Stretching from Oban in mainland Scotland up to the Isle of Skye, our tour across the charming west coast of Scotland allows you to take in some breath-taking scenery whilst visiting a range of fantastic whisky distilleries.
Your whisky-tasting adventure begins at the historic Oban Distillery, which predates the town of Oban itself being established in 1794. Oban Distillery fully embrace their heritage by continuing to produce their malts in the same traditional fashion the 18th century, using only two stills. Oban’s whisky range lie between the lighter, sweeter malts of the Highlands and the dry, smoky style of the islands. Their signature 14-year-old malt delivers a creamy palate with notes of autumn fruits, followed by a smoky malty dryness. This is the perfect dram for lovers of lightly smoked, fresh malts.
Afterwards, enjoy a lovely stroll along the picturesque seafront in Oban and head to Etive, who offer a relaxed fine dining experience that showcases the best of Scottish cuisine. Their sommelier will help you pair the perfect choice of wine to match your fresh, locally sourced dish of choice.
The Jura Whisky distillery is the only distillery operating on this gorgeously untamed island. Unspoiled by tourists, the island is a haven for wildlife, giving you the opportunity to spot some rare animals during your visit too. The remote isle itself is named ‘Deer Island’, due to an abundance of majestic Red Deer, which outnumber the human population of the isle by 30 to 1. Almost everyone on the island has a family member working at the distillery, so it is little wonder the Jura team are filled with passion to educate you about their whiskies and provide fascinating insight behind its production. Their 10-year-old malt provides a sweet, smooth palette, with fruity-chocolatey flavours lingering throughout. Be sure to stock up on your favourite malts to enjoy onboard as you soak up the atmospheric surroundings of the Scottish Lochs.
The Jura Hotel is the perfect place to dine, whereby you can sample meals crafted with fantastic local produce including lobster, crab and venison.
On this morning, wake to the smell of freshly warmed pastries and fresh coffee as you sail across to the Isle of Islay, your first stop will be the Laphroaig Distillery, situated at the head of Loch Laphroaig. Laphroaig malts are known for their distinctive, rich flavour, which is enjoyed by the Prince of Wales, with their bottle even boasting his royal warrant!Laphroaig offer a sizable but extremely varied selection of official bottlings that come in a range of ages and flavours to suit all preferences. The distillery also boasts an impressive visitor centre, where you can take a tour of the facilities. Look forward to sampling a range of casks selected by their team from within the walls of the warehouse and even extract your favourite into a bottle to take with you.
Take a relaxing stroll up to the lighthouse-shaped American Monument which is a poignant memorial to soldiers who lost their lives from their boat sinking in WW1. As you reach the clifftop, taking in the breath-taking views gazing over the North Channel
Following a short drive, you will arrive at Lagavulin Distillery, where you will be greeted with breath-taking views of Lagavulin Bay and the Dunyvaig Castle ruins. Feel free to take a tour around the site to see how they make their world-renowned whisky in their uniquely shaped pear-shaped stills, or simply sit back and enjoy a wee dram of whisky in the tasting room.
Following the tour, we suggest heading along the Three Distilleries path to get a closer look at the Dunyvaig Castle Ruins, that have stood there since the 12th century. Enjoy the incredible views looking over Lagavulin Bay and imagine days gone by!
Located on the rugged shores of Islay, Ardbeg Distillery welcomes you with open arms. Priding themselves on their traditional methods of production, Ardbeg claim to produce the peatiest whisky on the isle. Although they use strongly peated malt, the whisky itself has a lovely, well-balanced sweet fruitiness at its core, with a huge diversity of flavours in the different bottlings including white fruit, sea spray, chocolate, tobacco, and spices.
Grabbing a bite to eat on site in Ardbeg is a must, with the Old Kiln Bistro offering a superb range of hearty meals that can be enjoyed with a dram of their signature ten-year malt.
Often described as a working distillery museum, Bruichladdich feels like stepping back in time as they continue to use traditional Victorian machinery to produce their whisky. They have crafted a variety of malt whiskies among three principal ranges: unpeated Bruichladdich, heavily-peated Port Charlotte, and very heavily peated Octomore. A tour across this site exposes you to how they operate their life-long Victorian process of whisky production with some of the oldest Victorian process machinery still in use.
We recommend dining in the Port Charlotte Hotel Restaurant where you can partner their fantastic Islay Seafood Platter with a Bruichladdich ‘Classic Laddie’ where the floral, sweet, and complex tang of the whisky complements the dish perfectly.
Heading to the Isle of Mull, you will be welcomed by the colourful houses on Tobermory’s waterfront, which perfectly encapsulate the regions name of ‘Ledaig’ meaning ‘safe haven’. In this tranquil harbour, you can take in the immense beauty as you look across the bay. At the heart of the Isle of Mull’s capital lies the only distillery on the island, the Tobermory Distillery. A highlight of the Tobermory Distillery is their Tobermory and Ledaig Whisky tastings, which include a fascinating tutored tasting of both their two signature malts. If you’re feeling adventurous, perhaps you may even participate in their new gin-tasting experience, where you can try three of their popular Hebridean gins.
Alternatively, the visit to Mull is the perfect opportunity to head on a cruise for an opportunity to spot the magnificent white-tailed sea eagles which can only be found in the Scottish Isles. Golden eagles can also be spotted soaring along the mountain tops. This will certainly be a memorable activity for wildlife lovers.
Renowned for its outstanding scenery, your final stop is on the Isle of Skye. Set on the shores of Loch Harport, The Talisker Distillery offers dramatic views of the Cuillin Hills. As the oldest working distillery on the island, their popular 10-year-old single malt scotch whisky has been described as encapsulating the beauty of Skye with its spicy complexity, smoky sweet character, and a signature peppery finish. An incredible dram to pair with an incredible island. Whilst here, we recommend you visit the Michelin-starred The Three Chimneys, who’s head chef, Scott Davies, is responsible for crafting their culinary masterpieces including Tain Pork Loin, Belly and Shoulder and the Isle of Skye Vatten Beef.
Whilst on this scenic isle, don’t miss out on visiting the Old Man of Storr, an iconic rock formation that provides spectacular views looking over the Sound of Rassay. This is the perfect activity for keen walkers or anyone looking to capture the perfect photograph of the Scottish scenery.
Stretching from Oban in mainland Scotland up to the Isle of Skye, our tour across the charming west coast of Scotland allows you to take in some breath-taking scenery whilst visiting a range of fantastic whisky distilleries.