Visting Scotland's Whisky Distilleries


(Above image is a capture of the Still room at Glenfarclas Distillery, Speyside.)

The listing below is not exhaustive. It focuses on the principal tourist regions and is provided to assist visitors who wish to connect with many of Scotland's legendary whisky industry participants.

Before visiting any distillery visitors are reminded to check relevant distillery website for tour details, timings, etc., and book ahead if necessary.

Scottish Borders.

Annandale Distillery, about 83 miles south of Glasgow near Gretna Green.


Isle of Arran

Isle of Arran Distillery is located near northern tip of the island, at Lochranza. Arran can be accessed via CalMac ferry from either Ardrossan, south of Glasgow or Claonaig on eastern side io the Kintyre Peninsula.


Glasgow, S.W. Scotland

Clydeside Distillery, City Centre.

Auchentoshan Distillery, about 10 miles N.W. of city centre.

Glengoyne Distillery, Trossachs region, about 16 miles north of Glasgow.

Glengoyne Distllery

 Campbeltown,

At southern tip of Kintyre Peninsula, About 140 miles (by road) S.W. of Glasgow.Two distilleries: Springbank and Glen Scotia. Flights are also available to the small airport at Campbeltown.

Islay and Jura 

These are islands off Scotland's west coast. About 2 hour 20 minutes crossing by CalMac ferry from Kennacraig, Kintyre Peninsula  to Port Ellen or Port Askaig. To access Jura entails a short ferry trip from Port Askaig. There is a small airport at Glenegedale in the S.W of Islay near Port Ellen.


There is one distillery, at Craighouse, on Jura. The principal  distilleries on Islay are: Kilchoman, Bowmore, Caol Ila, Ardnahoe, Laphroaig, Bruichladdich, Lagavulin, Bunnahabhain and Ardbeg. Note that the popular Islay Whisky Festival is held during the last week of May each year and persons planning to visit at this time should book many months in advance.

Bowmore Distillery

Isle of Mull

On Mull is one distillery, namely Tobermory which is named after the island's capital on the north of the island, about 21 miles N.W. of Craignure. 




A journey to the Isle of Mull entails a 50 minute ferry transfer from Oban on the west of Scotland which links with Craignure on Mull.

Isle of Skye

This popular island can be accessed by road bridge from Kyle of Lochalsh or CalMac ferry from Mallaig. Talisker Distillery is located on the western side of the island near Carbost.

Talisker Distillery

 Outer Hebrides

There is a distillery on each of Harris and Lewis which are connected and not separate islands.The port of Tarbert on Harris can be accessed by CalMac ferry from Uig on Isle of Skye with journey time of about 1 hour 40 mins. Stornoway on Lewis can be accessed via  CalMac ferry from Ullapool on the N.W. coast of mainland Scotland with journey time of about 2 hours 40 mins. Flights are also available to Stornoway airport on Lewis.

 Isle of Harris Distillery is located in centre of image below.


On Harris the distillery is conveniently located at the port of Tarbert whilst on Lewis, Abhainn Dearg is a craft distillery located near the village of Uig, about 36 miles west of Stornoway.

Highlands of Mainland Scotland

Persons travelling up the main A9 highway from Glasgow or Edinburgh to Inverness and beyond could consider calling in at any of: Deanston near Doune, Tullibardine at Blackford,  Blair Atholl and Edradour at Pitlochry, Dalwhinnie (about 31 miles N.W. of Pitlochry), Glen Ord at Muir of Ord (about 15 miles N.W. of Inverness), Glenmorangie (about 36 miles N of Inverness), Clyneleish at Brora and Old Pulteney at Wick.

Edradour Distillery

 Orkney

Orkney is an archipelago located off the N.E coast of Scotland. There are regular ferry crossings from Scrabster on the mainland to Stromness on Orkney with journey time of about 90 minutes.Flight connections with the mainland are available via the airport at Kirkwall.

Maltings Floor at Highland Park Distillery


Highland Park Distillery is about 1.5 miles south of Kirwall, the principal town whilst Scapa Distillery is about 2 miles south of Kirkwall.

Eastern Highlands

Glen Garioch, Oldmeldrum, about 19 miles N.W. of Aberdeen.

GlenDronach Distillery, about 37 miles N.W. of Aberdeen.

GlenDronach Distillery
 Speyside

Located in the N.E. around the River Spey, in Badenoch, Moray and Srathspey, this is Scotland's major whisky producing region.Visitors wishing to spend time here should consider using any of Grantown-on-Spey, Aberlour, Craigellachie or Dufftown as a base.

Popular distilleries in the Speyside region include Glenlivet, Glenfarclas, Aberlour, Glenfiddich, *Balavenie, Glen Grant, Macallan, Cardhu and Strathisla.

Balvenie Distillery


(*Note that Balvenie tours can take about 3 hours and should be booked well in advance to avoid disappointment.)

Edinburgh

Glenkinchie Distillery at Pencaitland is about 16 miles S.E. of Edinburgh. A shuttle bus may operate between Waterloo Place and the distillery.

Bar at Glenkinchie Distillery


© Nigel P Cole/Catswhiskerstours Limited

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