WHAT began as an uplifting ‘Blue Monday’ alternative has become one of the Croithlí Distillery’s most popular winter initiatives, with more than 150 people registering for free ‘Crolly Monday’ tour and tasting experiences.
The overwhelming response to the distillery’s gesture has attracted bookings from across Donegal, throughout Ireland, and even further afield in the UK — highlighting the distillery’s growing reputation as a must-visit cultural and tourism destination.
Some guests opted to upgrade to a VIP Experience, available alongside the free tour and tasting, which includes the opportunity to purchase, pour, and personalise a bottle of cask-strength Distillery Reserve directly from the cask.
Co-founder Conor McMenamin said the “tremendous response” led to the team adding a sixth hour-long tour (there are usually five each day) to meet demand.
“We hoped people might appreciate the chance to step away from the ‘Blue Monday’ narrative and do something positive instead.
“The level of interest has been genuinely humbling — it reaffirms that people want to get out and share meaningful experiences during the quieter winter months.
“Seeing people travel from all parts of Donegal, Ireland and even the UK to join us in such numbers makes this feel like a real landmark day for the distillery.”
The distillery is building on the momentum of ‘Crolly Monday’ with a ‘Friends Go Free’ initiative, allowing visitors who book tour and tasting experiences to bring a second guest at no additional cost.
And on the upcoming St Brigid’s bank holiday weekend (Saturday, January 31), whiskey enthusiasts are being invited to a limited-capacity tasting experience. This ‘Evening with the Distillers’ event on Saturday, January 31, invites guests to sample unreleased and evolving limited-edition whiskeys while hearing directly from the founders about flavour development, wood selection, and the unique role of direct-fire distillation in shaping Croithlí premium Irish whiskey. The tasting menu will include the much-anticipated single malt Oloroso and pot still Cognac expressions due for release later this year.
“These experiences — whether it’s ‘Friends Go Free’ or our ‘Evening with the Distillers’ tasting — are about sharing what we do in a more intimate way, with the people who are curious about how our whiskey is made in the Donegal Gaeltacht,” Conor added.
The ‘Friends Go Free’ offer is available online using the voucher code cara2026 and runs until 12am on February 1 with bookings valid until March 15. Full details on distillery tours and the ‘Evening with the Distillers’ event are available at thecrollydistillery.com.
