We’re back with another top 5 list (following up our top 5 campsites in Scotland post), this time collating our top 5 (scotch) whisky related experiences in the bonnie country of Scotland. Again, we have a narrow exposure to the broad spectrum of Scottish distilleries so this is a very personal list. We hope this is useful to our readers.

We are of the strong opinion that once you have done a basic distillery tour (at your favourite distillery), you’ve done them all as they’re really similar in the knowledge they impart & the processes they show. The only thing different is the dram to taste. So try to limit yourself to 1-2 tours and focus on speciality tours or tastings to experience the best of Scotland’s distilleries.

1. Ardbeg full range tour & tasting (£20)
2. Edradour basic tour + tasting room (£7.50)
3. Tasting the world’s most peated whisky at Briuchladdich (Free)
4. Isle of Arran tour + whisky icecream (£8)
5. Staying in an erstwhile excise house on Lagavulin

TripAdvisor

Hands down the best tour we’ve experienced in the whole of Scotland. It starts off with the basic tour but at Ardbeg, they do things a bit uniquely. This is the only distillery where they let you taste the barley wine stage of the whisky and my group gobbled it up (it is like a strong sour beer in case you’re wondering). There are also funny pictures of the distillery dog Shortie across the tour. 😀

The real deal is however the tasting itself. You get to drink 3 drams from the core range and 2 from past ranges that aren’t in production anymore. Their whisky is stunning and the tasting leaves you spellbound. Plus you get a 5 GBP voucher to spend on the shop which you inevitably will on a whisky from their core range (Corryvrecken is our pick).

Price : £20 (it is a steal)

TripAdvisor

The focal point of any visit to Edradour must be its tasting room. However, as access is granted only if you take a tour, it is worth it to do the basic tour and then spend the next hour or two at the tasting room (full blogpost on my own experience doing so). We have written a full blog post about how awesome their collection is at a very affordable price point. Plus their basic tour is very charming as they’re one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland by still size.

Price : £7.50