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Discover more about Scotland’s water of life by booking one of the following whisky tours from Edinburgh. Set off from the Old Town on a journey along winding roads, through lush landscapes, visit working distilleries, and sample some drams while an expert guide reveals why scotch has such a hold on the Scots and its visitors.
Note: In Scotland, whisky is spelt without an “e”. Whiskey is how our Celtic cousins, the Irish, refer to their liquid gold.
Distillery Tours From Edinburgh
1-Day Perthshire Whisky Day Tour
This whisky day tour is the most popular, according to its number of reviews.
Leaving Edinburgh in the morning by coach, the group tour travels over the iconic Queensferry Bridge at the Forth Bridges in South Queensferry.
Then it heads to its first stops in Dunkeld, The Hermitage trail, Black Linn Waterfall, Pitlochry, and the Queen’s View, overlooking the vast Loch Tummel, a popular spot for autumn foliage.
After sightseeing in the very picturesque Perthshire, a whisky expert takes you on a tour of the 1890s Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery, where you also get the chance to try a dram of whisky!
Although the day is long, the route is divided up by many tourist stops, so the longest you spend on the bus is around 1.5 hours, according to reviews.
- Duration: 9.5 hours, with lots of stops
- Travel: By coach
- Number of Distilleries: 1
Reserve a spot here.
1-Day West Coast and Stirling Tour
This 10-hour tour leaves Edinburgh early morning, heading west to Glasgow’s Clydeside Distillery, which is set on the River Clyde.
Here, guests can pay an additional fee to tour the copper stills and learn about the scotch-making process, go for a walk along the Clyde, or visit the Riverside Museum.
The next stop is Trossachs National Park and its bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.
The remainder of the afternoon is spent at Stirling Castle, learning about William Wallace and Braveheart (additional fee) or visiting the city of Stirling.
- Duration: 10 hours
- Travel: By bus
- Number of Distilleries: 1
Reserve a spot here.
1-Day Whisky Tour of Two Distilleries
Why visit one distillery when you can explore two?
The Ultimate Whisky Experience from Edinburgh tours Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery and The Glenturret Distillery (Crieff), Scotland’s oldest working distillery, meaning that whisky aficionados can compare experiences and drinks.
A lunch stop in Aberfeldy is sandwiched between the distillery visits.
The price does not include the guided distillery tours.
- Duration: 10 hours
- Travel: By coach
- Number of Distilleries: 2
Reserve a spot here.
1-Day Kelpies and Whisky Day Tour
Learn about the whisky-making process at the 1775 Glenturret Distillery during this 1-day bus tour.
The bus trip leaves Edinburgh for Falkirk to see the magnificent 100ft Kelpies before the guided distillery tour.
The afternoon itinerary features the town of Dunkeld and the nature spot, The Hermitage.
- Duration: 9 hours, with lots of stops
- Travel: By coach
- Number of Distilleries: 1
Reserve a spot here.
1-Day Stirling Castle, Loch Lomond Walk & Whisky Tour
Similar to previous options, this 1-day tour leaves Edinburgh for Stirling Castle, where Mary Queen of Scots was crowned at nine months old; this part of the trip also features the River Forth at the meeting point between the Lowlands and Highlands.
After Stirling, the bus drives to Loch Lomond at the Trossachs National Park before visitors taste the “water of life” at Glengoyne Distillery.
The tour ends with a visit to the Kelpies before disembarking in Edinburgh.
- Duration: 9.5 hours, with lots of stops
- Travel: By coach
- Number of Distilleries: 1
Reserve a spot via GetYourGuide or Viator.
You may also enjoy our guide to 1-day tours leaving from Edinburgh that feature a mix of history, culture, and landscapes.
1-Day The Whiskies & Liqueurs of East Lothian Tour
While East Lothian is known for its dreamy coast and summer holiday towns, a lesser-known fact is that it produces a number of liqueurs that can be toured during this small group trip.
The trip kicks off at Glenkinchie, a whisky distillery near Edinburgh, which is one of Johnnie Walker’s Four Corners of Scotland.
Here, you’ll tour the copper stills and casks, learn about the field-to-glass whisky process, and taste the produce too.
A lunch stop is provided in a very cute town called North Berwick, which is home to vast stretches of beaches and Bass Rock.
The last stop before returning to Edinburgh is Buck & Birch Distillery, a fresh face in the brewing and distilling industry where artisan spirits such as sipping rum, Scottish spritz, and elderberry liqueur are produced.
- Duration: 8 hours
- Travel: 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach
- Number of Distilleries: 2
Reserve a spot here.
Half Day Whisky Tour
If you are a little short on time and don’t want to devote a full day, this 4.5-hour option might be right for you.
The day plans a visit to two distilleries: the 1949 family-owned Tullibardine Distillery, which is located close to the scenic Ochil Hills, and Lindores Abbey Distillery in the Kingdom of Fife.
Distillery tours are not included in the price.
- Duration: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Travel: By coach
- Number of Distilleries: 2
Reserve a spot here.
3-Day Speyside Whisky Trail
If you want to visit the region that produces two of the most popular single malts in the world, consider the Speyside whisky tours from Edinburgh, which are suited for visitors with a keen interest in the distilling process.
Day one visits Fife’s Lindores Abbey Distillery, the first recorded distiller in the country, before lunch in the Aberdeenshire village, Braemar.
The second distillery stop is at the Royal Lochnagar Distillery (Abergeldie Estate), near Balmoral Castle in Royal Deeside, then it’s a scenic drive through Cairngorms National Park to Grantown-on-Spey where your accommodation is located.
Day two is jam-packed, or should I say mash-packed, with stops along the Speyside Trail, a tour of Glen Moray, Speyside Cooperage, lunch in Aberlour, and then the final day’s tour at Cardhu Distillery.
Day three starts at Scotland’s highest distillery, Dalwhinnie, departing the Highlands for a lunch stop in Pitlochry in Perthshire before returning to Edinburgh over the Queensferry Crossing and the Firth of Forth.
- Duration: 3 days
- Travel: By coach
- Number of Distilleries: 6
Reserve a spot at GetYourGuide and Viator.
4-Day Islay Whisky Tours From Edinburgh
Visit Islay Queen of the Hebrides, sampling peaty whiskies at several distilleries.
Day one starts with a trip through the Trossachs National Park to Oban before hopping aboard the 2-hour ferry to Islay, pronounced eye-luh.
Day two’s itinerary is a mix of beaches, such as Saligo Bay and Machair Bay, and distillery visits to Bowmore Distillery, Ardnahoe Distillery, Bruichladdich or Bruichladdich Distillery for tours and samples.
Day three explores the southern side of Islay and world-renowned distilleries Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Ardbeg, as well as some historical landmarks like the ruins of Kildalton church and Dunyvaig Castle.
Day four, the final day, departs Islay via ferry, then through the West Highlands, stopping by Inveraray and Loch Fyne, then Scotalnd’s largest body of water, Loch Lomond, before heading back to Edinburgh.
The tour includes an expert guide, transport, ferry and bridge tolls, and accommodation.
Distillery entrance fees, food, and drink are not included.
- Duration: 4 days
- Travel: Luxury mini-coach
- Number of Distilleries: 6
Reserve a spot on GetYourGuide or Viator.
Final Words
In summary, there are many options to explore Scotland’s whisky heritage on tours from Edinburgh, with most combining the country’s biggest tourist landmarks and serene scenery!
Which tour will you choose? Tell us in the comments below.