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Daily Record
a day ago
- Daily Record
Scotland's best whisky distilleries 'to visit this summer' named by National Geographic
There is no time like the present to book a tour of a distillery. The top whisky distilleries in Scotland "to visit this summer" have been crowned by National Geographic. Distilleries in Perthshire, Moray, and more were named. Scotland is world-famous for its whisky, and many of its distilleries date back hundreds of years. Whether you consider yourself a whisky fan or not, a tour of a distillery is fascinating and makes for a great afternoon activity. On Tuesday, June 10, National Geographic published a round-up detailing the best Scottish distilleries for a day out during the summer season, with a total of six distilleries featured. Placing at number one on National Geographic's list is the Deanston Distillery in the Perthshire burgh of Doune. It was constructed in 1785 as Adelphi Cotton Mill and first opened its doors as a distillery in 1966. Deanston Distillery was praised by National Geographic for being "one of the greenest scotch brands around". It also singled out the distillery's Warehouse No 4 experience, which allows visitors to sample exclusive whiskies that have been extracted directly from the cask. National Geographic wrote: "The place still hums with hydropower: one of the greenest scotch brands around, the whisky here is made from organic grain sourced from local farmers. Book the Warehouse No 4 experience, in Deanston's former cooperage, for direct-from-cask tastings and an atmospheric whisky-ageing education." Following behind in second place on the experts' list is The Macallan in Moray. Situated at the heart of The Macallan Estate, the award-winning distillery offers a number of different experiences to visitors. National Geographic singled out The Macallan for its modern and stylish aesthetic, as well as its central bar where visitors can enjoy drams that go back 80 years. It also praised the various experiences on offer, singling out the distillery's food offerings at its TimeSpirit venue. The experts stated: "Within cathedral-height interiors, an interactive archive showcases 200 years of whisky-making heritage and limited-edition bottles, which resemble artworks. The central bar serves drams dating back 80 years, classic cocktails and tutored tastings—The Story of Oak, for instance, compares how sherry-seasoned casks impart Macallan's signature notes of dried fruits, ginger and cinnamon. "Its culinary credentials are also next level: the team have collaborated with Spain's three-Michelin-starred El Celler de Can Roca at its fine-dining restaurant TimeSpirit, and The Macallan Mastery Experience tour concludes with a six-course tasting menu here." Elsewhere, National Geographic named Port Ellen on Islay as the third-best distillery in Scotland to visit this summer. Islay is known as Scotland's 'whisky island' due to its high number of distilleries, with Port Ellen reopening its doors in 2024 after being closed since 1983. Port Ellen Reborn is the distillery's main visitor experience. Lasting 90 minutes, it consists of an exclusive tour of its production process and ends with a tasting of a rare historic release. The legendary Talisker distillery on the Isle of Skye placed fourth on National Geographic's list. The oldest working distillery on the Isle of Skye, it offers everything from standards tours and tastings to its immersive 'Talisker Made By The Sea Tasting Experience'. Rounding out the experts' Scottish picks are Springbank on the Kintyre peninsula and Auchentoshan in Clydebank, placing fifth and sixth respectively. National Geographic praised Springbank's Barley to Bottle experience, which allows visitors to create their own personal bottle, and applauded Auchentoshan for its comprehensive tour. See below for National Geographic's picks of the top six whisky distilleries in Scotland to visit this summer. More information can be found on the National Geographic website. Deanston Distillery, Perthshire The Macallan, Moray Port Ellen, Islay Talisker, Isle of Skye Springbank, Kintyre peninsula Auchentoshan, Clydebank
National Geographic
2 days ago
- National Geographic
6 whisky distilleries to visit in Scotland this summer
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Pagoda chimneys rising above pine-forested glens, the babble of a highland spring, the distinctive aroma of toasted malt — distilleries are far more than functional factories. Often set in spectacular settings, they're crucibles of living, breathing Scottish heritage. And many invite visitors inside to view bubbling mash tuns, gleaming copper stills and warehouses filled with oak barrels, revealing the almost alchemical process that turns a few simple, local ingredients — barley, yeast, spring water — into fiery, golden spirits. Monasteries were Scotland's first de facto distilleries, putting rain-soaked grain to good use, with the earliest recorded mention of this 'water of life' (uisge beatha in Gaellic) dating from 1494. Today, there are over 150 active distilleries nationwide, falling into five officially recognised regions. Covering much of the mainland and islands, Highland is the largest and most diverse, while Speyside carves out a slice of the north east, and Lowlands lies just north of the English border. The peat-heavy Hebridean island of Islay gets its own designation, as does Campbeltown, a wee, southwesterly peninsula. Visitor experiences run the gamut from rustic, hard-hat tours to bespoke 'bottle your own single-malt cask' offerings — and some of these are seriously high-end. The Glenrothes private estate's multi-day experience, for example, costs a whopping £250,000. Most tastings will offer 'drivers' drams' — miniature pours — meaning whoever's behind the wheel doesn't miss out. And with more distilleries adding restaurants, bars or overnight stays, even Scotch sceptics can find something to savour. Book the Warehouse No 4 experience in Deanston's former cooperage for direct-from-cask tastings. Photograph by Euan Robertson Photography 1. Deanston Distillery, Doune, Perthshire Small in size, but big on character, Deanston's unpretentious, experimental attitude has resulted in waxy, honeyed, full-bodied drams with a cult following — including a 15-year-old single malt finished in tequila casks. Deanston even looks different to most distilleries — the red-brick, riverside buildings were in fact an 18th-century cotton mill, before they were converted to whisky-making in 1966. The place still hums with hydropower: one of the greenest scotch brands around, the whisky here is made from organic grain sourced from local farmers. Book the Warehouse No 4 experience, in Deanston's former cooperage, for direct-from-cask tastings and an atmospheric whisky-ageing education. Or compare some of its Master Blender's favourite, hard-to-find past releases on the Old & Rare Tasting. How to do it: £25 per person (Distillery Tour); £40 per person (Warehouse No 4 Experience); £130 per person (Old & Rare Tasting). The Macallan Mastery Experience tour concludes with a six-course tasting menu here. 2. The Macallan, Craigellachie, Moray There's a hint of Bond villain's lair about this Speyside distillery's sleek, subterranean architecture, which has been the brand's home since 2018, rippling beneath a wildflower-covered roof (fittingly, the 007 movies feature a few Macallan cameos). Within cathedral-height interiors, an interactive archive showcases 200 years of whisky-making heritage and limited-edition bottles, which resemble artworks. The central bar serves drams dating back 80 years, classic cocktails and tutored tastings — The Story of Oak, for instance, compares how sherry-seasoned casks impart Macallan's signature notes of dried fruits, ginger and cinnamon. Its culinary credentials are also next level: the team have collaborated with Spain's three-Michelin-starred El Celler de Can Roca at its fine-dining restaurant TimeSpirit, and The Macallan Mastery Experience tour concludes with a six-course tasting menu here. All this makes The Macallan the cream of Speyside visitor experiences — no mean feat given this region has the highest concentration of distilleries. How to do it: £50 per person (The Story of Oak); £250 per person (The Macallan Mastery Experience). While new expressions are maturing, aficionados can nose the distilleries new-make spirit and draw from a 1979 vintage cask on the Port Ellen Reborn tour. 3. Port Ellen, Islay Islay punches above its weight with powerful, peat-rich styles and nine active distilleries. Alongside established names like Lagavulin and Laphroaig, the buzz is all about Port Ellen: this Kilnaughton Bay landmark reopened in 2024 after a 40-year closure and £185m makeover. It's a dazzling, steel-and-glass temple to carbon-neutral whisky innovation, where handbuilt replicas of original copper stills stand beside the world's first 10-part spirit safe and a Scandi-chic, ocean-view tasting lounge. While new expressions are maturing, aficionados can nose the distilleries new-make spirit and draw from a 1979 vintage cask on the Port Ellen Reborn tour, uncovering the mineral, smoky soul of this phoenix-like brand. How to do it: Book well in advance for free, monthly open days (reservations essential); £250 per person (Port Ellen Reborn). 4. Talisker, Carbost, Isle of Skye Overlooking a sea loch on the myth-steeped Isle of Skye, Talisker's peaty whiskies are as rugged and elemental as its setting. Take the classic 10-Year-Old: a bracing ocean breeze on the nose, followed by black pepper and bonfire smoke. No wonder Talisker was one of Robert Louis Stevenson's reasons for calling whisky 'the king o' drinks'. Thanks to big investment from international drinks powerhouse Diageo, Talisker's raft of visitor experiences goes well beyond classic tours, including chocolate and whisky-pairing tastings, an offshoot of Michelin-recommended restaurant The Three Chimneys and a state-of-the-art visitor centre for multi-sensory storytelling about Talisker's wave-lashed heritage. Linger in the Campfire Bar for a dram or whisky-based cocktail — the venue sometimes hosts live folk music sets, too. How to do it: £20 per person (Talisker Made By The Sea Tasting Experience); £35 per person (Whisky & Chocolate Tasting). Out of all of Springbank's various tours and tastings, Barley to Bottle is the most hands-on, letting guests create their own bottle of whisky in the Blending Laboratory, followed by a seafood lunch. Photograph by Erik McRitchie Photography and Viktor Aerden Phorography 5. Springbank, Campbeltown, Argyll In its Victorian heyday, Campbeltown was hailed as the world's whisky capital and was home to 32 distilleries within one tiny patch of Argyll's Atlantic-lashed Kintyre Peninsula. That figure's now fallen to just three, making family-owned Springbank both survivor and standard-bearer — notably, it's one of Scotland's only distilleries to complete 100% of the whisky-making process on site, from floor malting to bottling. The briny, oily character of Springbank's signature single malt — layered with smoky, grassy notes — reflects its coastal location, and the original 1828 building is an atmospheric labyrinth of cobbled courtyards and coal-fired kilns. Out of its various tours and tastings, Barley to Bottle is the most hands-on, access-all-areas option, letting guests create their own bottle of whisky in the Blending Laboratory, followed by a seafood lunch. How to do it: £15 per person (standard tour); £250 per person (Barley to Bottle). 6. Auchentoshan, Clydebank, Glasgow With its delicate, floral profile, Auchentoshan's sometimes dubbed 'the breakfast whisky', as well as 'Glasgow's malt', since the city's only a 20-minute drive away. Whisky newbies and sweet tooths can often be converted by its lighter, creme brulee character. That silkiness and clarity is the result of triple distillation — a process Lowland whiskies are renowned for — and the Auchentoshan Ultimate Tour details each stage. The space itself is fittingly clean-lined, light-filled and refined, with windows framing the Kilpatrick Hills. How to do it: £20 per person (Origin Tour); £45 per person (Cask Exploration); £75 per person (Ultimate Tour). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
