A visit to Scotland isn’t complete without tasting a wee dram of Scotch Whisky, and with around 140 distilleries and an abundance of whisky experiences to choose from it can be hard to decide which to visit.

This guide gives an overview of Scotch Whisky and the regions where it is produced. For each region we share:

• The best distillery tours and whisky-tasting experiences
• Our top accommodation choices
• Other places to visit and things to do so you get the most from your trip

The Ultimate Whisky Experiences & Tours

CONTENTS

An Introduction to Whisky

Known in Gaelic as Uisge Beatha (pronounced Oosh-ka Beh-ha) meaning water of life. Whisky was first recorded as having been made in Scotland in the 15^th century by monks, but it’s thought to have been made much earlier than this.

There are two kinds of whisky, malt whisky and grain whisky.

• Malt whiskies – made from malted barley, water and yeast
• Grain whiskies – made from wheat, maize or a mix of both
• Blended whisky – made by blending a mix of different malt and grain whiskies together
• Single malt whisky is from a single distillery

About 90% of whisky sold is blended Whisky. The most popular in Scotland being Famous Grouse. You’ll hear people in pubs asking for it by its nickname, ‘a wee low flyer’ named after the bird’s flying habits. Single malts are what connoisseurs drink.

When visiting a bar in Scotland, if you ask for Scotch, you’ll be given blended whisky. This is cheaper and what most people drink. If you want a single malt, you ask for the whisky by name. The bar staff will be happy to help you choose from the vast array of whiskies on offer. However, once you’ve been on one of our recommended tours, you’ll know yourself what to order. Scotch whisky is always spelt without an ‘e’ unlike Irish or American whiskey.

The whisky making process has six key stages: malting, mashing, fermenting, distilling, maturing, and bottling. You’ll learn all about these steps and the effect they have on the whisky’s flavour during your distillery visits and whisky experiences.

Traditionalists will only drink their whisky neat or with a little drop of water to release the flavour, but it’s also often drunk with ice or mixers. These include soda, lemonade or ginger ale. Whisky is also used as a base for many popular cocktails such as ‘an old fashioned’. Some distilleries have introduced modern twists such as the Glenfiddich Experimental Series, a new range of whisky created through collaborations that have resulted in some truly unique flavours. We suggest experimenting until you find out what you like best!

Scotch malt whiskies come from five different regions, Islay, Highland, Lowland, Speyside and Campbeltown. Each region imparts its own unique taste and character to the whisky.

The Islay Whisky Region

Pronounced Eye-la, also known as the Whisky Isle. Islay is a beautiful island in the Inner Hebrides with 130km of coastline to explore, white sand beaches, 200 species of birds and nine distilleries, with two more planned. Islay malts have the most distinctive flavour being powerful, peaty and smoky. Because Islay is so windy there are very few trees. Consequently, there’s no wood to burn for drying barley, so they use peat as fuel, and this imparts the characteristic taste that Islay malts are known for. Distilleries include Bowmore, the island’s oldest and Laphroaig, currently the only Scotch whisky to carry the royal warrant of King Charles III.

A great way to spend a whole day combining walking and whisky tasting is to take The Three Distilleries Path. It’s a scenic, easy walk which, as you can guess from the name, links three distilleries. It’s also perfect for people travelling together where some want to walk and some want to drink, you can meet up in between each distillery enjoying lunch and coffee along the way.

A trip to Islay is often combined with its contrasting neighbour Jura, which also happens to have a whisky distillery. There’s also a gin distillery. Lussa Gin is made by three local women who grow and gather the 15 botanicals used to flavour their gin. Once home to George Orwell, author of 1984, you can see the famous whirlpool of Corryvreckan and the distinctive hills, the Paps of Jura. Not being from Islay itself, Jura whisky is classed as a Highland malt.

Islay Whisky Tours & Experiences

The Islay and The Whisky Coast 4-Day Small Group Tour starts in Edinburgh and takes you through Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park on the way to catch a ferry to Islay. As well as distillery tours and tastings you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the island’s natural beauty and attractive villages. On your way back to Edinburgh you’ll spend time at Kilmartin, renowned as Scotland’s richest pre-historic landscape with over 350 ancient monuments including stone circles, rock carvings and Neolithic and Bronze Age burial cairns. There’s also time to explore the coastal town of Oban. Three nights’ en-suite accommodation in pretty Bowmore village is included.

If you wish to include a visit to Islay as part of your own self-made holiday, we highly recommend the Whisky Tour services of Islay Taxi by Lamb. All the drivers come from the island and will enhance your experience by sharing their local tips on the best places to visit. Having no car means the ferry is much cheaper and doesn’t need to be booked in advance, and you can sample as many Islay malts as you wish. You can book tours direct with each distillery once you are on the island.

Islay Accommodation

Our favourite place to stay on Islay is the beautiful Glenegedale House. Here you’ll receive a very warm welcome accompanied by tea and home baking, the sumptuous beds have crisp Egyptian linen, and their breakfasts will keep you going all day. Evening food platters are available, and all their food is produced locally, including smoked salmon, bacon and porridge with a nip of Islay malt, you can even meet the hens who lay the eggs.

Getting To Islay

Ferries to Islay depart from Oban or Kennacraig. The Kennacraig ferry also stops at Colonsay if you want to do a little island hopping.

Kennacraig can be reached by bus from Glasgow. Oban can also be reached by bus from Glasgow and Fort William but the train from Glasgow is a more relaxing and scenic option. Alternatively, you can take the short flight from Glasgow to Islay.

Jura can be reached by car ferry from Islay or passenger ferry from Tayvallich. Buses run from Glasgow to Lochgilphead and from there to Tayvallich.

The Highland Whisky Region

The largest whisky region in Scotland includes all the islands, except Islay, so it’s unsurprising that this area also produces the most diverse flavours, each as distinctive as the landscapes they are made in. Generally, the further south the distillery, the more subtle the flavour, as you go further north, whiskies tend to be spicier and more full-bodied whilst island and coastal malts often taste of the sea. Distilleries include Glenmorangie, Highland Park in Orkney and Talisker on the Isle of Skye.

The Scottish Highlands are our spiritual home and so you’ll find lots more information about places to visit, outdoor activities and our favourite bikepacking routes, wild camps and walks on this website, with more being added all the time.

The Highlands is an area of stirring landscapes made up of vast moors, awe-inspiring mountains, majestic lochs and spectacular seascapes. This is a land steeped in history which left a legacy of castles and ancient monuments and a culture rich with folklore and traditions still deeply connected to the past. Add a wee dram of whisky and you have found perfection.

Highland Whisky Tours & Experiences

Ultimate Whisky Experience. If you are in Edinburgh for a short trip and want to get a feel for the countryside beyond, then this day trip to visit two Highland distilleries is a great choice. You’ll have a quick stop to view the three bridges spanning the Forth estuary before enjoying a whisky and chocolate tasting session at Dewars Distillery, Aberfeldy followed by a visit to Glenturret, the oldest working distillery in Scotland. Glenturret is nestled into a beautiful, wooded area which gives it an intimate feel in keeping with the style of tour where you get up close and personal with the whisky making process.

Two Day Whisky & Castles. This two-day trip from Edinburgh includes a visit to Dalwhinnie distillery, the highest in Scotland. You’ll drive through the Cairngorms National Park and enjoy lunch at the beautiful village of Braemar, home of the annual Braemar Gathering attended by the monarchy. You can take a walk at Linn of Dee, a favourite spot of Queen Victoria before visiting Blair Castle, which has the only private army in Europe.

For bespoke tours on the Isle of Skye and neighbouring Raasay we highly recommend Skye Distillery Tours, run by Hugh who spent six years working as a guide at Talisker, Skye’s most famous distillery.

You can include visits to any or all of Skye and Raasay’s distilleries as well as visiting the natural wonders these islands are legendary for. The Cuillin, a spectacular ridge of black hills dominates almost every view of Skye, equally impressive are the weird rock formations of The Quiraing and The Old Man of Storr.

The Fairy Pools are gorgeous but have become very busy, your guide will help you find more secluded spots that are just as stunning if you wish to take a dip. The capital of Skye, Portree is set around a harbour with colourful houses and is a good location to stay.

Highland Accommodation

Raasay Whisky Hotel is the only distillery where you can stay overnight. With only six bedrooms you need to book well in advance but it’s worth it. The food is sublime and the rooms sumptuous.

The Highlands is a huge area with a wealth of accommodation from modern shepherd’s huts on a farm to luxurious loch front hotels. Listing every place we love to stay in such an area is outside the scope of this guide so we’ve selected a few small guesthouses and hotels in popular parts of the Highlands. We find Booking.com has the best selection of Highland accommodation as well as excellent filtering options so you can choose somewhere to suit you

Here are links to a few of our favourites:

• Lochaline, Near Oban
• Ullapool
• Spean Bridge
• Inverness

Getting To The Highlands

The capital of the Scottish Highlands, Inverness, is served by flights from across the UK.

From Inverness some of Europe’s most scenic railways can take you to the east, west and north coasts including Kyle of Lochalsh where you can catch a bus over the bridge to Skye.

Buses run from Inverness and Fort William to connect the many towns and villages of the Highlands but as most of the places you’ll want to visit are remote, and buses infrequent it really is best to hire a car.

Discover Cars compares all the local car rental agencies to give you the best choice of vehicles at low prices.

The Lowland Whisky Region

From the gentler hills of Southern and Central Scotland come the softer floral, citrus and sweet flavours of Lowland malts. Both Edinburgh and Glasgow are in this region as well as the Borders with its historic towns and great salmon rivers and Fife with its picturesque East Neuk villages and home of golf, St Andrews. Lowland distilleries include Glenkinchie and Lindores Abbey, a modern distillery built on the spiritual home of Scotch whisky and with historical links to William Wallace and Robert the Bruce.

Lowland Whisky Tours & Experiences

The Johnnie Walker Experience. Located in Edinburgh’s famous Princes Street, it provides an immersive tour where you’ll start by discovering your own personal flavour profile before trying three different whisky cocktails, tailored to your taste preferences. Traditional drams or non-alcoholic mocktails are available too. Incorporating performance and sensory experiences this is a must visit attraction.

The Scotch Whisky Experience is situated on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile just along from the castle. This five-star attraction houses an important collection of 3,384 bottles of Scotch whisky which visitors will view as part of their tour. We highly recommend taking the Whisky Masterclass led by a certified whisky expert, it includes four malts from different regions each paired with delicious canapes.

The Scotch Whisky Experience also offers a tour suitable for children. You’ll discover the art of blending and sample a few malts, or soft drinks, with tasting notes to take home.

Glasgow City Walking Tour. A really fun way to spend an evening in Glasgow, this walking and whisky tasting tour takes you to lesser seen areas of the city and finishes up in a traditional pub where you’ll sample three different drams. A really down to earth, local tour which we loved.

Glengoyne Distillery is unique as it sits on the Highland Boundary Fault, a line which divides Scotland into two halves, the Highlands and the Lowlands. Glengoyne whisky is distilled in the Highlands but is matured in casks on the other side of the road, in the Lowlands. This tour shows you the copper stills and mash tuns before your tasting which is paired with chocolates from the award-winning Highland Chocolatier.

Lowland Accommodation

Ocean Mist. Stay on an historic ship in Edinburgh’s Leith district, surrounded by cafes and bars and well connected to the rest of the city attractions by bus and tram. The owner’s have proudly restored this ship and transformed it to provide comfortable rooms, some cosy, some luxurious, all well thought out. You’ll be welcomed aboard and will instantly feel relaxed here.

Alamo Guesthouse overlooks Kelvingrove park in Glasgow’s trendy West End. Offering exceptional attention to detail with individually furnished rooms and amazing breakfasts, dietary requirements are particularly well catered for here.

Dunroamin Lodges are spacious, well equipped, modern lodges in a rural setting just five miles from Glengoyne distillery. One-night stays are available if you’re planning to combine an overnight stop with your distillery tour, but we’d recommend spending a few nights here to relax and explore Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park which has many great walks, cycles, water sports and boat trips.

Getting To The Lowlands

Both Glasgow and Edinburgh have international airports with connections direct to the city centres.

They are well connected to the UK rail and bus networks.

If you plan to venture beyond the cities, we recommend hiring a car to get the most from your visit.

Discover Cars compare all the local car rental agencies to give you the best choice of vehicles at low prices.

The Speyside Whisky Region

Over half of all Scotch whisky is produced in Speyside. Typically, Speyside malts are less peated and are often matured in sherry casks. They tend to be lighter bodied, fruity with flavours of honey and vanilla. They are ideal for those starting out on their whisky tasting journey. Distilleries include Strathisla and Tamdhu. The two best-selling malts in the world come from this region, The Glenlivet and Glenfiddich.

Sitting in the northeast of Scotland, Speyside is bounded by the Moray coast and Cairngorms National Park and between Inverness and Aberdeen. Speyside lies within the Highland region and distilleries can legally classify their whiskies as coming from Speyside and Highland.

There’s a wealth of things to do in the area, the Spey is the most famous salmon river in the world. Cullen and Findhorn beaches are beautiful and there are castles too numerous to mention. It’s a great area for road cycling and mountain biking with Glenlivet Mountain Bike Trails (bike hire available) and Moray Monster Trails

Try white water rafting and cliff jumping for some invigoration, then warm up afterwards with some whisky and a blazing log fire.

The Malt Whisky Trail is a self-guided signposted drive linking eight distilleries and the fascinating Speyside Cooperage where you can see whisky casks being made and repaired, definitely worth a visit.

Speyside Whisky Tours & Experiences

Best Tours

Speyside 1-Day Whisky Tour. Departing from Inverness, this one-day tour takes you on a drive through gorgeous countryside and includes tours and tastings at two distilleries as well as a visit to medieval Elgin Cathedral.

Speyside 1-Day Whisky Trail. Starting from Aberdeen, this tour travels through Royal Deeside before visiting the Speyside Cooperage followed by a tour and tasting at Cardhu distillery.

Speyside 3-day Whisky Trail. Starting from Edinburgh, this is for anyone wanting to really immerse themselves in Scotland’s whisky heritage as well as seeing more of the country itself. In our opinion, this is the best tour.

It includes tours and tastings at five distilleries including Lowland, Highland and Speyside as well as a tour of Speyside Cooperage. You’ll have an opportunity to blow away any cobwebs with a walk among Scotland’s tallest trees at The Hermitage and you’ll overnight in the heart of Speyside enjoying lunches at Braemar and Pitlochry amidst splendid Highland scenery.

Speyside Accommodation

Craigellachie Hotel. Described by Condé Nast Traveller magazine as ‘the oldest and greatest whisky hotel in the world’ this excellent Hotel boasts over 700 whiskies in its Quaich Bar where tasting sessions are available. Decorated in luxurious Highland style the hotel is located on the river Spey in the very heart of whisky country.

Broomhead Cottages. With weekly ceilidhs in the village hall from May to September and lots of Highland Games nearby during July and August, immerse yourself into local culture with a self-catering stay at Broomhead Cottages. The well appointed, two-bedroom, traditional cottage is perfect for a longer stay in Speyside. Secluded in gorgeous scenery, with its own garden, you can explore all day and enjoy evenings in Dufftown, just three miles away. Special winter offers are sometimes available.

Getting To Speyside

On the doorstep of both Inverness, capital of the Highlands and Aberdeen, getting to Speyside is easy. Flights are available to both cities and once there you can pick up a rental car and hit the scenic roads.

Inverness and Aberdeen are both on the UK rail and bus networks. There are local buses but having your own car is definitely the best option for fully exploring this area.

The Campbeltown Whisky Region

With only three distilleries Campbeltown is Scotland’s smallest whisky region, qualifying as a separate region because of the distinctiveness of their malts which are robust, salty and smoky. The area used to be known as the ‘whisky capital of the world’, now it’s a peaceful town which has given new purpose to the many former distillery buildings. An afternoon can be well spent wandering the town and its many whisky shops. The three distilleries are Glen Scotia, Springbank and Glengyle. 

Situated on the west coast peninsula of Kintyre home of the first Scots in 300AD, this is a quiet area which has a lot to offer for both whisky and outdoor enthusiasts yet is often by-passed as people head further north.

Be sure to take a walk on Westport beach’s six miles of golden sand backed with dunes. The dunes are very fragile and scientifically important so please protect them by walking only on the beach. Surfers and windsurfers will find plenty of waves here too. There are six golf courses on the peninsula including Machrihanish, one of Scotland’s finest links courses.

Aside from whisky, our favourite way to spend a day here is with Wilder Ways who offer adventurous horse-riding activities including horseback archery, family fun rides and for experienced riders, extreme wilderness and action-adventure holidays. Their horses are happy and confident, and the people are lovely too.

Campbeltown Malts Festival is an annual event, next held on 21^st – 25^th May 2024. Mull of Kintyre Music Festival celebrates the music and culture of the peninsula.

Campbeltown Whisky Tours & Experiences

A tailor-made trip with Drams Scotland will give you the best insight into this lesser visited region, The guides are extremely knowledgeable. Tours can start anywhere in central Scotland or in Campbeltown itself.

Campbeltown Accommodation

Carradales Luxury Guest House offers four individually decorated rooms in an old manse house. Aside from being Kintyre’s only five-star gold VisitScotland guest house, they are also the winners of Scotland’s Federation of Small Business award 2023 for Diversity and Inclusion. The location is ideal being almost midway between Campbeltown and ferries to Islay, Arran and Gigha. Breakfasts and optional evening meals are prepared by a chef, you’ll definitely eat well here.

Getting To Campbeltown

Campbeltown has a tiny airport which boasts the longest runway in Scotland, due to its past as a NATO and RAF base. Flights are from Glasgow,

The area is best reached by car so you can explore more fully but there are buses from Glasgow if you prefer.

A visit to Campbeltown and the Kintyre peninsula combines well with a trip to Islay and Jura via the ferry.

Further Investigations

We love reading books that are relevant to the area we’re visiting so for a fun and enlightening holiday read we recommend getting a copy of Whisky Galore by Compton Mackenzie. Whisky Galore is based on the true story of a ship running aground off the Hebridean islands and the exploits of the islanders as they recover its cargo of whisky. The story is set in 1943 when rationing led to food shortages on the islands but when the whisky runs out, that’s another matter indeed!

If you can’t wait to try some Scotch whisky, we recommend The Whisky Exchange. They provide lots of information to help you choose and you can search by region, flavour and brand.

VisitScotland provide useful information about the whisky regions and a helpful map showing the locations of all the distilleries.

Scotland’s drink driving laws are very strict, even one drink can be enough to put you over the limit. Please remember that you may still be over the limit the morning after if you had one dram too many the night before. We recommend taking a tour to get the best from your whisky adventures.

Now that you’re armed with the information needed to book your distillery tours and whisky tasting experiences, all that remains is to say Slàinte Mhath. Pronounced Slanj-a-va, you’ll say this whilst chinking glasses of Uisge Beatha with friends old and new across Scotland. It means ‘good health’.

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