When you visit the Isle of Islay, you're in the right place to embark on some of the best whisky distillery tours Scotland has to offer. So, your whisky tours in Scotland just wouldn't be complete without exploring Islay's legendary distilleries, where you can witness traditional whisky-making techniques, enjoy exclusive tastings, and immerse yourself in the island's rich cultural heritage, all set against the beautiful backdrop of Islay's rugged coastal landscape.

Between March and May, you’ll experience mild weather and fewer crowds. It’s an ideal time to embark on Islay distillery tours and the best whisky tasting tours Scotland has to offer.

May and June are peak whisky tour seasons, with Fèis Ìle (The Islay Festival) at the end of May, attracting huge numbers of Islay whisky lovers from around the world. If you planned to visit Islay during this time, you’d need to book as far in advance as possible.

Between June to August, you’ll experience long daylight hours; September to November is quieter and, with smaller groups, whisky tours and tastings have a more personal intimate feel. From December to February, expect it to be cold and some distilleries have reduced opening hours.

If you would like to attend one of our distillery experiences, we recommend that you book ahead of arrival, as spaces are limited. You can do this online here. If you would just like to come and see us in the visitor centre and enjoy the spectacular views across the water, you do not need to book in advance.

Please aim to arrive about 10 minutes before the scheduled start time of your tour or tasting. When you arrive at Bunnahabhain, please park in the car park if you have driven here, and come to the visitor centre (first black building on the right). Let a member of the team know you're here and they'll take you to the experience when it is ready to begin.

Not all surfaces at the distillery are completely level, so we would recommend you wear sensible footwear, and if you are attending one of our warehouse experiences, please wear warm clothing as the warehouses in Islay are notoriously cool.

If you are running late, please let us know as soon as possible by calling the visitor centre on +44 (0) 1496 840 557 (please note, you may not always get phone signal on the island, particularly on the road down to the distillery).

Please check in at the visitor centre when you arrive, and a member of the team will take you to the tasting or tour area. Please note, we cannot start a tasting or tour outside of the available booking times, so you may miss some information if arriving late.

Yes, absolutely. If you're driving, we offer 'drivers' drams', so you can take away Bunnahabhain whisky from the experience to enjoy when you get home.

Yes, although anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult at all times whilst on the premises. Anyone who appears to be under the age of 25 may be asked to present a valid photo ID or passport as proof of age in order to taste or purchase any alcohol, under the terms of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. Children under the age of 8 are welcome in the visitor centre but are not permitted inside production areas of the distillery.

Well behaved dogs (on a lead) are welcome in our visitor centre, however, due to health and safety regulations, pets are not permitted in production or food and drink areas.

Yes, many tour companies offer private or group whisky tours in Scotland and on Islay, departing from Edinburgh as well as Glasgow and Inverness.

We will try to accommodate a private tasting experience as best as we can but cannot guarantee it due to availability. Give us a call on +44 (0) 1496 840 557 to discuss your requirements.

If you cannot make the tour time chosen, please contact the distillery as soon as possible as bookings can only be changed at the discretion of the distillery and are subject to availability. We generally do not issue any refunds for cancellations, with the exception of bookings impacted by sailing or flight cancellations due to inclement weather or technical failure.