This tour incorporates the Kilchoman, Bruichladdich, Bowmore, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Port Ellen and Ardbeg Distilleries.

We’ve allowed six days for our Discovering Islay Tour, as there are six distilleries, but you could visit two a day if need be – the Kilchoman (most northerly) and Laphroig (most southerly) distilleries are a 40 minutes’ drive apart. We like to savour our whisky though, and with scenery as stunning as Islay’s, you’ll want to relax and take your time.

We recommend a route round the distilleries of Kilchoman> Bruichladdich> Bowmore> Port Ellen>Laphroaig> Lagavulin> Ardbeg, but you could travel in reverse no problem. Getting to some of Islay’s distilleries can take a little more dedication than the mainland, but the journey is well worth the effort, and is very simple with a car. If you’re more dedicated to reducing your carbon footprint, take your bike and clothes for all weathers, and get set for spectacular but incredibly peaceful scenery.

Known as the ‘Queen of the Hebrides’ for good reason, this stunning island is the fifth-largest in Scotland and the eighth-largest in the British Isles. Despite these stats, it is still a relatively small space to be home to so many distilleries making it a great location for a whisky holiday where you can sample island life and the characteristically peaty single malts on offer here.

Near the distilleries of Bruichladdich, Kilchoman and Bowmore you can visit the picturesque village of Port Charlotte, considered the best-preserved and most attractive village on Islay. Take some time to visit the Museum of Islay Life which includes exhibits from archaelogical excavations as well as an important collection of carved stones. There is also an array of domestic items, largely from the Victorian era, plus objects of interest including the clockworks from the Rhinns lighthouse.

Speaking of lighthouses, Loch Indaal (Port Charlotte) Lighthouse is a fantastic reminder of how spectacular the scenery on Islay is. The lighthouse itself is still operational but only the grounds of the tower are open. The former keeper's dwelling is now known as Lochindaal House and offers self catering accommodation for those looking to stay on the island.

Port Charlotte Lighthouse

Feis Ile

The Islay Festival of Music and Malt, Feis Ile is held each year at the end of May. Arranged together with Islay's distilleries, each distillery runs extra events on top of their usual tours, with a day dedicated to each one. This includes an incredible scope of tastings and masterclasses, cooperage demonstrations and bottle filling, hog roasts, smokies and whisky ice creams, arts and crafts, boat trips, carnival floats and games. So get ready for a week of raucous ceilidhs, passionate storytelling, traditional live music, bowling, piping, Gaelic lessons, golf, fly-fishing, fantastic food and, of course, lots and lots of whisky!

Dunyvaig Castle

The ruins of Dunyvaig Castle are located near Port Ellen, on the shore of Lagavulin Bay. Once a coastal defence for the chiefs of Clan MacDonald, who held the title of Lord of the Isles. Built upon a pre-historic fort, the surviving remains date from the 13th to 16th century. This is a great place to visit for wonderful views across the bay and of Lagavulin Distillery. You can access the site from the Three Distilleries Pathway, but do take care when leaving the pathway.

Dunyvaig Castle

RSPB Loch Gruinart Nature Reserve

Heading north-west from Bridgend, the RSPB Loch Gruinart Nature Reserve is one of the top wildlife sites in Scotland. An extraordinary range of Hebridean birds and other wildlife are available to view, including thousands of white-fronted and barnacle geese arriving from Greenland in autumn. There are guided walks in the summer, when you can look and listen out for a huge selection of birds, as well as roe deer and butterflies.

American Monument

A solemn tribute to the loss of two troop ships in 1918, the American Monument stands on a 429 feet high cliff on the Oa Peninsula in the south of Islay. Erected in 1920 by the American Red Cross, the Monument is so remote it must have been an incredible effort to erect in this location – testament to its importance and poignancy. The walk from the car park is around 30-45 minutes each way, with views across to Ireland on a clear day.

Accommodation

If you’re visiting Islay House Square, Islay House itself is a grand and historic country house hotel, set in 28 acres of gardens and protected woodland. The hotel offers the (reservation-only) Jib Door restaurant, which uses ‘hyper-local’ seafood, game and meat – yes please! If you prefer a B&B, east of Bridgend is Kentraw Farmhouse with stunning views and a wood burning stove. They also offer guided tours of Islay on wildlife walks, fishing trips, bird watching and more. If you’d prefer something more budget-friendly, the Port Charlotte Youth Hostel is housed in a former distillery warehouse, sits next to a safe sandy beach and boasts wonderful sea views.

Once you've completed our Discovering Islay Tour, you can continue the whisky bliss on our Discovering Islay & Jura Tour.