One sip turns into a whole afternoon. Stillgarden’s Afternoon Tea & Gin Masterclass pairs a guided distillery tour with a proper tasting flight and classic tea treats. You’ll learn the gin inspiration behind their modern Irish range, then finish with afternoon tea and a Q&A with their liquid experts.

I especially like how the session is structured: you’re guided through the history of distillation and their wall of 120 botanicals, not just handed a glass and left to guess. I also love that it’s fully hosted, with time to ask questions at the end, so you leave understanding what you just tasted. One consideration: it’s a focused 90-minute experience with four gins—great if you like gin, but if you want lots of styles or a long sit-down meal, you may find the time short.

Key Highlights You’ll Notice Right Away

• Stillgarden’s wall of 120 botanicals and a guided look at how distillation shapes flavor
• A 4-gin signature tasting flight plus a welcome drink to set the tone
• Afternoon tea with sandwiches and cakes as a real food payoff, not just a snack
• Hosted by Stillgarden’s liquid experts, with a Q&A at the end
• Non-gin and non-alcoholic options available if you tell them beforehand
• Wheelchair accessible and runs rain or shine

Stillgarden Distillery’s Gin-and-Tea Formula (and Why It Works)

This masterclass is built for people who want more than a typical tasting. You get the fun of sampling modern Irish gin, but you also get context: where the flavors come from, why botanicals matter, and how distillation changes the end result.

The blend of activities is practical, too. You’re not doing a stiff lecture first, then waiting for food later. You move from learning to tasting to eating in a tight, 90-minute flow that feels like a hosted afternoon plan rather than a checklist.

At $74 per person, the value comes from bundling three things that are usually separate: a distillery visit, a structured tasting flight, and a sit-down-style afternoon tea spread. If you’d otherwise pay for a gin tour and then separately hunt for afternoon tea, this arrangement starts to look like a smarter use of time.

The Distillation Story and the Wall of 120 Botanicals

The experience starts at Stillgarden Distillery with their explanation of the ginspiration behind their range. Expect a guided walk through the history of distillation, which is useful even if you’re not a spirits nerd. It gives you a framework for what you’re tasting, like why certain botanicals show up more clearly when handled a specific way.

Then you’ll get a close look at their wall of 120 botanicals. That’s the kind of detail that makes the rest of the tasting click. When you see so many ingredients in one place, you start noticing flavor categories faster—citrus versus herbal notes, spice versus something floral—instead of relying on vague descriptions like fruity or strong.

This part also sets expectations for the tasting. You’re not just comparing four random gins. You’re learning how the ingredients and process drive the style.

Tip: because the session is timed, arrive a few minutes early if you can. You’ll soak up more of the distillation explanation and feel less rushed when the tasting begins.

The 4-Gin Tasting Flight: What You Actually Learn From It

After the distillation and botanicals overview, you taste 4 signature gins. That tasting flight is the core of the experience, and it’s sized well for a 90-minute outing—enough variety to notice differences without turning the event into a marathon.

The tickets include a welcome drink, plus the 4-gin tasting flight. That welcome drink is a nice ramp-up. It helps you settle in, then switch into tasting mode for the four signatures.

Here’s how I think about tasting like this: you’re not trying to decide which gin is your favorite on the spot. You’re training your palate to recognize patterns. One gin might feel brighter or more aromatic, another might read as spicier or more layered. The learning happens when you pay attention to what changes from sample to sample.

The experience also ends with a Q&A from one of Stillgarden’s liquid experts. That matters because you can ask the practical questions you’ll never think to ask at a bar, like what specific botanicals tend to drive a certain flavor family or how they build a profile across their range.

If gin isn’t your thing, the good news is you don’t have to force it. Stillgarden offers non gin and non alcoholic options if you let them know beforehand. That’s exactly what you want—alternatives arranged in advance, rather than improvising mid-session.

Afternoon Tea at Stillgarden: Sandwiches, Cakes, and a Real Finish

Once the tasting is done, the afternoon tea arrives. Included in your ticket is a selection of decadent cakes and sandwiches, and it’s meant to be more than a token pairing.

I like this part because it resets the experience. Gin tastings can blur together if you stay in drinking-only mode, but food gives you a clean palate and a slower pace. Sandwiches help balance flavors, while the sweet cakes give you a satisfying ending after you’ve been sampling for most of the session.

If you’re choosing between tea options elsewhere, the key difference here is that the tea is integrated into the same hosted experience. You’re not just eating after; you’re closing the loop on the tasting with something indulgent and structured.

And yes: sessions run rain or shine, so the afternoon tea is the plan even if Dublin County weather does what it does.

Who This Masterclass Is Best For (and Who Should Skip It)

This experience is not suitable for children under 18, so it’s built for adults who want a grown-up afternoon.

It’s especially good if you fall into one of these groups:

• You like gin but want to understand it, not just sip it
• You enjoy structured experiences with a friendly guide and time for questions
• You want a genuine pairing of spirits and food, with afternoon tea as a full included component

It may not be the best fit if:

• You’re expecting a long, in-depth tour that lasts several hours
• You’re looking for lots of different tasting formats beyond a 4-gin flight
• You want a purely non-alcoholic experience without advance notice (though non-alcoholic options exist, you’ll need to request them ahead)

For non-gin drinkers, I’d treat this as a “tell them early” kind of activity. Since non gin and non alcoholic options are available with advance notice, plan to communicate your preference when you book.

Price and Value: Is $74 a Fair Deal?

Let’s break down what you get for $74 per person.

You’re paying for a bundled experience that includes:

• A hosted visit to Stillgarden Distillery
• A guided walkthrough of distillation history and the wall of 120 botanicals
• A welcome drink
• A structured 4-gin tasting flight
• Afternoon tea with sandwiches and cakes
• A closing Q&A with a liquid expert

Individually, each of those can cost money on its own at different venues. The real value here is the planning being handled for you: the tasting is organized, the food is timed into the flow, and the expert is present to help you connect what you’re tasting to what you’re hearing.

Also, the duration is about 1.5 hours, which keeps it from dragging. You’re not committing a half-day, and you still get a full “experience arc” that feels complete.

If you’re someone who values learning while you eat and drink, this price starts to feel more like a package deal than a premium for just fancy branding.

Practical Tips Before You Book (So It Feels Effortless)

A few practical notes will help you get the most out of the session:

• Plan for English-only guidance. The tour guide is listed as English, so it’s built for that language.
• Make requests early if you need non gin or non alcoholic options. The experience notes that these options are available if you let them know beforehand, so don’t wait until you arrive.
• Expect rain. It’s rain or shine, so wear something that handles Irish weather well, and bring layers.
• Know the time commitment: it runs 90 minutes, and starting times can vary. Check availability to pick the session that fits your day.
• If mobility is a factor, good news: it’s wheelchair accessible.

One more thought: if you want to ask good questions during the Q&A, decide in advance what you’re curious about. Even something simple—like which botanicals might explain a flavor you liked—can turn the last few minutes into the part you remember most.

Should You Book Stillgarden’s Afternoon Tea & Gin Masterclass?

If you want an authentic, hosted experience in Dublin County that mixes modern Irish gin tasting with a real afternoon tea meal, I think this is a strong pick. The format is tight and friendly: you learn the basics of distillation, taste four signature gins, then eat sandwiches and cakes while the flavors are still fresh in your mind.

Book it if you like:

• expert guidance and a Q&A
• a structured tasting flight
• adults-only atmosphere
• an experience that feels scheduled but not stiff

Skip it if you’re after a long distillery tour or a big menu of tasting options beyond four gins. Also, if you need non-alcoholic alternatives, make sure you arrange that before you go so the experience can be tailored to you.

Given the overall 4.2 rating and the fact that the session is built around an integrated distillery + tea + tasting flow, it’s the kind of “one ticket, many good parts” outing that’s easy to justify—especially when your day needs a clear plan.

FAQ

How long is the Afternoon Tea & Gin Tasting Masterclass?

The experience lasts about 1.5 hours (90 minutes). Starting times vary, so you’ll want to check availability.

What’s included in the ticket?

Tickets include a welcome drink, a 4 gin tasting flight, and afternoon tea with sandwiches and cakes. The session also includes a Q&A with a liquid expert.

Will there be non-alcoholic options?

Yes. There are non gin and non alcoholic options available, but you should let Stillgarden know beforehand.

Is this experience suitable for children?

No. It is not suitable for children under 18 years.

Does the masterclass run in bad weather?

Yes. The tour takes place rain or shine.

Is the experience wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The event is listed as wheelchair accessible.

What languages are offered?

The live tour guide is English.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. Free cancellation is available according to the experience terms.

What’s the price?

The price is listed as $74 per person.