey, the cost is attractive because both signature drinks are part of the visit.
• If you are already planning to be in Drumshanbo, the tour gives you a structured activity rather than a quick shop visit.
• If you are traveling a long distance solely for this stop, transport time and costs may change the calculation.
• If you do not drink alcohol, much of the paid experience will have limited value.

The tour is often booked about 13 days ahead. That is a useful planning clue, especially if your Ireland itinerary has fixed dates. You may not need to reserve months ahead, but I would not leave it until the last minute if the visit is important to your schedule.

Who will enjoy this visit most?

I would recommend The Shed Distillery tour to adults who enjoy spirits, food and drink production, and smaller regional attractions. It suits couples, friends, and solo visitors who like a guided activity with a social finish.

It is also a good fit for anyone curious about how gin gets its flavor. The botanical side of the tour gives the experience more substance than a simple whiskey tasting. You can learn why ingredients matter, then sample the finished drink in the glasshouse bar.

Families can consider the practical details carefully. The information says most people can participate, and service animals are allowed, but it does not provide a specific child policy or explain how non-drinkers are handled. If you are booking for a mixed-age group, confirm those details before paying.

The tour may be less suitable for you if you want a large selection of spirits, a long tasting flight, or a broad cultural tour. The supplied details point to one whiskey tasting and one Gin and Tonic, with the main focus on the distillery itself.

Useful planning details before you book

The experience is offered in English, so you will need enough English to follow a guided explanation and tasting discussion. The group limit is 26 people, which keeps the scale fairly contained but does not guarantee a private or quiet visit.

You meet and finish at The Shed Distillery. That makes the activity simple once you arrive, since there is no separate drop-off point or second venue to find.

Service animals are allowed, and the site is near public transportation. Still, the exact transport information is not supplied. Check the route from your accommodation in advance, especially if you are staying outside Drumshanbo.

The cancellation terms are generous if your plans may shift. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the local start time. Inside that 24-hour window, you will not receive a refund, and changes are not accepted.

Should you book The Shed Distillery tour?

Book it if you want a focused, good-value introduction to Drumshanbo’s gin and whiskey, and you can reach the County Leitrim meeting point without a struggle. The whiskey tasting, botanical gin explanation, and final Gin and Tonic give the two-hour visit a pleasing shape.

I especially like that the tour finishes in the Honey Badger bar rather than ending abruptly after the production walk. You get a chance to sit with the experience, drink the gin, and talk with other people in the group.

Skip it if you are looking for a full-day outing, extensive whiskey sampling, or a tour of Sligo and Leitrim beyond the distillery. For the right drink enthusiast, though, $25.34 buys a well-packed visit with a clear regional identity and two memorable tastings.

FAQ

Where does the distillery tour begin?

The tour begins at The Shed Distillery of PJ Rigney, The Food Hub, Carricknabrack, Drumshanbo, County Leitrim, N41 WR22, Ireland.

Where does the tour finish?

The activity ends back at the same meeting point, The Shed Distillery.

How long does the experience last?

The guided experience lasts approximately two hours.

Is tasting included in the price?

Yes. The experience includes a tasting of Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey and finishes with a Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin and Tonic at the Honey Badger bar.

What language is the tour offered in?

The tour is offered in English.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not accepted, and the amount paid is not refunded.