Tim Wellock enjoys a round or two of whiskey... and a round or two of golf

There's a relaunched whiskey called Teeling
Which I found very appealing
I knocked it back
And enjoyed the craic
Oh what a wonderful feeling

THERE'S something about Ireland which inspires limericks; all the more so if it involves drink. And the Irish are still fond of a tipple.

The Teeling Distillery is a very impressive new addition to Dublin's many tourist attractions, offering guided tours and tastings from 14 euros. Tours are still available at the Old Jameson Distillery, but when they moved production to County Cork in 1976 it marked the end of whiskey production in the fair city.

In the 19th century Dublin had 37 distilleries, including Teelings, which dated back to 1782. The relaunch has taken place in an adjacent building in the Liberties area under the stewardship of brothers Jack and Stephen Teeling. As part of the tasting our group was offered we were asked to compare Teelings with two others. One was a Scotch from Islay, which tasted very peaty and smoky in comparison to its much smoother and more drinkable rival.

All Teelings' whiskies are bottled at 46 per cent with no-chill filtration. Some are given extra maturation in ex-rum barrels, some in Californian red wine barrels, while bourbon casks have been used for the 30-year-old vintage reserve single malt. Teelings have also revived the ancient tradition of distilling the clear spirit called Poitin, which was outlawed in 1661. It is bottled at 61.5 per cent, which puts it in the rocket fuel category.

Although it relies largely on traditional methods, with its three large copper-pot stills, the distillery has a cafe and shop and is an example of how Dublin has modernised. In tourist literature the city is often described as “edgy”, whatever that means.

An example is the ultra-modern Gibson Hotel, opposite 3 Arena in Point Village. The website speaks of the rooms having “a calming ambience in contrast to the vibrant, edgy character of the rest of the hotel.” It may be marketing-speak, but other than the edgy bit I wouldn't disagree because the contrast is very noticeable. The calming ambience allowed me a far better night's sleep than I had anticipated, and it was nothing to do with the Teelings.

I had sampled that a few days earlier prior to heading an hour south to do battle with some of Wicklow's 27 golf courses. An area also well known for its gardens and the lovely Wicklow Hills, this has become a golfers' paradise. For sheer scenic splendour, excellent value at 30 euros and a good, old-fashioned Irish welcome, the clifftop course at Wicklow Town should not be missed.

The Glenview Hotel is an excellent base, encapsulating all that's best about the area. It stands alone in the foothills, separated from the main dual carriageway by its own terraced, well-developed gardens. Tucked away in the trees is a statue of a stag, which doesn't necessarily mean that stag parties are welcome. They are more likely to stay in lively Dublin, along with the hen parties which are well catered for at the Gibson. Their special package promises an upgrade for the bride and a morning after rescue bag for all her hens.

If they don't wish to confine themselves to the hotel's hemidemisemiquaver bar, there's a Luas (light railway) terminal right outside, offering easy access to all Dublin's delights. We chose the Gibson because it is extremely handy for the docks and we were catching Irish Ferries' 8.45am sailing on the Dublin Swift, which gets back to Holyhead in one hour 50 minutes.

The company's flagship, the 51,000-tonne Ulysses takes three hours 15 but has more facilities and can be guaranteed to sail in virtually any weather.

TRAVEL FACTS

TEELINGS Distillery tours start at 14 euros and can be booked on reservations@teelingwhiskey.com

Irish Ferries charge £79 each way for a car and driver from Holyhead to Dublin. It’s £30 each way for additional passengers, but they often have “children go free” offers. Details on irishferries.com

The Gibson Hotel, Point Village, Dublin, does bed and breakfast from 130 euros per room. Details on thegibsonhotel.ie

Rates at the Glenview Hotel, Co Wicklow, start at £32 per person but will be higher at busy times. Details can be found on glenviewhotel.com