Planning a Tour of Scotland for Whisky Lovers

 

Scotland is full of ancient hillside castles, glassy blue lochs, and some of the best whisky distilleries in the world. Like Ireland and beer or California and wine, Scotland and whisky just go hand in hand. Scotland whisky has been in production since the 1400’s, after all! If you’re a whisky lover heading out for a tour of Scotland, here are some of our must-visit distilleries.

One of the oldest working distilleries in Scotland, Glenturret has been in production since 1763. Fermented for up to 100 hours, Glenturret boasts a unique flavor, and the distillery still uses many traditional methods of whisky distilling. Glenturret also has an award-winning restaurant on-premises, making this much more than just a whisky distillery.

A relatively young distillery in the scheme of Scotland whisky, Kingsbarns has already become a fixture in world-class distilling. Offering both whisky and gin tastings, visitors will experience what happens when an old farmstead becomes a family’s distillery dream come to life. Join the Founder’s Club at Kingsbarns for access to exclusive new whiskies shipped worldwide.

Glenfiddich is a fifth-generation family owned distillery dating back to 1886. As one of the last independently owned distilleries in Scotland, Glenfiddich has earned its world-wide reputation as some of the best whisky in the business. A visit to this distillery takes you down history’s path and ends with an exclusive Glenfiddich tasting.

Though this distillery has multiple tour options to satisfy any whisky aficionado, the appeal of Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery is about what’s outside as much as what they make inside. Nestled at the foot of the Scottish Highlands in beautiful Perthshire county, you’ll want to stick around to explore the grounds and quaint town of Aberfeldy. 

Scotland whisky lovers visit Cardhu for the rich history, beautiful Speyside location, and a good drink. John Cumming established Cardhu in 1824, but the production was mainly run by his wife, Helen. Later, the distillery would be passed down to their daughter, Elizabeth, making it one of the only female-run distilleries in Scotland. Today, Cardhu is owned by Diageo and used to make some of the finest Johnnie Walker blends. 

Located on the remote and beautiful Isle of Islay, they say the only thing better than opening a bottle of Ardbeg is visiting the distillery itself. Ardbeg has been named the “World Whisky of the Year” four times, and for good reason. Visitors come for the whisky and stay for the Seaview Cottage, a cozy lodging available for rent on Ardbeg grounds.

Lagavulin, also located on the Isle of Islay, is known for being one of the oldest distilleries in the region and producing a unique smoky flavor. The geography in the region of Islay makes for some of the best whisky-making conditions in the world, and you can’t beat the scenery of Lagavulin Bay.

Glenkinchie is of the Four Corners of Scotland distilleries of whisky giant Johnnie Walker. On this tour, you’ll get to sample this classic Scotland whisky and enjoy a museum of distillery lore. Located just 15 miles outside of Edinburgh, this is a perfect day trip as shuttles run from the city to the distillery twice a day.