Are all distillery tours similar?

[DavidUK]

I'll be returning to Scotland in July and Oct and will definately want to visit at least two distilleries on each visit.

The first trip will be to the Highlands/Speyside, whilst the Oct trip will probably be to Islay.

From members experiences are there any disterillies which are better than others, and are there any to avoid?

Cheers

[sorren]

I have done the glengoyne and auchentoshan visits and i will recommend them both, just got back from Glasgow and would definitely recommend auchentoshan,i did the basic visit but stilll it lasted well over one hour, the guide was very good and everyone was friendly, the shop was well priced.. all in all very good value in my eyes.....

[Kenny M]

Some tours are better than others, some distilleries do different levels of tours and charge more for the more detailed tours usually with a chance to taste more of the distilleries more premium malts. I find a tour of a distillery which you already particularly like there whisky already is a good idea. Some offer special blending and tasting tours where you get the chance to blend your own whisky to take away.

[Bookie]

David you are going to the 2 best areas as far as choice of distilleries. How many distilleries you can visit depends how long you are on Islay for and how long you will be in Speyside for as with the right planning it is possible to take in at least 3 distilleries in a day.

A good time to visit Speyside is during the Spirit of Speyside Festival, they hold one in the Spring and one in the Autumn each year, the spring Spirit of Speyside Festival this year is April 29th - May 3rd 2010. There are a huge amount of whisky events to attend both in the distilleries and around Speyside, some distilleries open there doors during the festival which dont normally take visitors throughout the rest of the year. I highly recommend visiting Speyside during the festival although a visit anytime of year is good. See here www.spiritofspeyside.com

Islay also has a Whisky Festival called Feis Ile which takes place 22nd - 30th May this year and like the Speyside Festival there will be unique events on at the distilleries and around Islay and most distilleries do special festival bottlings which are usually only available to festival visitors. See here www.feis.streamlinenettrial.co.uk

When choosing a distillery to visit i would agree with Kenny, choose one which produces a whisky you like as it always make the visit more enjoyable. I always enjoy a visit to Aberlour where i always take the chance to hand bottle my own whisky straight from the cask.

Bookie

[Andy M]

Hi David amd welcome to the SMW forum.

It is a couple of years since i have been on a distillery tour but i dont know of any i would say you should avoid. Aberlour was good for the tasting at the end and being able to bottle your own whisky. The best distilleries to visit for me where Balvenie, BenRiach, Glenfarclass, Glenfiddich and Glenlivet are good especially if visiting with the family. Aberlour and Balvenie are my top 2 tours, but will take 2 tot 3 hours. If i was to name one tour i would say Balvenie. I havent been to Islay but from what i hear all the tours on Islay are good. I cnat honestly say i have heard of any to avoid.

Andy M

[Crane]

For a detailed whisky experience i would say Aberlour and Balvenie are the best tours. The Speyside Cooperage is also worth a visit to see how the barrels are made. On Islay i enjoyed my visits to all the distilleries but Bowmore in particular, probably influenced by the whisky i got to try. If you can arrange your visits during festival times then there are so many more things to do but any time is good.

Crane

[DavidUK]

Thanks for the replies.

Unfortunately I won't be able to make either of the festivals but will still visit Edradour/Speyside on one trip and Islay on the other.

When I asked if there were any to avoid, wan't so much thinking of the quality of the whisky itself, but as with anything, some tours will be better/more interesting than others.

[Fergie]

I agree with the replies above recommending the Balvenie and Aberlour tours, excellent tours and they both produce excellent whisky. On Islay i enjoyed Bowmore most but all tours were very good on Islay.

Fergie

[Blakey]

[DavidUK]

A further question you may be able to help me with........when visiting a distillery is it cheaper to buy 'on site' as presumably this eliminates the retailer's mark up,transport costs,insurance etc?

[John]

You would think it would be cheaper but It is usually around the same price as you would see in other whisky shops but most of the distilleries give you a discount voucher which you can use in their shop after the tour which i suppose often makes it cheaper to then buy from the distillery shop.

John

[Alastair]

David no one has really given you much feed back on Islay, I thought I would add my tuppence worth. Islay is a great place to visit and the distillery tours are excellent. If you want to try visit all the Islay distilleries you will need at least a few days on Islay to experience everything the distilleries have to offer.

Lagavulin is IMO touristy, it is geared for tours and has a gift shop and is a enjoyable standard whisky distillery tour pretty much like all Diageo owned distilleries. Laphroaig and Bowmore are more interesting tours unlike most distilleries these days they both still have floor maltings which is a must see. Bowmore has some unique bottles only available at the distillery shop such as Islay Festival bottlings and Manager bottlings.

If you are going to visit Laphroaig, don't forget to join Laphroaig's whisky community "Friends of Laphroaig"?. All members are given a plot of land at the distillery which you can visit and you are given a glass of Laphroaig's 10 year old Cask Strength as rent for your plot. You can join Friends of Laphroaig via the Laphroaig website.

At Bruichladdich you can bottle your own whisky (like Aberlour in Speyside as mentioned above). I haven't yet had the pleasure of visiting Kilchoman the new kid on the block on Islay. Ardbeg, is always a good visit.

If I was to recommend a tour on Islay I would recommend either Laphroaig or Bowmore.

Anyway hope you enjoy your visit to Islay if you do decide to go.

Alastair