The Ring of Kerry is probably the most recognizable driving route in all of Ireland. A quick check of the most popular itineraries from tour operators like CIE, Collette, and Tauck confirms that whether you chose the “Irish Adventure,” “Taste of Ireland,” or “Shades of Ireland” coach tour, it will include the famous N70 coastal route, generally with a stay in Killarney to begin or end it. Even with all my many self-drive visits, including my first in 1984, I find myself headed again and again to the place Tourism Ireland calls a “scene-stealing route around the Iveragh Peninsula; the110-mile route that is so much more than the sum of its parts.”
A perfect example, I discovered, is the Skellig Coast, an area that stretches from Kells Bay to Castlecove and includes the Skellig Ring, which I had previously treated as a drive-by rather than a stop-over. My recent June visit included a well-deserved course correction!
First stop, Skellig Six18 Distillery & Visitor Experience in Cahirsiveen, “the town that climbs the mountain and looks upon the sea.” Visitors who only think of the big names in Irish whiskey — Jameson, Bushmills, Tullamore to name a few — will be pleasantly surprised to find this relatively new brand being produced here. The micro-distillery, co-founded in 2019 by Cahirsiveen natives June O’Connell and Patrick Sugrue, takes its name from the number of steps that sixth century monks carved out of nearby Skellig Michael to reach their monastery on the summit. The name, like everything else about this distillery, ties the production and its eco-friendly ethos to the rugged landscape of the location.
Pure mountain water, a mild climate, and maturation in the salt-laced air of the Atlantic coast are key factors in the production of the limited-edition whiskeys: Skellig Single Malt Dark Sky Reserve, a 23-year-old whiskey matured in ex-Bourbon barrels and finished in sherry casks; Skellig Small Batch, a blend of single pot still and grain whiskey finished in sherry casks; and Triple Cask Single Pot Still, made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley and triple distilled for additional smoothness.
As with all Irish whiskeys, production here follows a traditional process (copper stills, triple distillation, minimum three years of ageing), but the Skellig Coast’s oceanic micro-climate, coupled with the local ingredients, result in whiskeys with a strong character and distinctive terroir. The distillery building itself is a former dry-dock for boats taking visitors to Skellig Michael, so the tour displays are equal parts whiskey production (barrels, barley, graphics) and local inspiration (boats, photos, artifacts). Our guide on the tour, Waterville native Trish O’Connell, was equally enthusiastic about both!
Trish O'Connell.
The distillery also produces artisanal gin, again with a local touch. In addition to juniper berries, the defining ingredient in all gins, Skellig’s pot still gin also adds coastal botanicals including dillisk (Irish seaweed), Douglas fir needles, birch, and yarrow to create a gin that’s a pleasant balance of salinity, citrus, and sweetness. The distillery offers gin-only, whiskey-only, or a tour that covers both spirits. Post-tour tastings are offered in the gift shop where, you guessed it, you can buy the whiskey and gin, along with spirit-filled, locally made chocolates from the Skelligs Chocolate Company, St. Finian’s Bay (skelligschocolate.com), Skellig Jam (made in Ballinskelligs), and crafts from Kerry artists. To book a distillery tour or to buy whiskey or gin online, visit skelligsix18distillery.ie
Skellig Michael
Skellig Steps. [Dreamstime/Peg Hess]
The famous UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the most well situated and preserved of all the Irish medieval monastic sites, may have been founded as early as the 6th century. The word “sceillic/skellig” means “rock,” especially a steep rock, and this one is even more precipitous with its 618 steps on the ascent to the monastery. The site, notable for its monastery, monks’ garden, beehive huts, and amazing colonies of breeding seabirds, lies 8 miles off the Ring of Kerry coast. It’s only accessible by boat from Valentia Island, Portmagee, Ballinskelligs, and Caherdaniel between May and September, subject to weather conditions. There is one guided Landing Tour per day (it can last up to 6 hours, involves strenuous climbing, and visitors are cautioned that there are no facilities of any kind on the rock). I was looking forward to an Eco Boat Tour (2 1/2 cruise around Skellig Michael and Little Skelligs) on one of the days of my visit; regrettably, it was canceled. Despite what appeared to be a rather mild, calm day on land, it was not so at sea. On my next visit — and I’m sure there’ll be another — I’ll leave some wiggle room by staying a few extra days in case of a weather snafu.
Next stop: The Edge of Europe: Valentia Island and Portmagee
Margaret Johnson’s “Recipes” page alternates with “Ireland Hopping: Adventures in Food, Drink, and Travel.” For further details on her work, or to order a signed cookbook, visit irishcook.com
