Islay & Campbeltown

Day 1

Our tour starts today with your arrival to our hotel in Edinburgh. Our welcome dinner tonight, paired with whisky, is at the exclusive Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s Queen Street venue, hosted by the world's most renowned whisky writer and expert, Charlie Maclean.* D

Day 2

This morning we depart Edinburgh and travel through Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park and down the Kintyre Peninsula to Kennacraig, on Scotland’s West Coast, where we board the ferry to Islay. This 2-hour crossing affords stunning views of the rugged Scottish coastline, with open sea stretches punctuated by glimpses of the neighboring island of Jura, with its distinctive mountainous peaks known as the "Paps of Jura". On arrival we will visit the Bunnahabhain Distillery. After a tour and a few drams we arrive to Bowmore, Islay’s capital, and to our hotel for the next four nights.   B  D

Day 3-5

The next three days are dedicated to touring and enjoying tastings at Islay’s famous distilleries. Some of your experiences include a specially selected tasting of Bowmore drams, a warehouse tasting at Caol Ila Distillery, a limited edition tasting at Kilchoman Distillery, a warehouse tasting at Bruichladdich Distillery, a unique tasting at Laphroaig Distillery and a warehouse tasting at the Lagavulin Distillery.  Other distilleries we will visit are Ardnahoe, Islay’s newest distillery, and Ardbeg.   3B 3L 3D

Day 6

We say farewell to Islay as we catch the morning ferry back to Kennacraig and make our way to Campbeltown, once considered ‘the whisky capital of the world’ with more than 30 distilleries. Today only three active distilleries remain: Springbank, Glen Scotia, and Glengyle, making it Scotland’s smallest whisky region.

We will visit Glen Scotia to tour the distillery and then take part in a warehouse tasting with some delicious cask strength drams. Next we visit the family-owned Springbank Distillery, that produces both peated and unpeated whisky. We will then travel to Stonefield Castle, where we stay overnight. The castle was built in 1837 and is set on 60 acres of woodland gardens with views of Loch Fyne.   B  D

Day 7

Today we return to Edinburgh. Along the way we stop in the picturesque village of Inveraray for lunch and a tasting. Our farewell dinner and whisky tonight is at the Vaults, the spiritual home of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.  B L D

Day 8

Our tour ends this morning.  As you prepare for your trip home filled with wonderful memories, please know that it has been our pleasure and privilege to travel with you and we hope to have an opportunity to welcome you on another Whisky Expedition in the future.   B

‍

* Charlie may not be available on some of our departure dates.

‍

Tour starts in Edinburgh on the following dates:

‍

ALL 2025 DATES ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE!!!

‍

• April 20
• May 11
• June 1
• June 29
• July 13
• July 27
• August 03
• August 17
• September 07
• September 21
• September 28
• October 05
• October 12

‍

Pricing

• $5,995 per person, sharing a double room
• $1,495 Single Supplement

‍

What’s included:

• Daily Breakfast
• Most Lunches
• Most Dinners
• All distillery tastings and tours
• Transportation from the time we depart Edinburgh until we return to Edinburgh
• All ferries
• All gratuities with the exception of your guide and driver (who may be the same person)
• All taxes
• All hotel fees

‍

What’s not included:

• Airfare
• Airport Transfers
• A few lunches and a few dinners
• Drinks during meals. Just order whatever you want and pay the restaurant directly
• Personal travel Insurance - which is highly recommended
• Gratuity for the driver and tour guide/host (which may be the same person)