Scotland can be a whisky lover’s paradise. It’s burgled five different regions, each having its own storied past and well-loved brands. The never-ending adoration for single malt whisky has inspired many a pilgrimage to distilleries to observe where magic happens. You cannot assume all distilleries are fashioned equal, however. If you’re intending to journey to Scotland a great unforgettable whisky experience, you have to drive to the best. These five distilleries all offer a present-day any time you visit — not just a wee dram inside of a tasting room — so don\’t forget to book them upfront.
1. Ardbeg
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The island of Islay is known for its powerfully peated whisky. The smoky aroma and taste are instantly recognizable for virtually any Scotch drinker (and for non-Scotch drinkers, it’s most of the flavor that puts them off). But what’s less known is just what should be probably the most enticing distillery trips within Scotland.
On every third Saturday from April to September, staff from Ardbeg walks a small grouping of visitors 600 feet into your hills throughout the distillery to Loch Uigeadail. Loch means lake, and Uigeadail translates to “dark and mysterious place” — and that dark and mysterious place is Ardbeg’s water source. Then, people within the tour execute the “loch and key” ritual, where they open a box using an old key, create a dram with the bottle of whisky inside box, and after that return the bottle “towards the loch from whence it came.” The entire experience is just about 5-6 hours, so plan your hiking gear accordingly.
2. Laphroaig
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One of the extremely celebrated names in peated Scotch whisky boasts one of the most famous tours. Laphroaig’s Water to Whisky Experience may be a four and a half hour adventure via the distillery, off to the peat bogs and more than towards Laphroaig water source. Then it’s back into the cask room, the spot where you get to taste a selection of whiskies and bottle your chosen one yourself.
It’s not for the faint of heart. The distillery recommends you\’ve “an intermediate amount of fitness” understands up. You\’ll find that you have to use into consideration any weather that you’re going to face along the way, however the good news is simply because they let you borrow some Wellington boots to wade through the bogs.
3. The Glenlivet
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The Glenlivet (yes, they insist upon the “The”) is among the most higher quality single malt whiskies on earth. It’s found methods to jump out inside Speyside region, where there’s loads of competition for single malts, probably due partly to having a name people can pronounce.
When The Glenlivet began in the 1800s, areas became a smugglers’ trail filled up with warring illegal distillers and taxmen chasing them down; and also the distillery has set up walking routes which you can decide to try to learn about that history. It’s what you should do into the distillery which enables a call special, though. After learning about situation within the Glenlivet, you possibly can fill your own private bottle right out the cask, cork it, cap it, and label it. So get the job done Glenlivet can be a mainstay on many a bar cart, people know they’ve actually bottled the whisky themselves.
4. Glenfiddich
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Glenfiddich means “valley on the deer,” that creates Glenfiddich Scotch the whisky in the deer, or something that is. Founded in 1886 by William Grant, it’s on the list of oldest family owned Scotch whisky distilleries. There probably wasn’t a great deal to see previously for your average visitor, but there sure is already.
On the Solera: Deconstructed tour, you’ll are able to walk through the distillery and discover how everything is made. But why are this tour extra cool is definitely the an opportunity to build your own version of Glenfiddich 15 Years old by mixing whisky from your cask yourself into a small sample bottle that you get to have home. You may one up that tour by using the Pioneers tour, the place you get to perform a similar mixing, nonetheless the whisky taking place is from warehouse 12, also referred to as is know for the Malt Master’s Selection.
5. Dalwhinnie
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Dalwhinnie is found in an american city with similar name. It’s within the Scottish Highlands, and it’s the biggest elevated distillery there. Consider it essentially the most highland within the Highlands. If wasn’t a good enough to see, the distillery posseses an exclusive whisky and chocolate tour where one can observe how the location operates, and then taste six single malt whiskies which can be expertly combined with handmade local chocolates.
This pairing (beyond the regular tour) is the reason why Dalwhinnie won the most beneficial Distillery Tour in Scotland Award from Drinks International in 2019, which happens to be no small feat when you’re located within a place that’s symbolic of whisky.
