Guided Tours of Scotland
Private Tours With Driver-Guide Greg Kain
Whisky Tours of Scotland
Want to know where the best whisky distillery in Scotland is? With so many whisky distilleries to choose from, 150 and counting, it is hard to know where to start. That's where I can help, by recommending a tour that will encompass a wide variety of different whisky styles, regions (there are six; Highland, Lowland, Island, Islay, Speyside and Campbeltown), logistics (some are easier to get to than others) and ages (some distilleries have literally just opened and some are centuries old). Book a whisky tour of Scotland with me and you can relax while I take care of the logistics, recommend you whisky hotels and pubs and, most importantly, drive you from distillery to distillery, allowing you to enjoy a dram or three! A Scotch Whisky Tour allows you to explore some of Scotland's most beautiful scenery whilst visiting the distilleries that produce your favourite malts. With me as your personal driver and guide, you can relax, take in the scenery, learn a little a bit about Scotch, where it's made and the people who make and enjoy a few 'goldies' as you go! Depending on how much time you have, you could incorporate more than one area into a tour itinerary or you may choose to concentrate on one. A tour of the island distilleries for example, could take several days but you could cover a visit to one or two Highland and/or Lowland distilleries on a day trip from Edinburgh or Glasgow. The itinerary permutations are endless so the best thing to do is to contact me to discuss your options and I can then draw up a tailor made schedule based on your preferences and my local knowledge. I can also recommend hotels and restaurants, pubs and whisky bars along the route for the ultimate multi-day whisky tour.
Campbeltown Distillery Tour
Having been dubbed the whisky capital of the world with 34 distilleries at its height of production, the town of Campbeltown is now the smallest of the six whisky producing areas with just three working distilleries, the minimum number to qualify as a 'region'. Springbank and Glengyle have the same owners and as such you can tour both on the same ticket. Two new distilleries, Dál Riata and Witchburn, are due to open in the Campbeltown are before the end of the decade, which is sure to turn this end of the Kintyre peninsula into even more of a whisky mecca.
A minimum of two days is required for a whisky tour to Campbeltown from Glasgow or Edinburgh. For a longer itinerary, combine Campbeltown with a visit to Islay, Scotland's whisky island, with no fewer than ten working distilleries, the Isle of Arran's two distilleries, or the West Highland distilleries of Glengoyne and Oban.
Highland Distillery Tour
Highland distilleries cover the largest area of Scotland, North West of the Highland fault line, providing great opportunities for a circular Whisky Tour of Scotland. Contained in this vast area of wilderness are some of the most remote distilleries and also the highest (Dalwhinnie), the smallest traditional distillery(Edradour), and new kids on the block such as N'Nean and Ardnamurchan on the remote peninsula of the same name. as far south as Oban and as far north as Caithness (Wolfburn). A visit to a Speyside distillery (see below) can easily be incorporated into a Highland distillery tour from Edinburgh or Glasgow, with a minimum of two days required.
Islands Distillery Tour
A Scotch Whisky Tour of the islands is the most logistically complicated to undertake owing to the geographical spread of the Hebrides Islands and Northern Isles. Jura is best combined with a trip to the distilleries of Islay and, Arran can be combined with Campbeltown or Bladnoch distillery in Galloway. Tobermory, Talisker and Torabhaig can be paired together on a three day tour, and the Orkney distilleries, of Highland Park and Scapa would be best combined with a visit to some Highlands distilleries on the way to and from the islands. Wolfburn, Clynelish, Glenmorangie, Dalmore and Tomatin, to name a few, would be ideal stop offs. As part of the wave of new distilleries that have opened in Scotland in the past decade, you can now include the Isle of Raasay, Harris (the Hearach), Lewis (Abhainn Dearg) and Shetland Mainland (Lerwick Distillery) to the roster of island distilleries.
Islay Whisky Tour
The unique island of Islay is 'Whisky Island'! The Isle of Islay is home to some of the most iconic and distinguished whiskies on the planet such as Laphroaig and Bowmore and there are now, at the time of writing, ten working distilleries on the island, with another two in the pipeline. It is worth spending at least two or three days sampling the laid back charm of this whisky lovers paradise. There are some great places to stay on the island and some fine whiskies to taste!
Speyside Whisky Tour
Speyside has the highest concentration of malt whisky distilleries on the planet - over 55 of them at the last count! This, and the fact that some of the most iconic whisky brands produce their golden elixir in this region, are good enough reason to hit the Speyside Whisky Trail. Take the MacAllan tour at their new state of the art facility or book a connoisseurs tour at Balvenie - but don't leave it til the last minute because they only take 16 people per day and are usually fully booked months in advance! Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Glenallachie and Glenfarclas are just some of the many other distilleries you can visit in an area steeped in whisky tradition. You can also visit the Speyside Cooperage to see first hand how the casks are made.
If you are touring from Glasgow or Edinburgh you will need to stay at least one night in Speyside and there are plenty of whisky themed places to stay, such as the Mash Tun in Aberlour and the Craigellachie Hotel in the village of the same name.​ Feel free to ask me for more information.
Glasgow Distillery Tour
A day trip from Glasgow or Edinbu​rgh to the two distilleries of Auchentoshan, a triple distilled Lowland single malt made just outside the city in Clydebank, and Glengoyne, a Highland single malt produced at the foot of the volcanic Campsie Hills, or you could visit the new kid on the block, the Clydeside Distillery near the city centre. Further afield, but still doable on a day trip are Deanston, Tullibardine, Stirling, Rosebank, Aberfeldy, Blair Atholl and Glenturret.
Scottish Gin Tours
Scotland has undergone something of a gin boom in recent years, and it is this boom that is behind the plethora of new distilleries springing up all over the country, some dedicated purely to gin making but the majority are combining it with whisky distilling to provide an alternative revenue whilst the whisky matures - Scotch whisky must be matured no less than three years and one day before it can be sold as such. So, there is no better time to explore Scotland's gin scene at distilleries like Tobermory ( Gin),
Harris (Isle of Harris Gin - my wife's favourite!), Edinburgh Gin, Kingsbarns (Darnley's Gin) or the more traditional distilleries such as Bruichladdich (the Botanist) on Islay.
I can create a bespoke gin tour or a mix it up, if you'll pardon the pun, and combine visits to gin and whisky distilleries - perfect for when some of your tour group are whisky drinkers and some are gin drinkers!
Brewery Tours of Scotland​​
For all you beer drinkers, I can recommend several brewery tours around the country, which can be bolted on to a distillery tour, or almost any type of tour for that matter. From the Valhalla Brewery on Unst, Scotland's most northerly inhabited island, to the tiny Portpatrick Brewery 500 miles south west on the Rhins of Galloway, there are micro-breweries, craft breweries and some of the big guys too, all brewing up some of the best lagers, ales and porters on the planet.
Custom Distillery Tour
On a custom tour you can incorporate the best whisky distilleries is Scotland from across the differnet whisky regions into an itinerary that would be similar to the Grand Tour of Scotland.
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I would be more than happy to create tailor made whisky tour itineraries, just let me know your favourite single malts or gins, and I can draw up a bespoke distillery road trip for you.
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To discuss your options for a whisky tour of Scotland please email me at greg@guidedtoursofscotland.net
