Scotch whisky is one of the world’s favourite spirits, with a global reach to every continent. No trip to Scotland is complete without a distillery visit to learn how your favourite ‘drams’ are produced. As of May 2024, there were 151 operating Scotch whisky distilleries across Scotland, with more in the pipeline.
The Scottish Banner has teamed up with VisitScotland, Scotland’s national tourism organisation, to offer just a taste of what’s in store for whisky lovers at some of the many distilleries old and new across the country’s five whisky producing regions.
Highlands
Mainland Scotland’s most northerly distillery, 8 Doors Distillery located in John O’Groats opened in September 2022. The team here create whiskies from the very edge of Scotland that reflect the location and the local climate, and the distillery and visitor centre have been carefully designed to make the most of the amazing coastal views-www.8doorsdistillery.com.
If you like stunning views with your whisky, then don’t miss Scapa Distillery’s amazing new Scapa Noust tasting room in the Orkney islands. Noust is Scots for a boat-shaped hollow, and the tasting room ceiling is shaped like an upturned boat. The cliff top location provides spectacular views over the vast natural harbour of Scapa Flow and the landscapes beyond-www.scapawhisky.com.
A visit to a Scottish island is always a magical experience, and if you follow the Hebridean Whisky Trail, you’ll discover seven varied island distilleries including the newest addition: North Uist Distillery-www.hebrideanwhisky.com.
Back on the mainland, Nc’Nean Distillery, named after the ancient Gaelic goddess Neachneohain, is located on the beautiful Morvern Peninsula. The distillery has a strong sustainability ethos – it’s powered by 100% renewable energy, and only organic Scottish barley is used in the production of their smooth and elegant whiskies-www.ncnean.com.
Speyside
The famous Malt Whisky Trail takes in Speyside’s wealth of well-known distilleries and includes Speyside Cooperage where visitors can experience the precision and expertise required to produce Scotland’s iconic casks-www.maltwhiskytrail.com, www.speysidecooperage.co.uk.
Although opened just a year ago, the team at Dunphail Distillery near Forres is committed to crafting their full-bodied whiskies using traditional distilling methods. Located in a former farm steading in stunning Moray countryside, Dunphail offers visitors the chance to learn how the methods of the past are shaping the whiskies of the future, and to sample fine whiskies that have been specially selected for their Dunphail Distillery connections-www.dunphaildistillery.com.
Lying at the heart of the Cairngorms National Park, Cairn Distillery opened in October 2022. Although their first whiskies won’t be ready until the 2030s, they offer a range of CRN57° blended malts to give visitors a taste of what’s coming. Distillery experiences are available, there’s The Gathering for tasty food and refreshments, browse their shop, or just take a walk along the River Spey on their outdoor trails-www.thecairndistillery.com.
Islay
Islay’s oldest licensed distillery is Bowmore Distillery, taking its name from the island’s main town. Bowmore is a pioneering distillery, where the traditions, skills and expertise crafted in 1779 during the earliest days of Scotch whisky continue to be handed down. In one of the world’s oldest Scotch maturation warehouses, Bowmore single malts have been meticulously matured and transformed for over 240 years-www.bowmore.com.
In contrast, one of the newest distilleries on Islay is Ardnahoe Distillery – a family run business borne from decades of experience in the blending and bottling industry. The distillery takes its name from the Scots Gaelic for ‘heights of the hollow’, perfectly describing its setting, with views across to the Isle of Jura-www.ardnahoedistillery.com.
Fèis Ìle – The Islay Festival – is an annual gathering of whisky and Islay fans from across the globe. The event celebrates Islay, her culture and her spirit. The 2025 event will take place from 23rd to 31st May-www.feisile.co.uk
Lowland
The town of Falkirk is enjoying a whisky renaissance with the reopening of Rosebank Distillery, originally opened in 1840, and which recently restarted whisky production after a 30-year hiatus. This cherished distillery is well regarded by whisky connoisseurs and should be on the itinerary for any whisky lover coming to Scotland-www.rosebank.com.
Leith was once an important whisky trading port, and the opening of the Port of Leith Distillery in 2023 saw the return of the spirit to this historic part of Edinburgh. The UK’s first vertical distillery, it sits adjacent to The Royal Yacht Britannia. Whisky will be created using a vertical production process, and visitors will enjoy bird’s eye views from the chic top floor bar-www.leithdistillery.com.
Lying in a hidden glen at the foot of the Campsie Hills between Glasgow and Loch Lomond, Glengoyne Distillery has often been described as the most beautiful distillery in Scotland. Fully powered by renewable energy, Glengoyne offers visitors the unique opportunity to create your very own single malt in the Sample Room-www.glengoyne.com.
Campbeltown
Established in 1828, Springbank is the oldest independent and family-owned distillery in Scotland and is the only distillery to carry out the entire whisky production process on its premises-www.springbank.scot.
Springbank’s sister distillery is Glengyle, reimagined in the early 21st century, and today producing Kilkerran single malt-www.kilkerran.scot.
Glen Scotia Distillery has been producing distinctive single malts since 1832. The distillery maintains much of its original design, including the fermenters, stillhouse and warehouse. A dram of Glen Scotia offers is a window through time to a traditional Campbeltown signature whisky-www.glenscotia.com.
The Kintyre Peninsula is also home to Beinn an Tuirc Distillers, named after the nearby highest point in Kintyre, translating from Scots Gaelic as ‘hill of the wild boar’. The distillery produces gin, vodka, rum and brandy, and you can even enjoy a stay at the distillery owners’ home – Torrisdale Castle Estate-www.kintyregin.com.
For more information to help plan your visit to Scotland go to www.visitscotland.com
Main photo: Speyside Cooperage. Photo: North East 250/Damian Shields.