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Home , Arran distillery, Auchentoshan distillery, Girvan distillery, Glengoyne distillery, Glenkinchie distillery, Johnnie Walker

The Land of A visitor guide to one of ’s five whisky regions. Lowland Whisky

The practice of distilling whisky No two are the same; each has has been lovingly perfected its own proud heritage, unique throughout Scotland for centuries setting and its own way of doing and began as a way of turning things that has evolved and been rain-soaked barley into a drinkable refined over time. Paying a visit to spirit, using the fresh water a distillery lets you discover more from Scotland’s crystal-clear about the environment and the springs, streams and burns. people who shape the taste of the you enjoy. So, when To this day, distilleries across the you’re sitting back and relaxing country continue the tradition with a dram of our most famous of using pure spring water from export at the end of your distillery the same sources that have been tour, you’ll be appreciating the used for centuries. essence of Scotland as it swirls in your glass. From the source of the water and the shape of the still to the wood Home to the greatest concentration of the cask used to mature the of distilleries in the world, Scotland spirit, there are many factors that is divided into five distinct make Scotch whisky so whisky regions. These are , wonderfully different and varied Speyside, Highland, Lowland and from distillery to distillery. Campbeltown.

Find out more information about whisky, how it’s made, what foods to pair it with and more: www.visitscotland.com/whisky For more information on travelling in Scotland: www.visitscotland.com/travel Search and book accommodation: www.visitscotland.com/accommodation EDEN MILL Lowland DAFTMILL KINGBARNS With miles of rolling farmland and also home to five of the country’s neat woodlands, the Lowlands seven high-volume grain distilleries, CAMERONBRIDGE is one of the most charming and which, although they aren’t open accessible whisky regions in to the public, continue to produce Scotland. Encompassing the great the grain that are used in cities of and , some of the world’s most famous as well as the historic Kingdom of whisky blends. Fife, the Lowlands reaches from the invisible Highland/Lowland divide, Take advantage of the Lowlands’ AUCHENTOSHAN down to the Scottish Borders and great transport links to go on a NORTH BRITISH Dumfries & Galloway, and out west tour of the region’s diverse single to & Arran. malt distilleries. Learn about the skill behind creating a brand-new Boasting a mild climate and flat single malt at a newly-opened farmland, the Lowlands is an ideal artisan distillery, or visit one of the region for growing barley, and, area’s long established distilleries STRATHCLYDE GLENKINCHIE consequently, for producing whisky. to discover more about Lowland STARLAW The region is famous for producing whisky production in times gone light, traditionally unpeated past, tour their famous buildings whiskies that are renowned for and sample a delicious dram. their sweet, grassy notes and gentle style, earning them the While you’re in the region, why not affectionate nickname the ‘Lowland pop into the A.D. Rattray Whisky Ladies’. Experience in Kirkoswald, to nose and taste an incredible selection of Although many of the Lowlands’ malts, fill your own bottle straight historic distilleries went into decline from a cask or book a delicious in the 18th and 19th centuries session? You could following the rise in the popularity also learn about the whisky making of blended whisky, which favoured process on a terrific ‘barrel ride’ at AILSA BAY more robust single malts, a few the Scotch Whisky Experience, long-established single malt located on the historic Royal Mile in GIRVAN distilleries still remain open today Edinburgh, where you’ll also learn and continue to produce classic about the different whisky regions Lowland malts that are hugely and see the largest collection of popular for their fresh flavours whisky in the world. ANNANDALE and gentle style. Read on to learn more about In recent years, several brand- the Lowlands’ wonderful whisky new distilleries have opened their distilleries and plan your trip doors too, and the Lowlands are around the area.

BLADNOCH

Be sure to check out our guides for the other four whisky regions: Campbeltown, Islay, Highland and Speyside. www.visitscotland.com/distilleries-guides where the spirit is passed through sample from one of their specially Ailsa Bay Auchentoshan three separate whisky stills before selected single malt casks being transferred to the cask. Visit Distillery Distillery Auchentoshan to discover more OPENING TIMES about how they produce their Seven days a week, from LOCATION Tours available unique single malts, and marvel at 10:00 till 17:00 Girvan, Ayrshire. the strong notes of fruit and citrus LOCATION in their delicately smooth whisky. SAMPLE OVERVIEW By , , Glasgow. • Auchentoshan American Oak Ailsa Bay Distillery is owned by With seven tours on offer, ranging • Auchentoshan Three Wood William Grant & Sons and was HOW TO GET THERE in price from £6 for The Classic • Auchentoshan 12 Year Old named after Ailsa Craig, a rocky Situated on the A82 between Tour to £200 for the exclusive • Auchentoshan 18 Year Old island just off the Ayrshire coast. Glasgow and , Behind Closed Doors tour, • Auchentoshan 21 Year Old It was opened in 2007 to supply Auchentoshan is easy to get to Auchentoshan has plenty of whisky single for the popular by car. You could also take the experiences for you to choose WHERE TO BUY blended whisky Grants. train from Glasgow Queen Street from. Most major retailers and online. out to Kilpatrick and walk to the Not open to the public distillery from there. The walk only For something a little bit different OTHER NEARBY takes around 20 minutes, though book onto The Story of Oak tour ATTRACTIONS OTHER NEARBY be sure to use a map so you don’t and discover how the distillery’s • ATTRACTIONS books. That is, until a couple of OPENING TIMES get lost as the roads around this carefully selected casks act as • • Ailsa Craig whisky enthusiasts decided to Open all year around, except area can be busy. key influencers on the flavour of • A.D. Rattray Whisky Experience • McKechnie Institute resurrect the distillery and rebuild Christmas and New Year’s Day. the finished whisky. Priced at £35 • Titan Crane • A.D. Rattray Whisky it from its derelict and crumbling OVERVIEW this tour provides a great insight • Clydebank Museum Experience – remains. Originally established SAMPLE Established in 1823, Auchentoshan into the importance of the whisky • Dumbarton Castle Kirkoswald, Ayrshire back in 1830, the distillery finally • Man O’Sword and Man O’Words Distillery is famously the only cask, and you’ll be given four • – Arran re-opened its doors in November not yet released but Rascally distillery in Scotland to practice the of Auchentoshan’s remarkable • Annandale Distillery – 2014 and has started to make its Liquor (new-make spirit) art of ‘triple ’, a process whiskies to taste, as well as a Dumfries & Galloway first whisky in nearly 100 years. available.

Local history is at the heart of WHERE TO BUY the new distillery’s identity. Its As the distillery only re-opened in Annandale malts, Man O’Sword 2014, its first single malts will need and Man O’Words, are named to mature for at least three years. Distillery after two national heroes with They are widely expected to be local connections; Scottish king available from 2018. New-make Tours available Robert the Bruce and poet Robert spirit is now on sale online and Burns respectively. The Bruce from the distillery shop. LOCATION was 7th Lord of Annandale while Annan, Dumfries & Galloway. Burns resided in Dumfries up OTHER NEARBY until his premature death. Annan ATTRACTIONS HOW TO GET THERE was also once an established • Gretna Green Famous It is easy to get to from the main port of emigration for many Scots Blacksmiths Shop arterial road into Scotland, the to the New World. As a tribute, • 7stanes M74. Take junction 22 and drive the distillery’s branding has • The Globe Inn in Dumfries along the A75 to Annan where incorporated a sail in the letter ‘A’ • Andy Goldsworthy’s the distillery will be signposted. in Annandale. Striding Arches Alternatively, you can also exit • Cream o’Galloway Dairy Co. the M74 at junction 20 and Visitors can learn more about • Wigtown Book Town take the B722 all the way to the the distillery’s rebirth on various distillery gates. tours, including special tours with the distillery manager Malcolm OVERVIEW Rennie or by appointment with the Like many other distilleries before distillery owner Professor David it, Annandale was mothballed Thomson. and consigned to the history Annandale Distillery at night

06 07 WHERE TO BUY which, due to the unusual lay of Daftmill is currently not open to Bladnoch WHERE TO BUY In the late 1980 and early 1990s, Retailers and online the land, appears to be running public and doesn’t have visitor The Bladnoch distillery shop is the distiller underwent some upstream. The whisky-making facilities. However, it may be Distillery currently open or buy online major renovations, when the OTHER NEARBY operation at Daftmill however, set possible to arrange private tours grain distillery switched to a ATTRACTIONS against the distant, mist shrouded for small groups by appointment. LOCATION OTHER NEARBY multipurpose site, producing white • Eden Brewery, St Andrews peaks of West Lomond, is Visit the site to get in touch. Near Wigtown, Dumfries & ATTRACTIONS and other spirits. Another major • St Andrews Farmhouse anything but. Galloway. • Annandale Distillery overhaul took place in 2000 and Cheese, Pittenweem OTHER NEARBY • Creetown Gem Rock Museum today, Gordon’s gin, • Cairnie Fruit Farm, Cupar A family enterprise, Daftmill is ATTRACTIONS HOW TO GET THERE • Cardoness Castle Gins, , Pimm’s and Archers • Balgove Larder, run by the farm’s owners, the • Hill of Tarvit Scotland’s most southerly distillery • The Whithorn Story are produced on the site. The near St Andrews Cuthberts, who have been • The Scottish Deer Centre is found nestled deep in the • Cally Gardens grain spirit is used in blended growing malting barley in the • Eden Mill Distillery scenic landscape beside the whiskies including , Howe of Fife for six generations • Balmerino Abbey River Bladnoch near Wigtown in Bell’s, Gold Whisky and Black and have a true understanding of Dumfries and Galloway. & White. Daftmill the patience and craftsmanship an Cameronbridge outstanding malt demands. Using OVERVIEW Recently, the have Distillery its own un-peated barley, Daftmill Established in 1817 by John and Distillery released Haig Club Single Grain is housed inside a beautifully Thomas McClelland, Bladnoch was Scotch Whisky, which is produced Private Tours preserved 18th century barn, and blessed by surrounding farmland LOCATION at Cameronbridge. It’s packaged draws its crystal-clear water from and rich barley to utilse in the Leven, Fife. in a distinctive-looking square blue LOCATION an artesian well on the premises. whisky-making process. bottle, and the television advert By Cupar, Fife. OVERVIEW was directed by Guy Ritchie and Producing just 20,000 litres of spirit The distillery has changed hands Cameronbridge is the largest starred former footballer and OVERVIEW a year, Daftmill’s whisky is waiting over the years, and is currently grain distillery in Scotland. Now celebrity David Beckham. Daftmill is around a decade-old, to be bottled for sale. You’ll have seeking a new owner. owned by Diageo, this distillery’s making it Scotland’s newest and to wait a wee while yet before origin dates back to 1824 when it Not open to the public smallest malt whisky distillery. The pouring a dram of this ruby-red, full- (Shop is open, currently no tours) was built by John Haig. Two years distillery and the farm owe their bodied sherried whisky as it quietly later, it pioneered the column still SAMPLE ‘daft’ names to the nearby burn matures in old bourbon casks. SAMPLE method of distillation, where the • Haig Gold Label Bladnoch Distillery • Bladnoch 10 Year Old still has two columns. In 1877 John • Haig Dimple • Bladnoch 16 Year Old First Cask Haig & Co merged with five other • Haig Club Single Grain Scotch • Bladnoch 22 Year Old whisky companies to form the Whisky Mackillop’s Choice Distillers Company. • Johnnie Walker Black Label

08 09 Eden Mill Distillery Tours available on request LOCATION Girvan, Ayrshire. LOCATION St Andrews, Fife. OVERVIEW Located on the outskirts of the HOW TO GET THERE lovely seaside town of Girvan, Travel by car along the A91 Girvan Distillery was built in 1963 or A915 by William Grant & Sons to supply for their popular OVERVIEW blends. Bottles of its single grain Visit one of Scotland’s smallest whisky have been released and (and newest) whisky, beer are also available under the Black and gin producers – all at one Barrel label. location! Eden Mill Distillery was opened in 2014 and has already Not open to the public begun filling casks with the new signature whisky, a lovely, lightly SAMPLE peated coastal Highland style. • Grants The distillery is unashamedly • Black Barrel small, only racking eight barrels • Girvan Patent Still - of whisky a week, but this means Proof Strength that they can give every drop all • Girvan Patent Still No. 4 apps the care and attention a true craft whisky deserves. WHERE TO BUY Bottles of Grants can be bought Visit Eden Mill to discover how from most major retailers while they craft their artisan whisky. bottles of single grain whisky can Explore the distillery and brewery be bought online. with your knowledgeable guide before enjoying something OTHER NEARBY delicious to drink in the verdant ATTRACTIONS courtyard garden. • Ailsa Craig • McKechnie Institute OPENING TIMES • A.D. Rattray Whisky Open all year though tours should Experience, Kirkoswald, be booked in advance. Ayrshire • Arran Distillery, Arran WHERE TO BUY • Annandale Distillery, Dumfries Online & Galloway • Stumpy Tower OTHER NEARBY • Crossraguel Abbey ATTRACTIONS • Kingsbarns Distillery • St Andrews Cathedral • St Andrews Botanic Gardens • St Andrews Aquarium The still room at Eden Mill Distillery

10 11 with a free sample of Glenkinchie’s Glenkinchie light, fruity and dry Edinburgh Malt. Distillery Tours begin at £8 for a standard adult ticket on the Glenkinchie Tours available Tour, which includes one free tasting, or you could opt for the LOCATION Flavour of Scotland Tour, which Pencaitland, East Lothian. is priced at £12 and includes a number of free samples from HOW TO GET THERE both and Travel by car along the A1 to the other malt whisky distilleries from distillery, located just 30 minutes around Scotland. from Edinburgh. The distillery also runs daily minibus services from Glenkinchie Distillery also offer Edinburgh city centre, starting an excellent shuttle bus service at £20 per person for the return to and from Edinburgh city centre, transport, tour and free tasting. priced at £20 for the return transport and Glenkinchie Tour or OVERVIEW £24 for the return transport and Enjoy charming views of lush East Flavour of Scotland Tour. Lothian farmland on a visit to one of Scotland’s most famous lowland OPENING TIMES distilleries. Located south east of Open 7 days a week though Edinburgh, Glenkinchie Distillery’s opening times vary. signature style of whisky – light, sweet and malty – certainly SAMPLE contributes towards the lowlands • Glenkinchie 12 year old reputation for producing a softer • Glenkinchie Distillers Edition style of whisky and has been a key component in blends, such as WHERE TO BUY Haig’s, Dimple and Dewar’s, since Most major retailers and online. the distillery was founded. OTHER NEARBY Visit the distillery for a unique ATTRACTIONS insight into how they craft their • Crichton Castle, Crichton single malts using the pure • Museum of Flight, East Fortune water drawn from the nearby • Dirleton Castle, North Berwick Lammermuir Hills. Begin your tour • Scottish Seabird Centre, in the distillery’s exhibition, housed North Berwick on the original malting floors, and • The Scotch Whisky Experience, see the renowned model distillery, Edinburgh before you join your guide on an in depth tour around the distillery buildings, learning about the whisky making process along the way. Finish your tour in the bar Glenkinchie Distillery

12 13 surrounding estate have been in Check out the café too, and make Kingbarns the business for nearly 200 years, sure you’re prepared to try out North British Starlaw Strathclyde both producing high quality grains the putting green in the summer Distillery and independently bottling spirits. months. Distillery Distillery Distillery Tours available Driven by the imagination and OPENING TIMES LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION spirit of Douglas Clement, who Open daily from April to Edinburgh. Bathgate, Livingston, . Glasgow. LOCATION was once a golf caddy at the September between 10am and Near Kingsbarns, Fife. nearby course, Kingbarns Distillery 6pm (5pm October to March). OVERVIEW OVERVIEW OVERVIEW is now up and running. The first is one of One of the newest to be opened The Strathclyde Distillery is a spirits have been distilled into SAMPLE Scotland’s largest grain whisky in Scotland, Starlaw Distillery first grain distillery, which produces HOW TO GET THERE casks and most will be ready by Not yet released, early casks manufacturers. Founded in 1885, began producing grain whisky large amounts of grain whisky Kingbarns Distillery & Visitor 2018 at the earliest, when they will available to buy soon. the distillery’s grain whisky is a key in 2011. It is sometimes referred to be used in blends on Moffat Centre is on East Newhall Farm on have matured for three years and component in many world-famous to as the Glen Turner Distillery, Street in Glasgow. Like most the A917, just outside the village of a day, the minimum amount of time OTHER NEARBY blends, including The Famous Glen Turner being a subsidiary of grain distilleries, Strathclyde is Kingbarns in Fife. It is served by a required for a ATTRACTIONS Grouse, J&B Rare, Johnnie Walker the French parent company, La classed as a Lowlands distillery. regular local bus service. whisky. • Kingbarns Golf Links Black Label and Cutty Sark. Martiniquais - makers of Label 5 It has no official bottlings, only a • Cambo Gardens and Sir Edwards whisky, popular few bottles have OVERVIEW Book a tour to explore the journey • Crail Museum and Heritage Not open to the public blended whiskies in France. been produced independently. Travel to these unassuming of a very new distillery from the Centre The water source is Loch Katrine, renovated farm buildings to initial dream to the impending • St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese SAMPLE Not open to the public a freshwater loch placed within witness something new and dram. Start your tour in the historic Company • The Famous Grouse the remarkable landscapes of the exciting in the world of whisky – Doocot Visitor Centre to see the • St Andrews Cathedral • J&B Rare OTHER NEARBY Loch Lomond & The Trossachs Kingbarns Distillery, established very first cask which was filled, • Johnnie Walker Black Label ATTRACTIONS National Park. in 2014. see the whisky making process, • Cutty Sark • Edinburgh Castle enjoy a tasting, and perhaps even • National Museum of Scotland Not open to the public. The whisky may be new, but it’s sample the “new make spirit” - a WHERE TO BUY • Royal Yacht Britannia not without heritage – the Wemyss work in progress of the light, fruity Most major retailers and online • Glenkinchie Distillery OTHER NEARBY family who own the distillery and whisky to come. Kingsbarns Distillery • Royal Botanic Garden ATTRACTIONS OTHER NEARBY • Palace of Holyroodhouse • The Pot Still ATTRACTIONS • Scottish Parliament • Dram! • Glenkinchie Distillery, • Falkirk Wheel • The Scotia Bar Pencaitland • The Helix/Kelpies • Glasgow Green • The Scotch Whisky • Linlithgow Palace • People’s Palace & Winter Experience, Edinburgh Gardens • Scottish National Gallery of • Tron Theatre Modern Art, Edinburgh • Edinburgh Gin Distillery, Edinburgh

14 15 Driving around Scotland is a great way to see more of the country but before you head out exploring by car, there are a few rules and regulations you should be aware of: www.visitscotland.com/travel/information/driving-in-scotland Be sure to check out our guides for the other four regions. Drink responsibly: find useful information about drinking:www.drinksmarter.org

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