Do you love Islay Whisky?

If you do, book our whiskywheels.scot tour through Scotland’s rich whisky history by tasting and learning about the ‘water of life’ on a four-day Islay Whisky Tour from Edinburgh.

Explore the beauty of our country first-hand as we travel through the Highlands, past Loch Lomond up to Oban, the seafood capital of Scotland. Then down the west coast to Islay.

Islay Whisky Tour Inclusions

• Private tours and small group tours to Islay with local driver guides (Only one person required to run tour)
• Three nights and four days
• We can visit all of Islay’s whisky distilleries
• Return Ferry Included
• Six whisky experiences included from the following distilleries: Glenturret, Oban, Lagavulin, Kilchoman, Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Ardnahoe, Caol Ila, Stirling Gin Distillery, Deanston, Clydeside or Auchentoshan
• Time for Lunch at fantastic places such as the Drovers Inn, Deanston café, Glenturret café, Ardbeg restaurant, Bowmore Hotel, Sea Salt restaurant
• Breakfast on days two, three and four
• Return ferry to Islay is included
• Free pickup and drop-off from Edinburgh (contact sales@whiskywheels.scot for other locations nationwide)
• Free time each evening. We can recommend places to eat
• On our route back to Edinburgh, we have time to stop at the world-renowned Loch Fyne whisky shop and to Stirling Gin Distillery, Clydeside Distillery, Deanston Distillery or Auchentoshan Distillery
• Depending on the availability, we may be able to accommodate requests and upgrades to higher level tastings or tours at specific distilleries
• We use comfortable, new and well-maintained saloons or spacious 8 or 9 seat vehicles from Mercedes, Audi, Seat, Skoda, Hyundai and Volkswagen.

Islay Whisky Tour Exclusions

• Whisky Experiences or whisky tastings over the six included
• Lunch, Dinner and Snacks
• Evening Transport – most places within walking distances and local taxi telephone numbers are provided

Islay Whisky Tour Itinerary

Day 1 – Islay Whisky Tour

Edinburgh to Oban

Depart at 10:00am from 242 Morrison Street, Malones Pub, Edinburgh.

On our way to Islay, we make the journey from Edinburgh to Oban. On the way to Oban, we drive through and past the world-famous Loch Lomond and Trossachs national park.

Although this is an Islay Whisky Tour, we know that Highland distilleries provide a great introduction to traditional whisky distilling.

Our usual lunch stop is the Drover’s Inn. With over 300 years’ worth of visitors, the walls of the Drover’s Inn could certainly tell a tale. This historic and well-known building has welcomed hundreds of thousands of people, including Rob Roy and Gerard Butler! Other places, we use for lunch are Deanston distillery, Glenturret distillery and the Tyndrum Green Welly.

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park is a national park in Scotland centred on Loch Lomond and the hills and glens of the Trossachs, along with several other ranges of hills. It was the first of the two national parks established by the Scottish Parliament in 2002, the second being the Cairngorms National Park.

The Park consists of many mountains and lochs, and the principal attractions are scenery, walking, and wildlife.

When we arrive in Oban, we will visit the Oban distillery.

Most people agree that the best way to travel to Islay on an Islay Whisky Tour is to break up the travel time with a stop in the Highlands. The time in Oban includes: a fantastic distillery tour and tasting at Oban distillery. Time to visit Oban town, have a meal and relax before we travel to Islay on day two. The small and historic Oban distillery is located in the charming coastal town of Oban.

Oban distillery takes its name from the town where the Highland mainland meets the Islands and nestles below the steep cliff that overlooks Oban. This coastal location is said to be reflected by the character of the Oban 14-year-old single malt whisky.

Duration: 7 hours. No meals included on this day. Accommodation included: Overnight B&B or Guesthouse stay at a local accommodation in Oban.

We use well reviewed accommodation such as the Whisky Vaults.

Day 2 – Islay Whisky Tour

Oban to Islay and Islay distilleries

Depart early morning depending on Ferry times.

Stop At: Lagavulin, Ardbeg and Laphroaig

Lagavulin distillery.  Distillery tour and tasting. At least three whiskies included with the tour. Lagavulin distillery is a single malt whisky distillery in the village of Lagavulin on the south of the island of Islay, Scotland. It distils spirit that is destined to become Islay single malt Scotch whisky.

A firm favourite among locals and international whisky fans. The Lagavulin tour is a great way to start your tour on Islay!

After we visit Lagavulin, we move to Ardbeg for a whisky tasting and time for lunch.

At least four whiskies are included along with a tutored tasting from the bar staff. Lunch is excellent at Ardbeg.

The restaurant is frequented by whisky fans and locals because of the quality of food and experience.

One of the most popular stops on our Islay Whisky Tour is the tour and tasting at Laphroaig distillery. Two or three whiskies included. With a history dating back to the early 1800s and a reputation for producing some of the world’s most famous malt whiskies, the Laphroaig distillery is a great choice for whisky afficionados.

Duration: 10 hours. Breakfast included on this day. Accommodation included. Well reviewed guesthouses or Bed and Breakfasts.

Day 3 – Islay Whisky Tour

Depart your hotel around 9:00am

Tour and tasting at Kilchoman distillery – gain a behind scenes look into the day-to-day running of the distillery starting on the malt floor with a dram of their 100% Islay whisky.  You will have the opportunity to walk through the distillery production area accompanied by one of their friendly guides, visit the warehouse and finish with a dram in the lovely Visitor Centre.  A tasting glass is included and driver’s drams are available if required.

Bruichladdich Distillery, a stop for a quick tasting and look around the fantastic gift shop. Bruichladdich distillery is located on the southwestern tip of Islay. Bruichladdich distil four unique spirits and home to Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore single malt whiskies and the Botanist Islay dry gin.

Bowmore Distillery, shop visit and a quick taste. The distillery, which lies on the South-eastern shore of Loch Indaal, is one of the oldest in Scotland and is said to have been established in 1779. The distillery is owned by Morrison Bowmore Distillers Ltd, a holding company owned by Japanese drinks company Suntory. Morrison Bowmore also own the Auchentoshan and Glen Garioch distilleries and produce the McClelland’s Single Malt range of bottlings.

Lunch in Bowmore at the Bowmore hotel – situated in the island’s ‘capital’, Bowmore, in Jamieson Street and close to all the village amenities.

The lounge bar is used as the main lunchroom serving great food. Homemade soup, toasted sandwiches, fish and chips, baked potatoes, pasta bake etc all feature on the lunchtime menu.

The hotel stock a good range of beers and lagers. However, the 700 malt whiskies, mostly from Islay are what brings the majority of people to the most famous whisky bar on the island. This hotel is a fond meeting place for many whisky enthusiasts on an Islay Whisky Tour.

Tasting at Bunnahabhain – Very picturesque part of the Island. The Bunnahabhain Distillery was founded in 1881 near Port Askaig. The Bunnahabhain whisky is one of the milder single malt Islay whiskies available and its taste varies greatly from other spirits to be found on the island of Islay. The majority of its spirit is unpeated. Great selection of rare casks and styles to be found here.

Shop visit and a quick tasting at Caol Ila distillery, the new home of Johnnie Walker on the Island and a must visit.

Tour at Ardnahoe distillery – Ardnahoe prides itself on being a modern distillery, set beautifully in a stunning location, which employs rigorously traditional methods and values. The spirit being produced is sweet, smoky and smooth yet peaty and spicy – unique and dynamic to its very core.

Duration – 9 hours. Breakfast included. Accommodation included: We pick well reviewed B&Bs and hotels for accommodation

Day 4:

Islay Whisky Tour – Islay to Edinburgh

Stop at Loch Fyne Whiskies. A whisky shop with friendly staff and an impressive selection of whiskies, liqueurs and gins, including exclusive and independent bottlings you won’t find elsewhere. Time for lunch in Inveraray.

On the way back from Loch Fyne Whiskies, we can stop at The Clydeside Distillery for a tasting or shop visit. All visitors to the Clydeside can enjoy lunches and bites in the sumptuous Pumphouse Café. Presenting all of Scotland’s bounty for you to enjoy. The food is freshly prepared using locally sourced, seasonal ingredients and our menu is carefully chosen to showcase regional specialities (Food not included).

Breakfast: Breakfast served at your local B&B in Islay. No accommodation included on this day.

From £590 per person.

We can also tailor the tour to your needs and create a customised tour. For more information and to book a bespoke customised Islay Whisky Tour please contact:

sales@whiskywheels.scot

+44 7588 139918

Hotel Address for Pickup: *

Enter your pickup information, such as hotel location. If you are based outside Edinburgh, please contact us by email or phone for a bespoke quote. We operate nationwide.

Top 5 Islay Distilleries (optional)

Your top three Islay whiskies: we can check availability for those corresponding distilleries and try our best to include them.  Alternatively  leave the tour planning completely up to us and we’ll provide a superb experience for you.

Room Type: *

Select your room type: We include twin or double bedrooms per booking of two people and a single room supplement of £75 per night. If you have your own accommodation, please contact us by phone or email.

Group Discount – Our transport is private, however, tick this box if you are happy to join with another person or group. Receive a 10% discount if we can match up your dates.