Our Distillery Team and Values

Our Distillery

Micil Distillery is Galway’s first legal distillery in over 100 years. Located in Salthill village on the shores of Galway Bay, we craft a range of exceptional Irish spirits

Micil_Distillery_Production_Values_carrying Cask

Our Production Values

At Micil Distillery we make our spirits the old-fashioned way, using traditional methods and time-honoured techniques. Our whiskeys and poitíns are made using 100% Irish grain, brewed from scratch and then distilled in small single batches in our 500L copper pot still. We use no automation, and all our spirit ‘cuts’ are made by taste alone, using the skill and judgement of the distiller. In line with our ethos of sustainability, the ‘spent grain’ and other byproducts are fed to the cattle on our family farm in Connemara.

Meet Our Head Distiller

A sixth generation Connemara distiller, Jimín Ó Griallais learnt to distil the traditional way, on a Connemara hillside in the rain and wind. He has taken this classical learning and adopted it to commercial production of some of the most exceptional spirits being made anywhere in Ireland today. Distilling is in Jimín’s DNA, and he embodies everything that Micil stands for with his creativity, his resourcefulness, and his constant innovation. Favourite tipple - anything peated!

Our Unique Family Recipes

We distil now the same way we’ve always done, using unique family recipes passed down through the Irish language. Our whiskeys and poitíns are crafted using 100% Irish grain sourced as close to home as possible, and our peated grain is malted using turf from our family land at Inverin. Our gins derive their distinct flavours from Connemara herbs and flowers, handpicked locally and distilled in the pot after overnight maceration. Our Irish Cream is produced using sweet whiskey, rich cream, and smooth Connemara poitín, and is made to our grandmother’s favourite recipe.

Our Team

At Micil we are first and foremost distillers, with a passion for crafting extraordinary spirits. Distilling is in our DNA, and poitín and whiskey run in our veins (sometimes literally). Family and community are at the heart of everything we do, and we are champions of both Irish products and our native Irish language. As a team we share a love of good food, fine spirits and hard work, coupled with an unwavering belief in the pursuit of excellence.

Book A Tour

Micil Distillery is a must-see when visiting Galway. We run tours, tastings and distillery experiences most days, highlighting the extraordinary whiskeys, poitíns and other spirits that we produce. You’ll learn how these spirits are crafted, and discover what makes our own products so special. You’ll get a unique, up-close insight into the story and heritage of Micil, and experience the sights, smells and sounds of a real working distillery.