Porto Whiskey Weekend

Overview

The city of Porto, nestled along the Douro River, is a charming coastal city in northern Portugal, known for its colourful buildings, historic bridges and relaxed, old world vibe. It has a rich maritime history and is famous for its narrow cobbled streets, baroque churches and the iconic Dom Luis II Bridge. It has also been the hub for ageing, blending and shipping Port for centuries, and is home to some of the world’s most recognised brands such as Sandeman and Taylor’s.

We’re taking you on a journey to learn all about Port. Port wine is a fortified sweet wine from the Douro Valley in Portugal, made by adding grape spirit during fermentation to stop it early, preserving natural sugars and increasing alcohol content. It comes in several styles, including Ruby Port, which is young and fruit-forward, Tawny Port, which is aged in wood and develops nutty, caramel flavors, Vintage Port, a high-quality style meant for long aging; Late Bottled Vintage (LBV), which offers a similar profile but is ready to drink sooner, and White Port, made from white grapes and ranging from dry to sweet.

Ex-Port casks go on to become an integral part of the maturation process for some of the world’s most loved Irish whiskeys.

Join us as we take you to the Douro Valley to see the vineyards where the grapes are grown, watch casks being constructed and toasted, sipping Port in warehouses and of course tasting some Port-aged Irish whiskeys along the way!

We’ll be joined on this trip by Darryl McNally and Adrian McLaughlin. Darryl and Adrian are the Co-Owners of the Harbourview Hotel, Ireland’s First Whiskey Hotel in Carnlough on the Causeway Coast. Darryl, renowned Master Distiller and creator of Limavady Irish Whiskey, brings decades of expertise from his time at the Old Bushmills Distillery, where he built a reputation for excellence in distillation, maturation, and cask selection. At the Harbourview Hotel, he oversees all things whiskey, leading the development of Carnlough Irish Whiskey, sourcing exceptional casks, and curating distinctive whiskey experiences for guests. Alongside him, Adrian has been a hotelier for over two decades, bringing a deep passion for hospitality and local heritage, helping to shape the Harbourview Hotel into a destination that celebrates the character, culture, and spirit of Ireland and Irish whiskey. Together, they combine world-class whiskey knowledge with warm Irish hospitality to create a truly authentic experience for visitors from around the world.

Launching Friday 15th May at 4pm Irish time/11am EST!