Bunratty Winery

Bunratty Winery sits in the village of Bunratty in County Clare, close to the well-known 15th-century Bunratty Castle. It is best known for producing Bunratty Mead, a traditional honey-based drink made by combining honey and the fruit of the vine with selected herbs, following a recipe with roots in medieval Ireland.

Mead has long been linked with celebration and old customs. One story tied to the drink is that newlyweds would drink mead for a full moon after their wedding, giving rise to the word “honeymoon.” Alongside its mead, the winery also produces poitin, an Irish spirit whose colourful history includes being outlawed for centuries before production was made legal again in modern times.

Visitors are welcome at the winery’s showroom, where the mead and poitin can be bought directly. Both are also sold through selected shops and duty-free outlets, making a stop here an easy addition to a wider visit to the Bunratty area and its castle.