West Coast and Islay Whiskey Tour Trail: 5 Days
Discover the enchanting West Coast and the beautiful Island of Islay, knowing as the ” Queen of the Hebrides” an island steeped in tradition and culture, with a history that goes back a 1000 yrs. Islay is an island of contrasts with an abundance of wildlife, magnificent sandy beaches and fertile lands combined with world famous smoky single malt whiskies. There are 9 distilleries on Islay, all using local peat, cut for it’s traditional floor maltings giving them that distinctive smoky flavour.
Inveraray Castle
West Coast and Islay Whiskey Tour Highlights
- Deanston Distillery
- Oban Distillery
- Lagavulin Distillery
- Laphroaig Distillery
- Bruichladdich Distillery
- Bowmore Distillery
- Loch Lomond
West Coast and Islay Whiskey Tour Trail Itinerary
This scotch whiskey tour can depart from either Glasgow or Edinburgh
Day 1 – Departing at 9:00 am we set off and highlights of the day include:
- The mighty Stirling Castle,
- Deanston Distillery. After a tour and a wee dram of single malt.
- North into the Highlands where the landscape becomes more mountainous and where stories of folk heroes and Highland clans come alive.
- Rest stop at the popular Green Wellie.
- The romantic 15th-century part-ruins of Kilchurn Castle, a former stronghold of the Clan Campbell.
- Oban, the seafood capital of the Scottish Highlands for the evening.
Day 2 – Highlights:
- Tour of Oban distillery. The distillery is unusual in that it sits in the heart of the town of Oban, and offers regular guided tours of the distillery finishing with a wee dram of Oban’s excellent 14 yr old single malt whiskey.
- Continuing on we travel along the wonderfully scenic west coast to Kilmartin Glen and into the ancient Kingdom of Dalriada. This is one of the most important areas of Neolithic sites in Scotland, with over 350 monuments to discover, including burial mounds, mysterious stone carvings and standing stones.
- From here we then journey to Kennacraig, to board the early evening ferry (2 hr crossing) to the beautiful island of Islay, for the next 3 nights.
Day 3 Highlights
- Ardbeg Distillery situated on the south coast of the island. Ardbeg is peatiest of all the malt whiskey on Islay and offer regular tours and tastings, after which you can enjoy a delicious lunch at the old kiln cafe.
- 13th-century Kildalton Church to view the magnificent 8th-century Kildalton Cross, carved by skilled sculptors around 1,200 yrs ago.
- Lagavulin Distillery, known for its long maturation and rich peaty character, or
- A tour of Laphroaig Distillery and a journey through the ages including four choice drams. it’s then onto your accommodation for the evening.
Day 4 – Highlights:
- Bruichladdich Distillery, located on the shores of Loch Indaal. Here you can enjoy a 2-hour tour and a dram of Bruichladdich which is less peaty and lighter than all of the Islay whiskies. There’s also the opportunity to bottle your own personal malt.
- After lunch, we shall visit the newest and smallest distillery Kilchoman. This is a farm distillery established in 2015 and the first to open on Islay for 124 yrs.
- Bowmore Distillery for an afternoon behind the scenes tour and a wee dram.
Day 5 – Highlights:
- Morning ferry back to Kennacraig.
- Loch Fyne and the pretty town of Inveraray and our lunch stop at the excellent George Hotel, serving traditional Scottish fayre including locally caught wild Haggis.
- After lunch, there’s the opportunity to visit the town’s famous Whisky shop, before visiting Inveraray Castle home of the Duke of Argyll.
- Leaving Inveraray we continue along the shores of Loch Fyne, to the stunning ”Rest and be Thankful” viewpoint.
- The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond Scotland’s most celebrated loch – written in poem & song.
- From here we then make our way to your base in Edinburgh or Glasgow.
Alternative – Why not extend your tour to include a visit to the world-famous Speyside Malt Whisky Trail.
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