Sensational Scottish Whisky Tour, Curated by You

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Scotland is well known as a land of rolling hills, towering castles, craggy peaks, and perfectly aged Scottish whisky. Whisky connoisseurs come to Scotland to taste some of the best liquor in the world and tour the distilleries that have been there for hundreds of years. Experiencing this unique place and nation and the iconic distilleries Scotland offers is best done in style and luxury. We’ve compiled the ultimate luxury whisky tour checklist. Take our advice, and you’ll see the best that Scotland’s whisky makers have to offer and take home memories that will last a lifetime.

A Brief History

Scotch Whisky is believed to have begun due to a lack of grapes in the area. Instead of making wine, Scots used grain mash to create the first forms of the whisky. The original name for the drink translates (from Gaelic) to mean “water of life.”

Travelling in Style

Start your whisky tour as you mean to finish it: in style. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your holiday begins when you arrive in Scotland: the adventure will begin the moment you step into your private jet to make the journey there. Booking a private jet charter means that you and your party will have the entire cabin to yourself and that you can personalise your travel schedule to a much greater degree than you would on a commercial airline. Book your plane for the trip to Scotland and travel from region to region to taste some of the most famous and delicious Scottish whiskies.

Famous Distilleries To Visit

Glengoyne Distillery, Dumgoyne

Since 1833, there has not been one month in which whisky has not flowed from Glengoyne Distillery. The highlands-style single malt crafted at Glengoyne is unique because, though it is a highlands-style scotch, it matures in the lowlands.

Interestingly, this distillery is located along the border between the high and lowlands, with the stills resident in the highlands and the casks residing in the lowlands. This distillery is a testament to the complexity of this intricate industry and how complex the art of whisky-making can be.

Closest airport: Glasgow: 33 minutes away.
Luxury accommodation nearby: Kimpton Blythswood Square, Glasgow.

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Glenfiddich Distillery, Dufftown

Glenfiddich is possibly one of the world's best and most famous whiskies and best known in Scotland. Nestled in the little hamlet of Dufftown, Glenfiddich has been operating since 1886. Glenfiddich still works with traditional distillation methods using copper pot stills and classic oak barrels. The single malt created here draws in guests from all over the world. You can attend tours and tasting sessions at the distillery to get acquainted with the product. Glenfiddich has dealt with some hardships over the course of its history but always comes out on top: they’ve won more awards than any other single malt scotch in the country.

Closest airport: Inverness — 1 hour and 20 minutes away
Luxury accommodation nearby: Rocpool Reserve Hotel

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Laphroaig Distillery, Isle of Islay

The distinctive smoky, peaty flavour infused into Laphroaig whisky is what makes it stand out above a lot of the other excellent options. The distillery on the Isle of Islay has been operating since 1815 and was founded by members of the Clan MacDonald. The abundance of peat on the island is the reason for the distinctive taste that the whisky takes on, something that only island whiskies have the option of doing. The pristine white walls and slate grey rooves of the distillery building itself blend seamlessly into the stormy island views and make for an enticing day trip.

Closest airport: Islay — 11 minutes away
Luxury accommodation nearby: The Machrie Hotel and Links

Unknown Gem Distilleries

Tamdhu Distillery

Clocking in at just over 170 years old, the Tamdhu Distillery is an incredibly underrated location in the Speyside whisky region. Records show that the founders of Tamdhu were the first in Scotland to secure a shipment of sherry casks from Spain, and that is how they’ve done things ever since: in oak sherry casks. The brand believes the wood lends a distinctive taste to the scotch.

Benromach

Also located in the Speyside region, you’ll find Benromach Distillery. This family-owned distillery likes to keep things as simple as it can and prides itself on its distillers relying only on their highly trained senses to create their award-winning ambrosia. The character in each drop clearly shows that their process is one to appreciate because we predict that this whisky will soon compete with the all-time greats.

Torabhaig

This distillery’s claim to fame is that it makes superb whisky and is the second distillery ever to have been licensed to produce single malt scotch whisky. Being an island distiller, the location is a massive part of what makes this drink so unique, as the purest spring water (from an island spring) is used to create the scotch. The copper stills and wooden washbacks used in the process ensure that Torabhaig will continue to produce excellent whisky for hundreds of years to come.

Your Scottish Whisky Adventure Awaits

Travelling in high style, visiting some of the most well-known distilleries in the world, sampling some underrated gems, and staying in the most luxurious hotels available is the perfect way to experience whisky country. Your Scottish whisky tour will be the experience of a lifetime. For more Scotch whisky articles, including our recommended bottles, click here.

Best Scotch Whisky Distillery Tours

We don’t need to tell you we’re big fans of Scotch whisky; chances are you already know thanks to our Amazon Prime series. And while a dram at home always hits the spot, Scotch can taste even more magical when sipped at the source. Whether your thing is Highlands or Lowlands, Islands or Islay – pack those bags for our virtual round-up of Scotland’s best distillery tours. Cheers!

Talisker, Islands

Perched on the shores of jaw-drop-beautiful Skye – full of rolling green hills, misty peaks and fluffy herds of roaming sheep – Talisker’s setting alone is worth the epic journey from the nearest city (Inverness: two and a half hours away). Its sweet, full-bodied malts can be tasted on a Cask Tasting tour, where drams are hand-drawn atmospherically from warehouse casks. Mitigate the long (albeit beautiful) drive with an overnight on this pretty isle; a drive along undulating roads to the north, The Three Chimneys is one of Scotland’s finest restaurants with rooms.

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Glenfiddich, Dufftown

If you join just one distillery tour, it might have to be this one. Pedigree aside – world-renowned, family owned Glenfiddich has been distilling in Dufftown since 1887 – this 35-hectare site is one of the most impressive in whiskydom. Rich in detail on the whisky-making process, Glenfiddich’s tours hop between Instagrammable stone-fronted buildings, bottling lines, giant stillhouses and a seriously atmospheric traditional aging warehouse. Guides are lively, answer all your questions, and (obviously) take you through a generous tasting flight of golden Speyside liquor at the end.

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Ardbeg, Islay

Seriously smoky, sweet and citric, Ardberg isn’t for the faint-hearted. But fans keen to make the peaty pilgrimage to Islay – a ferry ride or flight from mainland Scotland – can down their fill on a series of daily tours. The 2021 schedule is still being confirmed, but historically a tasting of the core range kicks off at an ambitious 10:30am, then at lunchtime is followed the Committee Bottle Tasting - a set of pours picked by a guide - before peaking in the Old, Mature and Unusual tasting in the afternoon. Book into the distillery’s onsite Seaview Cottage and you can wake up and do the whole thing all over again tomorrow. 

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The Dalmore, Alness

One of Scotland’s more accessible distilleries, The Dalmore is stumbling distance from Alness rail station, a hop north of Inverness – so it’s great if you don’t drive (or if, for obvious reasons, you don’t want to). It’s a pretty one too: aged stone buildings, blue shore waters of Cromarty Firth, green fields. Tours are intimate – with a maximum of just about a dozen guests, and often fewer – so there’s plenty of opportunity to ask questions and learn all you’d like about this popular single malt. Videos walk you through proper ‘nosing’ and tasting technique, too, great for whisky beginners.

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Glenkinchie, Pencaitland

This Victorian distillery needs to be on your hit-list for two reasons: it’s only a half-hour drive outside of Edinburgh, making it perfect for city-breakers or car-free travellers, and it’s the Lowlands home of Johnny Walker. And in case you need a third – it’s just had a major revamp, with its red-bricked buildings now housing a top-quality multi-levelled visitor experience. A lovely orchard and garden, speckled with blooms in summer, is a great spot to chill and wait out sobriety after a few Highballs in the bar.  

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Glenlivet, Speyside

If we could move into a distillery, it might be this one: set above Speyside hills in a remote glen, with floor-to-ceiling windows along the still room that let sunshine spill in, it’s one of the best-looking distilleries out there. And, if you’re serious about your whisky, it’s one of the finest for deep-dive tastings, too. While many distilleries offer just one tour, Glenlivet has a roster that includes sessions aimed at knowledgeable enthusiasts as well as beginners. They’ll be announcing new experiences very soon, so keep eyes on their website for details.

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Glenmorangie, Tain

You’ll get a warm Highland welcome at this famed distillery, home to Scotland’s tallest stills – the copper necks are as long as a fully grown giraffe – and some of its most elegant malts. Set on the banks of Dornoch Firth, Glenmorangie runs a series of expert-led tours that illuminate the whisky-making process from grain to glass. Sign up to The Innovator and you’ll get the chance to taste some of the distillery’s most prized expressions.

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Fancy a sneaky peek of some of Scotland’s distilleries while you wait for things to open up again? Then, make sure you check out The Three Drinkers do Scotch Whisky on Amazon Prime!