Whisky tourism is on the rise in Scotland - with a focus on luxury experiences
As the industry continues to face challenges, experience-led tourism is on the rise, writes Rosalind Erskine.
When you think of visiting a whisky distillery, you probably think of an hour-long tour that showcases the production process, and maybe ends with a dram. While this is true of many distilleries in Scotland, the focus for some is to provide a completely different, luxury experience. As the industry continues to face challenges, and consumers are getting more discerning with where, and now, they spend their cash, the trend of experiential tourism - with an emphasis on unique and luxury offerings - is on the rise.
According to data from the Scotch Whisky Association there were 2.7m visits to Scotch Whisky Visitor Centres in 2024 and more than 60% of visitors are from abroad, compared to just under half in 2022. Combined, Scotch Whisky Visitor Centres are again the most visited attraction in Scotland and Scotch Whisky visitor spend has more than doubled in the past 10 years.
This year has seen the grand opening of multimillion pound new visitor centres and distilleries, including Eden Mill in Fife, Glencaddam in Brechin and Luss distillery on the banks of Loch Lomond. We also saw the opening of Ardbeg House, the premium - and eye-catching - home of the Islay single malt.
Glencaddam’s multimillion pound new home opened in November and marked a landmark moment in Glencadam’s bicentennial year, with the development offering guests an immersive exploration of the distillery’s heritage and whisky-making artistry, with an intimate look behind the scenes of this storied distillery for the first time in its 200-year history.
Visitors can enjoy guided tours, tutored tastings and an interactive exhibition, tracing Glencadam’s journey from its 1825 origins to its place among Scotland’s most celebrated single malts today. The new brand home also features a whisky lounge, café, retail shop and function suite, blending tradition with modern hospitality.
Iain Lochhead, director at Angus Dundee Distillers, owners of Glencadam Distillery, said: “Opening our doors is a moment of immense pride for everyone at Glencadam. This visitor centre is more than a building — it’s a celebration of 200 years of tradition, people and place, providing a unique opportunity to explore the history, craftsmanship and stories behind one of Scotland’s oldest working distilleries. It marks an exciting new chapter not just for Glencadam Distillery, but for the entire Brechin community.
“Whether you’re discovering Glencadam for the first time or returning as a long-time fan, our new visitor centre allows us to share the depth of our history, the craft behind each dram and the people who have shaped our story over two centuries. We can’t wait to share the next chapter of our story with you.”
Over in Fife, Eden Mill opened the doors to their new distillery in October, before being acquired out of liquidation in November. The multi-million-pound site combines modern sustainability with Scotland’s rich distilling tradition to create a new, ‘world-class destination’ for both local and international visitors.
Euan Kinninmonth, brand home manager at Eden Mill, said of this historic moment: “The vision was to create a distillery and visitor centre that would celebrate the town’s rich distilling heritage, highlighting St Andrews as a must-visit destination for spirits tourism. I’m delighted to say that this vision is now a reality. It’s a landmark moment - not just for Eden Mill, but for St Andrews as a whole.
“On a personal level, I will become the fourth generation of my family to work on the site of the old paper mill which is a real source of pride given I was born and raised in the area.”
As for whisky, Rennie Donaldson, chief executive at Eden Mill added: “We see our whisky as having a really unique proposition in the sense that we’re from the home of golf, so that gives us a massive activation platform in what is a hugely growing sport, particularly in the last four or five years. So we believe that gives us a point of difference that we can leverage with consumers from all over the world.”
It’s this authentic experience, with a sense of place and provenance, that’s driving visitors, many with money to spend. They want something that transcends the usual tour, whether it’s hand labelling their own bottle from a single cask, having a unique blend made for them or fully immersing themselves in the brand’s home.
And there’s no more striking a home for an equally striking brand than Ardbeg House. Opened in September this year, the former Islay Hotel has had a complete makeover by Russell Sage Studio.
I was lucky to be one of the first to visit as the hotel opened, and it wasn’t like anything I’ve ever seen before when it comes to whisky tourism. During my stay, I spoke to Kevin Hill, brand and strategy director at Russell Sage Studio and Ellie Goss, director of corporate affairs and hospitality for the Glenmorangie Group.
Ms Goss summed up the hotel, saying: “We wanted to create an experience that really championed all that is awesome about Ardbeg and Islay. That showcases the stories about the people, the place and the whisky - that was somewhere that wanted to come and have a drink or a meal on a Monday night or a Friday night, whenever.
“And also a place that people from all over the world want to come and visit and experience, and return to. No two items are the same, every single room is different, every bedroom is different and there’s lots of little nooks and crannies to experience and explore.”
Mr Hill added: “I just want, for everyone who comes here, when they step through the door for it to be a moment of absolute magic and joy.”
The rooms, all individually styled, feature handmade items from the Islay community as well as a piano headboard, the ‘biggest bed on Islay’ and awe-inspiring bathrooms. This adventure into all things Ardbeg will set you back around from £230 per night, going up to around £500 in peak season. It’s sold out for Feis, showing not only the demand for rooms during this time but how many people are willing to spend their time, and money, at key whisky dates.
While this is Ardbeg’s ultimate expression of luxury and eccentric style, some whisky fans visiting Scotland may want to go the whole hog and stay in a castle, which is where somewhere like Rothes Glen comes in. Located in Speyside, the castle is owned by Damian Riley-Smith, founder and owner of Whisky Magazine. It has been designed for “discerning travellers and lovers of whisky” and offers a range of weekend retreats, priced from £2,500.
With just 13 king-size suites hosting 26 guests per weekend, each all-inclusive experience feels like a private house party in a Scottish castle. Guests are treated to candlelit dinners, Champagne receptions, private distillery tours, whisky tastings, cultural showcases, and seasonal festivities—curated by leading figures in whisky, food, and heritage.
A similar experience can be had in the luxurious Links House at Royal Dornoch, who recently put on a whisky weekend with Gordon and MacPhail. Private tastings, wonderful dinners, attendance to the Dornoch Whisky Festival and private glass blowing and candle making were all part of this £2,500 weekend. One they’re keen to replicate again in 2026.
Over in Edinburgh, Johnnie Walker Princes Street, who celebrated 1 million visitors in 2024, launched a £50,000 Vault private blending whisky experience this year, designed to tap into the luxury tourism market. At the heart of the new experience is the artistry of Johnnie Walker master blender, Dr Emma Walker, and her craft of telling stories from a carefully curated selection of exceptionally rare whiskies.
Under the newly launched Private Blend experience, Dr Walker will personally create unique made-to-measure blends for a select few, hand-selecting meaningful expressions from the invite-only Johnnie Walker Vault physical space, and crafting these into deeply layered blends. Each blend is tailored to the inspirations and individual palates of her guests.
For the first time, this experience was launched and offered to the public with packages starting from £50,000, to include a luxurious agenda.
Dr. Emma Walker, Johnnie Walker master blender, said: "Johnnie Walker Vault is our treasure trove. It’s where I can curate and share our rarest and most exceptional Scotch whiskies, and from these create unique blends which sing to my guests and showcase the blending artistry at the heart of Johnnie Walker.
“It is a very special place to me, but it’s also much more than just a physical space – it’s a platform through which I can take deeply personal stories and translate them into beautiful, one-of-a-kind blends. It’s a real privilege to be a part of capturing and bottling these wonderful stories.”
Whisky experiences are also now a firm part of the prestigious Michelin Guide, with The Glenturret Lalique leading the way in gaining one star in 2022 and a second star in 2023. TimeSpirit, Macallan’s restaurant was mentioned in the Michelin Guide in early 2025. This nod could lead to a star for the distillery restaurant, further cementing Macallan’s position as the luxury whisky brand.
A combination of travel and hospitality all within a luxury setting is available on board the Belmond Royal Scotsman. A bucket list for many, including myself, the decadent train has a regular whisky experience where guests can sample drams, fine dining and entertainment while being whisked through the Highlands. Private distillery and estate tours are also often included in this four night package, which is priced from just over £9,000 per person.
Things may not be as they once were for the whisky industry, and times are tough, but it’s still the jewel in the crown of Scottish drinks and is clearly still an extremely popular reason to visit Scotland.
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