Culinary & Whisky Tour of Scotland
08 Days / 07 Nights
A Scotch whisky and food tour, for the whisky and culinary connoisseur. The perfect eight-day whisky and food tour across the very best of Scotland. Arrival to Glasgow, where you can explore the great traditions of this industrial city and enjoy the famous Tennent's Brewery for a flavour of Scottish beer. Onward to the famed Isle of Islay, here you will find the homelands of some of the famed distilleries such as Ardbeg, Bruichladdich, Laphroaig, and Lagavulin.
We then head north to Oban on a wild and rugged route. Oban offers a great insight to traditional Scottish highland life. We will include a visit to the 1794 Oban Distillery to sample its 14-year-old malt.We then take the scenic route to Loch Ness in search of monsters from the views at Urquhart Castle. Next day from your base at Speyside we can visit the superlative whisky distilleries at Aberlour, Balvenie,Cragganmore and Cardhu. We conclude in the great city of Edinburgh. Be sure to visit the Scotch Whisky Experience on the Royal Mile.
The Itinerary
DAY 1: GLASGOW
Arrive in Glasgow or Edinburgh and transfer to your hotel. You may choose to explore Glasgow by private tour, or maybe you would prefer to see Scotland’s largest city from the comfort of a red Routemaster bus while enjoying Afternoon Tea? The local beer is brewed near the historic cathedral precinct, and you can sample some on a tour of the Tennent’s Brewery, home to more than 450 years of brewing tradition and award-winning beers.
Overnight: Glasgow area
DAY 2 – ISLE OF ISLAY
Depart your hotel this morning to drive via Inverarary with its castle, then on to Kennacraig to catch your ferry to the isle of Islay. Here is found one of the most famous whisky distilling areas of Scotland. Depending on your ferry times you should have the time to visit a wonderful distillery this afternoon and enjoy the rugged beauty of this region.
Overnight: Islay area
DAY 3 – OBAN
You may have the time to visit an Islay distillery this morning, before catching a ferry back to the mainland. We drive north along the scenic west coast of Scotland to Oban, one of the biggest ferry ports in Scotland. The local distillery is located in central Oban and is one of the smallest and oldest distilleries in Scotland, founded in 1794. You will also have the time to explore Oban, with its many shops, pubs and restaurants. In the evening, make sure to sample the local seafood, freshly caught just off the coast of Scotland.
Overnight: Oban area
DAY 4 – LOCH NESS
Today you will drive from Oban to the Speyside region of Scotland, via the most famous loch in Scotland – Loch Ness. Head up along the coast, driving through Fort William to Spean Bridge where you can stop to visit their woollen mill. For stunning views, we stop to visit Urquhart Castle which is a ruined castle on shores of Loch Ness. Then drive on through Inverness, the capital of the Highlands, on your way to your hotel in the Speyside region of Scotland.
Overnight: Speyside area
DAY 5 – SPEYSIDE
Today you will get the chance to visit the distilleries behind the world's most famous, and some would say finest malt whiskies. Speyside is a must visit destination for any whisky lover, and this is where you find Glenfiddich, Macallan, The Glenlivet and many more famous distilleries. In addition to a distillery, you may also want to include a visit to the Speyside Cooperage, the only working cooperage in Britain where you can experience the ancient art of producing whisky casks from oak. You can also stop at Deans of Huntly to experience how shortbread is made and sample some of this local delicacy with a cup of tea or coffee.
Overnight: Speyside area
DAY 6 – SPEYSIDE TO EDINBURGH
We start our drive south to Edinburgh. Along the way you can stop to visit one of the many castles in the area, such as Blair Castle, or stop to explore villages and towns like Pitlochry and Dunkeld. On your way to Edinburgh, you may choose to head east to St Andrews, the home of golf, and explore this beautiful university town on foot. There is also the opportunity to sample some local cheese at St Andrews Cheese Farm. Continue south across the Queensferry Crossing to Edinburgh.
Overnight: Edinburgh area
DAY 7 – EDINBURGH
Spend the day soaking up the atmosphere of this exciting city. A private tour is a great way to explore the city, and its many attractions such as famous Edinburgh Castle. At the top of the Royal Mile, you can stop to visit the Scotch Whisky Experience where you will learn even more about Scotland’s different whiskies, including blended whisky. Or why not visit Edinburgh Gin Distillery. You may want to join a food walking tour of Edinburgh, to sample some local delicacies, and many of the cozy pubs serve a wide selection of whisky
Overnight: Edinburgh area
DAY 8 – GOODBYE
Make your way to your departure point from Edinburgh or Glasgow Airport.