Islay Whisky Tour

Introduction

Time: All Year

Accommodation: Best Available

Start Date: 3 Nights / 4 Days

Group Size: Any Group Size

The aim of this tour is to discover the nine distilleries on the remote western isle of Islay. You will experience the whole process, from the malting and mashing to fermentation, distillation, maturation and bottling. Your tours will include tastings, often direct from the casks themselves. Many of the distilleries are in beautiful coastal and river locations with stunning scenery and you will be able to explore the attractions and delights of the local villages and towns.

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Profile

The aim of this tour is to discover the eight distilleries on the remote western isle of Islay. You will experience the whole process, from the malting and mashing to fermentation, distillation, maturation and bottling. Your tours will include tastings, often direct from the casks themselves. Many of the distilleries are in beautiful coastal and river locations with stunning scenery and you will be able to explore the attractions and delights of the local villages and towns.

Why not create your own tour? As with all our tours the attractions you see will take account of your interests and can be adapted to what you want to see. So, if you want to see places not on the list below, just let us know. Complete our enquiry form to find out more »

Itinerary

Day 1: Auchentoshan - Ferry - Laphroaig

On the way to Islay AUCHENTOSHAN is a classic Lowland distillery producing light-bodied whiskies by triple distillation. The name means “corner of the field” and the distillery is situated at the foot of the Kilpatrick Hills near Glasgow. We journey around Loch Lomond and Loch Fyne to Tarbert to take the ferry to Islay. Time permitting, we will stop at LAPHROAIG, described as the most medicinal of malts due to its peaty, seaweed flavoured character. Situated on the coast in a beautiful location, you can visit their peat bogs and lay claim to your own square foot of peat!

Day 2: Bowmore - Bruichladdich - Kilchoman

BOWMORE is situated in the capital of Islay. The distillery, founded in 1779 boasts whiskies such as Legend, Darkest, Voyage and Dusk. The in-depth tour is excellent and includes their own maltings. Much of the Bowmore whisky uses sherry barrels and the peat is less intense than in the island’s southern distilleries. BRUICHLADDICH is Scotland’s most westerly distillery you sample the non-chill filtered whiskies from the casks. Finally, at KILCHOMAN you see a small farm distillery, the first of its kind to be opened on Islay for 124 years and you experience whisky production at grass roots level.

Day 3: Lagavulin - Ardbeg - Brewery

LAGAVULIN means “the hollow where the mill is” and this distillery is commanded by the ruins of Dunyveg castle, once the stronghold of the Lords of the Isles. ARDBEG was a distillery originally run by smugglers and is famous for its peaty flavours. The Old Kiln Restaurant is a venue for the French writer-cook Martine Nouet who writes for Whisky Magazine. He highlights the aromas and flavours of the whiskies with traditional Scottish foods. From here, we can either see the only brewery on the island, ISLAY ALES, or visit the Islay WOOLEN MILL producing cloth in the same way for generations

Day 4: Caol Ila - Bunnahabhain - Ferry

The name CAOL ILA means “Sound of Islay” and the distillery is in a picturesque cove overlooking the sound between Islay and Jura. The distillery was founded in 1846 and they produce a range of interesting “Hidden Malts”. BUNNAHABHAIN produces a delicate whisky in one of the most hidden distilleries in Scotland. Here a ship’s bell taken from a nearby wreck was used to summon the manager in emergencies. The whisky is less peaty than its southern counterparts on the Island and distilled in huge onion-shaped stills. From here we take the ferry back to the mainland for the return trip.