Micil Distillery was founded by Pádraic Ó Griallais, a sixth generation poitín distiller from Connemara. His family have been producing poitín on the shores of Galway Bay for over 170 years. Micil Distillery was named in honour of Pádraic’s great, great, great grandfather, Micil Mac Chearra, who began distilling in Connemara in 1848. Micil’s smooth, spicy poitín quickly became known throughout the region with people travelling from far and wide to buy his poitín which was made from 100% grain and infused with a local botanical called bogbean.

Six generations and 170 years later, Pádraic continues to make spirits. Micil Distillery is the first legal distillery in Galway in over 100 years. They produce a range of traditional poitíns and gin made using local Connemara ingredients.

They now craft spirits in small batches, using the craft experience that has been handed down through the Micil family using Irish, which is still the spoken language at the distillery today.

Located upstairs in the Oslo Bar in Salthill, County Galway, Micil Distillery encompasses, over two floors, a fully functional distillery and a visitor centre where they run tours and tastings on most dates throughout the year. Known as the Micil Distillery Experience, the tours are designed to give visitors an up-close insight into the world of Micil poitín and gin by allowing them to experience six generations of Micil family heritage; the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of Galway’s only working distillery.