Part 1 of 3: An overview of my Scottish Distillery experiences. Parts 2 and 3 will list the specific distilleries we visited. Stay tuned!
Note: All photos were taken by Kevin Bleicher and are not approved for re-posting or publication without permission. © 2023 Kevin Bleicher
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In May 2023 I joined a group of very good friends to tour (and sample!) a number of Whisky distilleries in Scotland (Islay, Highlands, Speyside, and Lowlands). I am NOT a Scotch Whisky expert (far from it!); I have more experience with Kentucky Bourbon. But I’m sharing my impressions for others that may be considering a similar tour and tasting experience.
Our group designed a private 9-Day tour with Rabbie’s out of Edinburgh (where the tour started and ended). Rabbie’s did an excellent job building an itinerary around our distillery preferences, as well as recommending and including other sites (Castles, Parks, Ferry Crossings, etc.), hotels, and lunch / photo stops. I highly recommend Rabbie’s for coordinating / booking your tour. They handled all of the logistics and made tastings easier since we didn’t need to worry about a designated driver. Keith (Instagram: @whiskytourguidekeith) was our guide; I can’t imagine someone more knowledgeable about Whisky, the Scottish backroads, and the hidden sites missed by most tourists. He has a real love for what he does and he worked hard to give us a personalized experience. Kudos!
You’ll also note my preference for Islay peated whisky (using peat as a fuel for heating and drying out malted barley). The peat is sliced from the bog and dried for an organic, renewable fuel. This adds a distinctive smokiness that I love but it’s not for everyone (Islay has endless peat bogs and few trees; thus the heating source). I prefer stronger flavors, similar to my preference for rye-heavy and barrel-proof bourbon. Adding a drop(s) of water (not ice) dramatically changes the profile; experimentation is encouraged. 🙂
Distillery tours are a good way to learn how whisky is made, but the process differs little across brands aside from learning what they do on-site and how much (or little) they’ve adopted automation. Bias your later tours towards tastings and enjoy the drams IF you’re not driving. Scotland has a zero-tolerance policy for drinking and driving; the tasting room will happily give the designated driver a kit so they can take their samples home (excellent idea).
Don’t expect to ship whisky home (I live in the U.S.) aside from 1) what you can fit in your checked luggage and, 2) what you purchase at the departing airport’s duty-free shop (assuming you have a direct flight or some other means to transfer). I contacted each distillery, hotel, and a number of whisky shops before the tour. They all said ‘no’ to shipping due to uncertainties with shippers, customs, etc. (some stores offered to ship if you purchased from them directly but at a very high cost). Duty-free is a good option, however, as they sell a number of bottles unavailable elsewhere at a good price. Go to their website beforehand and look for ‘Travel Exclusive’ (Example from Heathrow). It doesn’t make sense to buy something that you can find at home.
Beware of customs charges and be prepared to self-declare your bottles if you’re bringing a large quantity home. This isn’t at all obvious since there aren’t forms to complete on the plane or boxes to check at Global Entry. But from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection webpage: “Federal and state regulations allow you to bring back one liter of an alcoholic beverage for personal use duty-free. However, states may allow you to bring back more than one liter, but you will have to pay any applicable Customs duty and IRT.” “…one liter will be duty-free under your returning resident personal allowance/exemption. The other[s] will be dutiable at 3 percent, plus any Internal Revenue Tax (IRT) that is due.”
Where to purchase:
- A number of whisky shops purchase casks from distilleries across Scotland to create their own named blends. The shops we visited were QUITE helpful and offered samples based on our tastes. Example: Loch Fyne Whiskies in Inveraray and Edinburgh.
- I was also happy with the service and selection at Royal Mile Whiskies in Edinburgh on the Royal Mile.
- Every distillery sells a number of selections in their gift shop (many limited selections not available elsewhere).
Coming Up Next: Part 2 of 3: Distilleries in Islay
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