Being such a unique creation, there is a romance and mystique surrounding Scotch whisky which draws people to it, fascinated to see how the 'king o' drinks' is actually produced. Many of the distilleries are only too happy to oblige the visitor and open their doors to them. Facilities on offer range from large, hi-tech reception centres with gift shop and organised tours through to more impromptu guided tours through a real working environment.

There you could see…

Historic breweries, coppers gleaming under oak-timbered ceilings and mystic brews frothing in antique stone 'squares', micro breweries with state-of-the-art stainless steel;

Magnificent Shire horses delivered barrels in Victorian times;

The cooper – the craftsman making classic wooden barrels – has a hard apprenticeship, and any graduating at Theakston's celebrates with a 'bath' in a barrel of beer.

The Ploughman's lunch – a glass of cool ale, tangy regional cheese and perhaps a pickled onion or two is the ideal lunch for a day exploring, or a 'Pie and a Pint' – tasty, restorative food.

Taking a Scottish Whisky Trail while you visit Scotland is a definite must see. It is while on these trails that you will learn the truth about using barley, water, yeast and peat to create the distinctive taste, texture, colour and smell of whisky. You will also be treated some different whiskies and learn all about the different kinds available.

An average tour, tasting and spot of malt retail therapy, takes up to two hours, so it is unusual to be able to fit in more than an absolute maximum of three tours in a day and to be honest, no matter that every distillery is different in some way, that can seem like a lot of touring by the end of the day. So we usually recommend 2 - 3 visits a day.

Once you've decided on which distilleries you want to visit, it's advisable to phone ahead to check that the facilities will be open, particularly if you are travelling any distance to get there.

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