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Scotland: Distillery Tour recommendations

Posted on 1/28/24 at 5:23 pm
Posted by Tiger4Liberty
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2015
2423 posts
Posted on 1/28/24 at 5:23 pm
My wife and I are planning a trip to Scotland and want to tour some distilleries in the different regions (Islay, highlands, Speyside, lowlands, etc).

Have any of you done this and would make a recommendation for the path you chose?

Rent a car?
Hire a tour company?

(Also posted on Food and Drink Board)
Posted by tadman
Member since Jun 2020
3886 posts
Posted on 1/28/24 at 10:22 pm to
Never toured a distillery but love Scotland. Riding around Scotland by train isn't bad and most midsize towns have a Enterprise you can rent a car in. I've never done left-hand drive so no idea if its easy.
Posted by BugAC
St. George
Member since Oct 2007
52974 posts
Posted on 1/29/24 at 8:36 am to
quote:

Tiger4Liberty



Wife and I are also planning a trip in the next 2 or 3 years. Spending about 12 days or so in Great Britain. Initial plan is to land in London and then drive out. We want to spend 2 or 3 days in London, 2 or so days in Edinburgh, Bathe, the Cotswolds, etc...

Haven't done any planning other than watch Rick Steve's travel videos and bought his travel guide for Great Britain.
Posted by vistajay
Member since Oct 2012
2520 posts
Posted on 1/29/24 at 11:53 am to
Check out Pitlochry. It is a tiny town with not much except sweater shops and hiking trails, but it has 4 distilleries. Whole town smells of peat. Take a few tours then hike the moors to clear your head.
Posted by SagesSon
Member since Apr 2019
777 posts
Posted on 1/29/24 at 3:49 pm to
Stayed in Inverurie, a small town between Aberdeen and Inverness. On the Speyside whisky route and castle route. Drove myself in that region, leery, yet doable. Hotel here was Strathburn. Town had the best Indian food I have had. Hiked around Mt Benachie north of the town.

In London and surrounding area, I recommend getting a Blue Badge guide who can drive you around and act as tour guide if you do something besides whisky.
Posted by Big Scrub TX
Member since Dec 2013
33676 posts
Posted on 1/29/24 at 3:58 pm to
quote:


Have any of you done this
I went to Talisker. It's the only one on the Isle of Skye (which, IMO, is a MUST if you are driving Scotland).

I also went to Edradour which I do NOT recommend, despite the fact that it is a cool spot and the smallest distillery in the British Isles. However, the management is for shite. (And it looks like they are actually closed for all of 2024).

quote:

Rent a car?
Hire a tour company?
I can recommend what we did: hire a private driver. Our trip was 8 days and well worth it. The driver can provide a lot of context and info as well as take you anywhere you want to go.
Posted by Huck Finn
Baton Rouge
Member since Jul 2009
2464 posts
Posted on 1/30/24 at 4:46 pm to
Please check out the Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh!
It's on the royal mile, and has an Epcot-level walk through of how it's made and the regional characteristics of the single barrels.
Fantastic tour for a scotch enthusiast at any level.
Posted by Celtic Tiger
Lake Charles
Member since Feb 2005
615 posts
Posted on 2/1/24 at 1:00 pm to
can't believe no one posted this
Ron Swanson visits Lagavulin

would love to recreate that^ one day, jealous of your trip. BTW, Lagavulin has a charred oak cask 11 y.o. "offerman" version.
I enjoy it greatly. If you go, grab me a bottle, please and thank you.
Posted by TigersnJeeps
FL Panhandle
Member since Jan 2021
1729 posts
Posted on 2/1/24 at 5:42 pm to
Wife and I did a NatGeo Tour of Scotland back in 2015. One of the stops was the Oban Distillery.

Neither of us are Scotch drinkers (wife rarely drinks) but we both enjoyed the guided tour and the opportunity to taste some of their offerings.

It was the first time I was able to compare Scotch of various ages - which was a learning experience.

They use Jack Daniels barrels.

Neat little town as well.
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