Scotland's 'best distillery tours' crowned as oldest in country tops list
Scotland's "best distillery tours" have been named in a new list. Coming in at number one on the roundup is a historic distillery that is home to an acclaimed restaurant.
On Monday, August 4, The Times published a list of the top distilleries across Scotland that offer tours. A total of 17 distilleries are featured on the country-wide roundup.
Placing first on the newspaper's list is The Glenturret in Perthshire. The distillery, which is located two miles from the town of Crieff, claims to be Scotland's oldest working distillery—dating back to 1763.
The Glenturret, which is known for releases such as the Glenturret 10 Year Old Peat Smoked and the Glenturret 15 Year Old, offers a selection of whisky experiences to visitors. These range from immersive tours to exclusive tastings.
The main guided tour that is offered by the distillery is 60 minutes in length and costs £20 per person. The experience details the process of crafting The Glenturret Single Malt Whisky and concludes with a tasting of two drams from The Glenturret's core whisky range.
Meanwhile, The Glenturret also offers a £125 Whisky Maker's Experience. The activity allows visitors to create their own unique bottle of single malt whisky to take home.
Another experience offered by the distillery is the Warehouse No.9 Tour and Tasting Experience, which is 120 minutes in length and priced at £100.
Guests will receive a specially curated tasting only steps away from the distillery's maturing casks, led by one of its senior whisky experts.
The Glenturret is also home to the acclaimed Glenturret Lalique Restaurant, which has received two Michelin stars. The eatery takes inspiration from the distillery, and serves up dishes such as langoustine with buttermilk and caviar and juniper smoked roe deer.
The Times wrote: "This is the oldest working distillery in Scotland, dating from 1763, yet you can see that it's arguably evolving faster than any other.
"The lightly peated smoked dram has been teased and primed for centuries, but bang up to date are the 60-minute tours and two-hour Whisky Maker experiences, culminating in the creation of your own bottle of amber bead.
"For something even more fabulous, insider tours of Warehouse No 9, home to the stillhouse's rarest drops, are offered each summer. The charm of a visit to the Glenturret is also in the cleverly contrived pleasure of visiting the Glenturret Lalique Restaurant, which has two Michelin stars, as well as a Lalique glassware boutique."
Elsewhere placing at number two on The Times' roundup is Ardbeg on the island of Islay in the Inner Hebrides. Situated on the south coast of the island, the distillery was founded in 1815 and is renowned for offerings including the Ardbeg Uigeadail and the Ardbeg Smokiverse.
Ardbeg offers a wide selection of experiences to visitors, including its Classic Distillery Experience and its Stillhouse and Warehouse 3 Tasting.
The former costs £22.50 per person and offers an insight into every stage of the distillery's production process, while the latter costs £75 and allows visitors to sample a wide selection of drams.
The Times stated: "Owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Ardbeg is a bold, modernist dram—described by its chief distiller as a peat-rich paradox of soot and fruit.
"The distillery is also a full-bodied affair, offering a schedule of classic 75-minute tours (including three drams), longer warehouse tastings and drop-in whisky flights."
Meanwhile, following behind in third place on the newspaper's roundup is Holyrood Distillery in Edinburgh. Rounding out the top five are The Port of Leith Distillery and Johnnie Walker, both also located in the Scottish capital.
The full list of 17 of the best distillery tours in Scotland can be found on The Times website.
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