Just as every malt whisky has its own unique characteristics and charms, so each distillery has its own personality and pride in what it does.
Islay whiskies are known for their peaty and smoky flavours – but not all of our whiskies use peated malts. Each is like its own clan, it has its own ‘family’ of followers and fans and its own secrets for success.
With 11 distillieries across the islands, plus gin and rum distilleries too, we are proud to be a place of pilgrimage for spirit-lovers from across the globe. These two small islands are a mecca for malt whisky-afficionados but, with contemporary and traditional visitor centres, bars and high-end shopping visitors can experience more than simply Uisce Beatha (literally the water of life in Scottish Gaelic).
Here you will be treated to our famous island hospitality, you will find tours and tastings at every distillery and to suit every budget. There is no doubt that tasting our whiskies where they are made, with the tang of salt and smoke in the air you breath as you savour a dram is the best way to enjoy them and an experience like no other.
There are whiskies you can only get on the island – you simply have to be here to taste them.
Here they say if you don’t like whisky, its because you’ve just not yet discovered the one for you. Perhaps your whisky is a non-peated one, maybe it’s mixed to perfection as an Old Fashioned and served in a contemporary bar with the chinking of ice or maybe it’s a dram to cherish in your hand, slowly warming as you relax beside a fire.
People come here for the whisky, but they stay and return for so much more. Our islands have lots to offer the visitor, all year round. But booking a distillery visit is not a bad place to start. To help you, here are our distilleries with information about opening hours, tours and tastings.
Ardnahoe
Ardnahoe – Tours can be viewed and booked via the website. All visitors are welcome to explore the shop.
Café open 9:30am-4:30pm (Summer) 10am-3:30pm (from November) Serving hot & cold refreshments, cakes, scones and whisky. Tours: £12 (Increasing to £15 from November) Approx 1 hour duration.
Warehouse No1: £50 Approx 90 min duration (Note this runs up to November, when it is replaced with Ultimate Ardnahoe)
Ultimate Ardnahoe: Production tour followed by full warehouse tasting; £60 Approx 2hr Minute duration
Self Guided tastings: Available from the bar throughout the day. No booking required. Ranging from £14-£260. These tastings are not tutored by a member of staff, but come presented on a tasting mat with information for a relaxed, self- guided dramming experience.
Cheers, or Slàinte (prounounced Slanj) as they say over here
Winter timetable commencing from November.
Tuesday: 10:30am Tour 1pm “Ultimate Ardnahoe”
Wednesday: 10:30am Tour 1:30pm Tour
Thursday: 10:30am Tour 1pm “Ultimate Ardnahoe”
Friday: 10:30am Tour 1:30pm Tour
Saturday: 10:30am Tour 1pm “Ultimate Ardnahoe”
For more information: Visit the website on www.ardnahoedistillery.com. To contact the visitor centre call 01496 840777.
Ardbeg
Ardbeg – Ardbeg Distillery Visitor Centre and shop is open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 5pm. Food, drinks and home baking is available Monday to Friday (to end of October) from 10-3.30 the Old Kiln Café and outdoors from the ARDstream food truck
Classic tours, pop up tasting flights and great merchandise.
Choose from a wide range of experiences –there’s something for everyone – classic production tours, Rocktails, DIY tastings, the Quintissential Ardbeg tour, Stillhouse and Warehouse 3 tasting, AN OA, AN OA, AN OA, and the Wednesday Whisky Walkabout (Wednesday’s only!) https://www.ardbeg.com/en-int/visitus.html
The Old Kiln Café at Ardbeg is open indoors in winter and spring with morning coffees and cakes from 10 to 12 and great home-cooked lunches from 1200 to 1530. In Summer food and drink, lunches, lightbites and snacks are available at the Ardstream trailer in the courtyard.
For more information contact the distillery on distillery@ardbeg.com or call 01496 302244 for any further information.
Bruichladdich
Bruichladdich – The Laddie shop and visitor centre is open open Tuesday to Sunday, 09:45 to 17:00 from November to February (9.45-17.30 seven days a week to end of October)
Experiences:
Distillery Tour – 10:00 daily £25pp
Warehouse Experience – 11:30 daily £50pp
Bruichladdich Experience – 13:30 Monday-Saturday £75pp
The Botanist Gin Experience – 14:30 Monday & Thursday £35pp
The Botanist Cocktail Experience – 14:30 Wednesday, Friday & Saturday £40pp
You can also buy drams and flights over and above our complimentary shop samples.
Distillery tours & tastings can be booked online at https://www.bruichladdich.com/pages/tours and gin experiences on https://www.thebotanist.com/pages/tour-booking
For more details go to the website here Distillery Tours – Bruichladdich Distillery or call 01496 850190
Bowmore
Bowmore – The distillery is open to visitors all year round Mondays to Thursdays 9.30am to 5pm; Friday 10am to 5pm and Saturday 9.30am to 5pm. Sundays closed.
The Bowmore Whisky Tasting Bar is open from Monday to Saturday 11am – 4.30pm. Join us at the Bowmore tasting bar for a relaxing tasting, overlooking Loch Indaal. Select your drams from our tasting menu, sit back and enjoy the views.
Intentional Craft, Tour And Warehouse Experience – Discover how our whisky is crafted with intent at every stage £85
Cask Discovery Warehouse Tasting – Explore where our spirit ages with excellence and experience whisky straight from the cask £65
Bowmore Signature Cask Tour – Explore the depths of flavour unique to Bowmore £25
Check availability and make a reservation online at www.bowmore.com For all other enquiries call 01496 810441. (Closed between December 23 and Jan 5)
Bunnahabhain
Bunnahabhain Opening times 10:00am until 17:00pm, Monday to Wednesday and Friday to Sunday. You can book a distillery tasting experience (lasts one hour) and tours and tastings are available for groups of up to 12 people. You can choose from a range of flight options including Feis flights and rare and old whiskies.
Or you could opt for Warehouse 9 tasting, a must-visit for whisky enthusiasts exploring Islay. Behind the No.9 black door our converted floor maltings are now home to our Bunnahabhain whisky maturing in the very best American and European oak casks. Surrounded by our maturing inventory, you will be able to enjoy an exclusive tasting of unpeated and peated (mòine) Bunnahabhain whiskies. Find and book your tasting experience at https://bunnahabhain.digitickets.co.uk/tickets. Any questions or to arrange a tasting for a group or club, contact the team on info@bunnahabhain.com
Caol Ila
Caol Ila – Caol Ila is open 7 days a week 10am-5pm from March to November. From December to February it is open Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm. The bar is open daily from 10.00am. All tour availability can be found and booked online at – https://www.malts.com/en-gb/distilleries/caol-ila For all other enquiries the contact number is 01496 302769.
Deer Island Rum
Deer Island Rum – Rum distillery in Craighouse, Jura. For more information visit the website
here Scottish Spiced Rum – Deer-Island (deerisland.co.uk)
Islay Rum
Islay Rum – Though not yet officially open for public tours, visitors are very welcome for small informal tours and tastings – just give us a call to arrange an Islay Rum experience! Islay Rum Distillery | Explore Islay & Jura
Jura
Jura – Shop and visitor centre open from 10am-4pm, Monday to Friday. Please book ahead for tours by calling 01496 820 385 for further details or email us at tours@jurawhisky.com
Kilchoman
Kilchoman – The Visitor Centre, Shop, Whisky Tasting Bar & Tours are open and available 7 days a week. The Cafe is open 5 days (closed Fridays & Saturdays). Booking in advance is recommended for lunch in the cafe to avoid disappointment. A selection of teas, barista-style coffee and homebaking is served from 10am to 4pm. Drams are available to purchase in the visitor centre. Distillery Classic tours are available throughout the day and Limited Edition tour takes place at 11am and the Roving Tasting starts at 2.30pm. Please check the website for full details and to book. Website: www.kilchomandistillery.com Email: tours@kilchomandistillery.com Telephone: 01496 850 011
Laphroaig
| Laphroaig – Open March – October Monday – Saturday from 9.45am to 5pm (Lounge bar open 10am to 4.30pm, last orders at 4.15pm). November, open Monday to Saturday 9.45am to 16.30pm (bar open 10-4, last orders 3.45pm) December open Monday – Friday 9.45am to 16.30pm (bar open 10am to 4pm) Christmas closure is from the 20th December 2025 (it is still open on the 19th) until the 4th January 2026 (re-open on Monday 5th January). January and February open 9.45am to 16.00pm (bar open 10-4 with last orders at 3.15pm |
Visit the museum, shop and lounge bar You can also book for one of several tours and tasting experiences. See more here Book a Distillery Tour – Official Laphroaig Whisky Site – Laphroaig Please call to book ahead on 01496 302418 or email tourbookings@laphroaig.com. www.laphroaig.com .
Lagavulin –Open Monday to Sunday 10am to 5pm from March to October. In November it opens Monday – Saturday 10am to 5pm and December to February, Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm.The bar is open daily from 10.30am with last orders 45 minutes before closing. All tour availability can be found and booked online at https://www.malts.com/en-gb/distilleries/lagavulin. For all other enquiries please telephone 01496 302749.
Lussa Gin, Jura – Monday to Friday from 11am until 4.30pm. Tours are bookable online at www.lussagin.com. Tel 01496 820196). Visit www.lussagin.com
Port Ellen Distillery – Experiences at Port Ellen distillery are available by appointment only and therefore cannot accommodate walk-in visitors. Please use the booking system to select your preferred date and time. Please note that all under 18s need to be accompanied by an adult.