Days Out NI
Distillery Cushendall

Glens of Antrim Distillery

The Glens' own family distillery, home of Lir Irish Whiskey — visitor centre on the way.

1 photo
OpenVisitor experience not yet open; no confi…
TicketedTours & tastings
CushendallDistillery
Full dayHow long
A distillery tour…Best for
TicketedEntry
On siteParking
IndoorsSetting

Glens of Antrim DistilleryThe Glens' own family distillery, home of Lir Irish Whiskey — visitor centre on the way.

  • Getting in: No public tours open yet — visitor centre still under construction. Check before you go.
  • Tours: Guided distillery tours are planned for the finished build but not yet running.
  • Opening: Visitor experience not yet open; no confirmed opening date.
  • Age limits: A distillery tour, once open, is likely to carry an over-18 element — confirm when it launches.
  • Food: A restaurant is part of the planned build; not open yet.
  • Parking: On-site parking expected with the new facility; not confirmed yet.
Plan your visit

A Glens family with a whiskey to its name

The McKillops have farmed and traded out of Cushendall since the 1960s, building Glens of Antrim Potatoes into a name across Northern Ireland and launching Glens of Antrim Crisps in 2015. The whiskey venture, first conceived in 2016, is the next chapter. Lir Irish Whiskey is the flagship, with the Lir Green Crest blend matured in triple cask and finished in virgin American oak for toffee, vanilla and chocolate notes. While the distillery building is finished, the spirit is being distilled off-site and the first founder's casks have been filled.

Home of Lir Irish Whiskey Family-run by the McKillops Visitor centre under construction Tours & restaurant planned On the Antrim coastal route Check before you go
Good to know before you go:

Once open, distilleries like this typically run tasting flights, cask-share and founder events and seasonal late openings. Until the Cushendall visitor centre launches, watch the distillery's own channels for the opening date and any preview tastings.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🪪Photo IDTastings are 18+ — bring ID if you look under 25.
  • 🚗A plan to get homeA designated driver or lift, so everyone can enjoy the tasting.
  • 👟Comfy shoesWorking distilleries have stairs and hard floors on the tour.
  • 💷A few poundsFor the shop and a bottle to take home.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Getting in
No public tours open yet — visitor centre still under construction. Check before you go.
Opening
Visitor experience not yet open; no confirmed opening date
Tours
Guided distillery tours are planned for the finished build but not yet running
Age limits
A distillery tour, once open, is likely to carry an over-18 element — confirm when it launches
Food
A restaurant is part of the planned build; not open yet
Family-friendly
Limited for now — no open attraction; better suited to whiskey fans following the brand
Parking
On-site parking expected with the new facility; not confirmed yet
Accessibility
Not confirmed — ask the distillery directly
How long to allow
No tour to time yet; allow a full day if you pair the area with Glenariff Forest
Address
1 Gortaclee Road, Cushendall, Co. Antrim, BT44 0TE
Questions

Before you go

Do I need to book?
No public tours open yet — visitor centre still under construction. Check before you go.
What tours are there?
Guided distillery tours are planned for the finished build but not yet running
What are the opening times?
Visitor experience not yet open; no confirmed opening date
Is there an age limit?
A distillery tour, once open, is likely to carry an over-18 element — confirm when it launches
Is there food or a bar?
A restaurant is part of the planned build; not open yet
Getting there

Glens of Antrim Distillery is at 1 Gortaclee Road, Cushendall, Co. Antrim, BT44 0TE. On-site parking expected with the new facility; not confirmed yet. Tap below for directions.

Nearby

Make more of the day

The story

About Glens of Antrim Distillery

The McKillop family have been part of Cushendall life since the 1960s, when they began farming potatoes in the Glens of Antrim. Over the decades Glens of Antrim Potatoes became a trusted name across Northern Ireland, and in 2015 the family added Glens of Antrim Crisps, made from their own crop. The whiskey venture, conceived in 2016, extends that same family-and-land story into Irish whiskey.

The distillery's flagship is Lir Irish Whiskey, named for the Children of Lir, the legend of swans tied to the Antrim coast. The first release, Lir Green Crest, is a triple-cask blend, and in 2023 the company completed its first shipment of Irish whiskey to the United States. Planning permission for the distillery and visitor centre on Gortaclee Road was approved, with the building set on the busy coastal route to the Giant's Causeway.

As the visitor facility is completed, the plan is for distillery tours, tastings and a restaurant to open to the public. Until then the whiskey is distilled off-site, and a visit to Cushendall is about the brand, the family story and the Glens setting rather than a tour you can book today.