Top 10 Best Whisky Distillery Tours In The World
There are many great whisky distilleries in the world, and each has its own unique charm. Whether you prefer Bourbon whiskey, Scotch whiskey, or Irish whiskey, ... read more...a tour of a distillery of a famous brand of whiskey is a recipe for a great day. Just like in brewery tours or in wineries, you will get to see the complete production process, and of course – taste the complete product. List of the best whiskey distillery tour in the world that offer a recommended tour of their distilleries.
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The Glenfiddich Distillery is one of the best and oldest whisky distilleries in Scotland, and also one of the best whisky distillery tours in the world, and produces some of the finest single malts in the world. This fantastic tour includes a tasting of six different whiskies and an hour-long trip through the distillery, giving visitors the chance to see the processes and equipment used to make the whisky. The distillery is located in close proximity to the city of Dufftown, as well as to Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park–so whisky drinkers with a fondness for both city life and exploring the wilderness will have many options in the vicinity.
The Glenfiddich Distillery offers 3 different tours to choose from. The Explorers tour is 90 minutes long and takes you through the entire Glendfiddich story. You’ll see the visitors center, the Mash House, the Still House, warehouses, and the dramming center, and of course, taste several different types of whisky! The Glenfiddich Solera: The deconstructed tour is 2 hours 30 minutes long and takes you through the entire first tour, along with the Malt Master’s Suite, and offers superior types of whisky to taste. The Pioneers tour takes 4 hours and takes you deep inside the Glenfiddich secrets.
- Official website: glenfiddich.com
- Location: Dufftown, Scotland
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Old Bushmills Distillery - the oldest whiskey facility in Northern Ireland offers an hour-long walking tour through all the different stages of whisky production. You’ll learn about the history of Bushmills, about the process, and of course – visitors will taste Bushmills. Bushmills Irish Whiskey is made at the world's oldest licensed working distillery in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, on the beautiful North Coast. Their original grant to distill was signed in 1608 by King James 1st and there has been distillation on this site since then, using the unique water from the stream and Irish barley. Experience the rich aromas and full-bodied flavors of Ireland’s oldest working distillery (1608) by pre-booking one of the tutored tasting events.
Old Bushmills Distillery is not only Northern Ireland’s oldest working distillery but also the best whisky distillery tour in the world, situated near the famous Giant’s Causeway, perched on the banks of the River Bush. Licensed distilling has taken place on the present Bushmills site since 1608 although the current distillery with its beautiful Victorian charm wasn’t built until 1885. As Old Bushmills Distillery is officially recognized as a building of special architectural or historic interest, the exterior of the new facility is expected to maintain a traditional appearance, blending the old with the new, in keeping with the character of the village.
- Official website: bushmills.com
- Location: Bushmills, Northern Ireland
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Nestled in the rolling foothills of Clermont, Kentucky, the Jim Beam American Stillhouse offers an intimate look at the world’s No. 1 selling bourbon through a series of complimentary self-guided walking tours as well as in-depth guided tours that take guests through the entire whiskey-making process – starting with Beam’s natural limestone water well through the mashing, distilling, barreling, aging and bottling. The 75 minutes guided tour in the Jim Beam American Stillhouse will take visitors through the entire Bourbon-making process. Starting with the natural limestone water, all the way through the mashing, distilling, barreling, storing, and finally – bottling. Needless to say, the tour includes Bourbon tasting as well.
The Jim Beam American Stillhouse immerses visitors in more than 220 years of Beam family heritage and treats guests to a one-of-a-kind sensory experience. Guests can also pull up a chair at Fred’s Smokehouse, a bourbon-inspired café that offers a casual respite for guests looking for one more way to enjoy Jim Beam as they soak in the distillery's history. Available for purchase are a selection of bourbons and whiskeys hand-signed by seventh-generation Beam Master Distiller and Jim Beam’s great-grandson, Fred Noe, as well as Jim Beam-themed apparel, food, barware, and other merchandise. This is one of the best whisky distillery tours in the world.
- Official website: jimbeam.com
- Location: Clermont, Kentucky
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As one of the best whisky distillery tours in the world, the Macallan Distillery - the tour of the Macallan Estate is 1 hour 45 minutes. It is done in small groups of a maximum of 10 people each to ensure a personal experience. The guided tour will take visitors through the entire world of The Macallan, and then they will experience a nosing and tasting of four The Macallan whiskies. Nearly 200 years after The Macallan's debut in 1824, the luxury single malt Scotch producer has unveiled a game-changing distillery and visitor center on its 370-acre estate in Craigellachie, in the heart of Scotland's Speyside region. Designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, the new distillery took six years of planning and a price tag of approximately $186 million.
One of the most iconic Scotch whiskies in the world, the Macallan Distillery moved to new premises on the Macallan estate in 2018. In addition to the exquisite whiskies that Macallan has on offer, the distillery recently won the Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland award from the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) and is quite something to behold. The Macallan is a premium quality whisky, they insist upon the exclusive use of the traditional “Golden Promise” barley, and the maturing of the whisky in specially procured Sherry casks. Depending on the time of year, the access road to the distillery will be surrounded by fields of Golden Promise Barley.
- Official website: themacallan.com
- Location: Craigellachie, Scotland
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A visit to the Jack Daniel’s Distillery highlights Tennessee's history and late settler culture. Visitors can choose from a number of guided tour options, from the Angel’s Share Distillery Tour with single-barrel whiskey tastings to a combo tour of the distillery and town of Lynchburg. Other tasting options include the classic tasting tour, which includes a flight of five whiskeys, and the Mr. Jack Toast in the Hollow Tour, a quick driving tour of Lynchburg followed by a whiskey toast. Those who aren’t interested in drinking can save money by taking the Dry County tour, which still provides information about the distillery’s history and production process sans alcohol. To avoid the need to find a designated driver, book a tour from Nashville that includes round-trip transportation to Lynchburg and free time in the city to purchase tickets and take a Jack Daniel’s tour.
The walking tour in the Jack Daniel’s Distillery is mostly outdoors and takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes. The enhanced tour that includes sampling takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes. This is one of the best whisky distillery tours in the world. Every year about 275,000 people tour the distillery and visit the small town of Lynchburg. In any two-month period, visitors from all 50 states and over 30 foreign countries will stop by to see where Jack Daniel's whiskey is made. The making of Jack Daniel's whiskey was set down by its founder, Jack Daniel, and has been maintained and preserved for 150 years. Visitors will see the process that makes this Tennessee whiskey truly unique.
- Official website: jackdaniels.com
- Location: Lynchburg, Tennessee
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The Old Jameson Distillery - Jameson’s original distillery in Dublin is now a visitor’s center. The guided tour is just under an hour long and takes visitors through the entire history of Jameson – the most famous Irish whisky brand. This best whisky distillery tour in the world includes a comparative tasting and a complimentary Jameson drink, as well as Whiskey Taster Certificate. The Jameson tour is a popular attraction in Dublin. Take a tour of the Jameson Distillery and enjoy a host of unique experiences, from a workshop at the state-of-the-art Jameson Academy to developing a new appreciation of Irish whiskey.
Founded by John Jameson in 1780, today the former factory stands as a monument to Irish Whiskey. Visit Old Jameson Distillery for the World’s leading distillery tours, cocktail-making classes, and premium whiskey-tasting sessions or to learn how to blend your own whiskey. This visitor center offers upbeat and informative tours, which are hosted by personal guides. This place to see in Dublin is open 7 days all year and the journey begins with an audio-visual presentation followed by a walk through the recreated distillery scene and culminates in the Jameson Discovery Bar with a complimentary glass of Jameson and a chance to become a “Qualified Irish Whiskey Taster”.
- Official website: jamesonwhiskey.com
- Location: Dublin, Ireland
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Wild Turkey bourbon whiskey was first introduced in 1940 and quickly became famous. Therefore, tours of Wild Turkey Distillery are held in the visitor's center daily. Perched 275 feet above the Kentucky River, the Wild Turkey Distillery’s breathtaking location makes it an exciting tour stop. Legendary father and son Master Distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell watch over Wild Turkey’s traditional distilling methods with a careful eye at every turn. The distillery flourished and grew in the decades after it opened and was well-loved by the local population. The distilling operation that evolved into Wild Turkey dates back to 1869. The brand itself came into being in 1940, a few years following the end of Prohibition. Fast forward seventy years to the purchase of the operations by Italian spirits conglomerate Gruppo Campari. The distillery creates both bourbon and rye, under both Wild Turkey and Russell’s Reserve monikers.
In Wild Turkey Distillery, while following the production process from grain delivery to bottling, visitors will see the unique 40-foot high column still, watch new bourbon being poured into hand-crafted oak barrels, and stroll through Wild Turkey’s timber warehouses. Relax and enjoy a tasting of Wild Turkey and Russell’s Reserve award-winning whiskies inside the new state-of-the-art Visitor Center, an architectural feat in this small pocket of Bourbon country recently dubbed “best in American architecture” by Architect Magazine. This place deserves an indispensable name in the list of best whiskey distillery tours in the world.
- Official website: wildturkeybourbon.com
- Location: Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
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Talisker Distillery is the oldest working distillery on the Isle of Skye, set on the shores of Loch Harport in the village of Carbost. Peated whisky is one of Scotland’s most popular exports. When a fire in 1960 destroyed the original stills, replicas replaced them. Today, these replicas are still heated by coal and create Talisker’s signature smoky notes with a hint of spice. The distillery is currently undergoing some exciting renovations, but visitors can still tour the distillery and taste its delicious whisky. The production capacity of the distillery is between three to four million liters of alcohol per year. This rose a lot over the last two decades, due to the high popularity of the Talisker Scotch Whisky.
The tour of Talisker Distillery passes the beautiful old grain mill and the large washes and stills. The guides tell general about whisky distilling and special about Talisker Whisky. This 200-year-old distillery is beautifully located on Skye island, also one of the best whisky distillery tours in the world. The tour takes visitors through Talisker’s copper pot stills, the worm tubs, and the warehouse, and gives you a deep understanding of the entire process, and of course – a taste. While travelers are there they can enjoy the wonderful scenery of the island as well as the diverse marine life.
- Official website: malts.com
- Location: Skye, Scotland
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After leaving the office of the president of the United States, George Washington opened a distillery at his Virginia estate, Mount Vernon. George Washington Distillery & Gristmill produced as much as 11,000 gallons of whiskey a year. In 2005, after research, excavation and reconstruction, the George Washington distillery reopened and it looks and works exactly how it did back in the 18th century. Tours are available every day of the year to learn about the process used to make George Washington's famous whiskey at the Distillery or experience the colonial flour-making process at the Gristmill. Admission to the distillery and gristmill is included with general admission to George Washington's Mount Vernon. Shuttles are also available to the Distillery & Gristmill from the Estate grounds.
George Washington Distillery & Gristmill is the only authentic 18th-century distillery in the country, and his water-powered gristmill features an automated system with four floors of intricate gears and shafts. The distillery became the largest income generator for the estate and was the largest whiskey distillery in the country at the time, and also one of the best whisky distillery tours in the world. In 2017, George Washington’s rye whiskey, distilled at Mount Vernon, was named Virginia’s official state spirit. Together with Mount Vernon’s farm site, gristmill, and education center, the Distillery teaches visitors about Washington’s entrepreneurial spirit and his innovative approach to making whiskey.
- Official website: mountvernon.org
- Location: Alexandria, Virginia
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Another distillery from the great state of Kentucky, Maker’s Mark Distillery may not be a world-famous label, but the tour is widely recommended, to become the best whisky distillery tour in the world. Maker’s Mark distillery was opened in 1953 and the bourbon is bottled by taste rather than age, but with a minimum of 2 years. At the Maker’s Mark Distillery visitors were served a Southern lunch at the former home of the Samuels family, which is located on a hill overlooking the scenic distillery property.
Established in 1805 as a gristmill distillery, Maker’s Mark Distillery is the oldest working distillery on its original site - and a National Historic Landmark. The historic charm is not the only reason to visit the Maker’s Mark distillery; the beautifully manicured grounds are a functioning arboretum; hosting more than 275 species of trees and shrubs, and make for an ideal picnic spot. Tours allow guests to experience the entire bourbon-making process first-hand, from the processing of the grains to the rotating of the barrels to the purposely inefficient process of hand-dipping each and every bottle in signature red wax. Maker’s Mark promises a truly unique, intimate experience that sheds light on the specialness and tradition of making Kentucky bourbon.
- Official website: makersmark.com
- Location: Loretto, Kentucky