• Tomatin Distillery Visitor Centre - One of the nearest distilleries to Inverness, Tomatin boasts a rich whisky-making history dating back to at least the 1500s. Situated just outside the village that shares its name, at 315 meters above sea level, Tomatin Distillery is among the highest in Scotland. Its elevated location in the Monadhliath Mountains ensures the Alt-na-Frith stream gathers very few minerals, making it an ideal source for creating a soft and delicate whisky.

Should you choose to take a formal tour of Tomatin Distillery, I recommend the Legacy Tour. If you’d rather sample their core range, we can visit their Hogshead Bar.

• Glenfarclas Distillery - One of my favorite whiskies and one of the few remaining family-owned distilleries. The Grant family has owned Glenfarclas since 1865, and it features one of the most welcoming visitor centers in Speyside. In my opinion, they offer the most informative and best-value distillery tours.

Like most distilleries, the tours tend to fill up, so if you want to book one, please give as much notice as possible.

• The Glenlivet Distillery - Recently upgraded visitor center and comfortable lounge-style tasting area. Glenlivet is currently celebrating its 200th anniversary and has introduced a wider range of tours and experiences for 2024. Slightly pricier than Tomatin and Glenfarclas, their experiences start at £25 per person and last about 90 minutes.
• Cardhu Distillery - Set in one of the most beautiful areas of Speyside, Cardhu is one of the best-located distilleries in the region: high on the hills on the north side of the Spey Valley with delightful views to the south. Another fairly modern distillery visitor center.

Cardhu highlights the historical role played by women in the whisky industry.

Cardhu offers a range of affordable tours/experiences from £21-£28 and also one for connoisseurs at £60.

• The GlenAllachie Distillery - Constantly recognized and honored within the whisky industry, Glenallachie produces some of the finest whiskies around.

Under the experienced guidance of legendary whisky maker Billy Walker, a culture of precision, patience, and perseverance has been instilled in his small yet accomplished team of whisky experts. Working together, each element of production is optimized to impart complex layers of character.

Please let me know if you’d like to take one of the distillery tours offered by Glenallachie. If not, there is a lovely new bar area where we can sample their produce.

• Private transportation
• In-vehicle air conditioning

• Lunch