Whisky and Castle Tour

Explore Scotland's most famous whisky region & discover that it's also home to wonderful historic sights and breathtaking scenery.

Interested in this tour?

This tour is available on a private basis only. Please get in touch to get a quote for your group.

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Only available as a private tour

This tour is only available as a private tour in 2023. Our private tours are conducted in our 16 and 30 seater mini-coaches and as such are best suited to groups of 8+. Prices starts from £1195 per day per group.

Rated 5* on TripAdvisor TripAdvisor by more than 2200 happy customers #1 for tours from Inverness and Invergordon

Tour Highlights

  • Wonderful combination of whisky and sightseeing
  • Fantastic distillery experience at Tomatin
  • Visit Ballindalloch Castle - Jewel of the North
  • Speyside Cooperage - an unexpected highlight, believe us!
  • Great introduction to the Speyside region

Itinerary and Map+

Itinerary & Map

1

Tomatin Distillery

Tomatin Distillery
Take a tour to find out about Scotland’s national drink.

At Tomatin Distillery whisky production has been a way of life since the fifteenth century. You will be taken on a one hour tour to explore the distillery and find out how whisky is produced. You will visit the still house and the warehouse, as well as having a unique opportunity to step inside a mash tun. This in-depth tour will give you a great overview of the illicit history of our national drink.

After the tour you will be encouraged to, “experience the softer side of the Highlands”, with tutored tastings of three specially selected drams. You will then have the opportunity to browse the gift shop, which features many special whiskies and unique Tomatin merchandise.

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2

Ballindalloch Castle

Ballindalloch Castle
We are assured a warm welcome at this, “Pearl of the North”.

First and foremost a family home, Ballindalloch Castle has been lived in continuously by the Macpherson-Grants since 1546, this magnificent building is resplendent with family memorabilia, fine furniture and paintings. You will be able to independently explore the castle and its lush gardens; The Rockery, the Courtyard Garden and the Walled Garden. 

This will also be your opportunity to purchase lunch from the delightful tearoom, which serves hearty soups, homemade cakes, scones and tray bakes.You may also wish to purchase souvenirs in their shop, which is well stocked with beautiful cashmere goods from Johnstons of Elgin, and local products ranging from jewellery and gifts to

You will spend around 2 hours at Ballindalloch Castle.

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3

Speyside Cooperage

Speyside Cooperage
It may not be on your must-see list but trust us on this one!

Watching these incredibly skilled craftsmen at work is a real highlight of today’s tour, and we guarantee you will be enthralled! The Speyside Cooperage is the largest working cooperage in the UK and the highly experienced coopers are still using traditional skills to restore and repair casks, which are an integral component of the whisky production process.  When we arrive we will watch a audio-visual presentation about the history of the cooperage. Then for the intriguing part; you will be shown up to the viewing gallery where, with the backdrop of a local guide talking you through the repair and restoration process, you will have the chance to watch this live from the viewing gallery.  There is lots to take in, and one cannot fail to be impressed! After the tour you will have the opportunity to browse the gift shop or pick up a coffee at the on-site cafe.

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4

Great Highland Scenery

Great Highland Scenery
Sit back and enjoy the views

Sit back and enjoy the views

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Tour Map

FAQs+

Tour FAQs

What sort of vehicle do you use?+

Here at WOW Scotland we only have two coaches, both of which were built to our precise specifications, to ensure the highest levels of passenger comfort.  The vehicles have 30-seats and are very well-appointed with panoramic windows, comfortable reclining seats, USB ports under every seat and on-board WiFi.  You can rest assured that you will be able to relax and enjoy the majestic scenery in complete comfort.  You can read more about our coaches here.

Can children come on the this tour?+

The minimum age for this tour is 18 years old.  Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate children under the age of 18 on this tour, due to age restrictions at the distilleries we visit.

Will I be able to purchase souvenirs?+

Yes, of course.  There are shops at Tomatin Distillery, Ballindalloch Castle, Speyside Cooperage and Macallan. The shop at Ballindalloch Castle has the widest variety of gifts, whilst the others offer a vast-array of primarily whisky-themed gifts.

Will we be stopping for coffee/snacks enroute?+

There are coffee shops at Ballindalloch Castle, Speyside Cooperage and Macallan so there will be plenty of opportunities to purchase refreshments along the way.  All of these places accept credit/debit card. 

 

Where will we be stopping for lunch?+

We will take orders on the coach for a sandwich lunch from Ballindalloch Castle Tearoom. The lunch offers really good value at £7 for your choice of sandwich, soft drink, crisps and a packet of two biscuits. Please bring cash as lunch cannot be paid for by card.

 

To see the full menu please click here to go to the Whisky Tour lunch menu page.

What time does the tour start and finish?+

This tour departs promptly at 8.45am (0845). Please ensure that you are ready to board the bus at 8.30am (0830) as we will leave promptly at 8.45am (0845), and are unable to wait for any latecomers! The tour will return to Inverness city centre at approximately 6.45pm (1845) – it is possible that we may return a bit later than this although we always try to keep to our schedule as much as possible.

Can I reserve seats on the tour?+

Yes. Due to customer demand, we have a booking system for the following seats;

  • 4 front row seats – these give you unparalleled views out of the front windows, and the opportunity to disembark first at every stop.  Our most popular seats.
  • 4 second row seats – many guests prefer to sit near the front of the coach, or be reassured that you will be seated together if they are a couple/group, both of which you get with this option.  These seats also have a little more legroom than these front row seats.  These are available on some tours only.
  • 2 extra legroom seats – these are situated near the back of the coach and have approximately 50% more legroom than regular seats.  They are particularly suited to those who are tall, or like to stretch out.
  • 4 back row seats – these are ideal for groups who wish to sit together.  Unlike on most other coaches we have removed the fifth/middle seat so the seats are spaced further apart, giving you more elbow room.
  • The price of the upgrades vary depending on which tour you are on, with prices between £2.50 and £22.50 per person.  If they are available, upgrades will be given as an option when booking.

Please note that it does not make any difference which side of the coach you sit on, so we don’t take requests for specific sides.

The rest of our seating works on a first-come-first-served basis, as we feel that this is the fairest system of allocating seats. It is not possible to reserve window seats, or seats together if you are travelling as part of a group but, if you do wish to choose your seat, we would recommend arriving early at the bus stop (i.e. a few minutes before check-in closes). If you are unhappy with your seat please let your tour guide know and he will do his best to accommodate your requests, although obviously many guests would prefer a window seat so it is not possible for everyone to have these!

 

Note that any fees paid for seat upgrades are non-refundable if you cancel your tour.

Can we be picked up and/or dropped off somewhere else?+

For our Whisky Tour and Whisky & Castle Tour we can offer pick-up from Carrbridge Train Station, for those travelling by train from Edinburgh or Glasgow. The pick-up is at around 1050 (to meet the train arriving at 0957). You must inform us if you want to do take this option, as we will not stop in Carrbridge otherwise.

We can also drop you off in Carrbridge at the end of the day, to get the 1916 train back to Edinburgh/Glasgow.

 

Note that you will miss Tomatin Distillery if you take this option.

Where is the pick-up point in Inverness?+

We pick-up from Stance 7 at Inverness Bus Station, Margaret Street, Inverness, IV1 1LT. Look out for the kilted WOW guide and WOW-branded coach and you won’t miss us!

Whisky Tour/ Whisky & Castle Tour Lunch Menu+

Whisky Tour/ Whisky & Castle Tour Lunch Menu

Lunch costs £7 per person and includes a sandwich, crisps, packet of Scottish biscuits and soft drink.

 

Please pick a sandwich and a drink from the selection below and your tour guide will take your order.

 

Note that we can only accept payment in cash.

 

Sandwich fillings (available on white sourdough or wholemeal bread)

 

Lockerbie mature cheddar cheese and chutney (Vegetarian)

Ayrshire ham and wholegrain mustard

Smoked salmon and cream cheese

Tuna, cucumber, red onion and mayonnaise

Roast beef and horseradish

Almond nut butter, beetroot and grated carrot with a homemade tahini dressing (Vegan option, sunflower margarine used)

Soft Drinks

 

Still water

Coca Cola

Diet Coke

San Pellegrino orange

Dietary requirements

 

If you are gluten free we can offer a gluten-free multi-seed bread sandwich (all fillings are gluten free), crisps, Millionaire’s Shortbread biscuit and a soft drink

 

If you are vegan we have a vegan sandwich (shown above), soft drink, crisps and gluten-free Millionaire’s Shortbread biscuits

 

If you do have any allergies please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate these – if allergies are severe then we would recommend bringing your own food as, although sandwiches can be prepared separately, we cannot guarantee that there will be no cross-contamination

 

All sandwiches have allergens shown on the packaging.

 

You may be interested to know that…

Our friends at the The Ballindalloch Castle Tearoom make our lunches to order so that they are as fresh as possible.

 

The tearoom uses locally-sourced Scottish produce as much as possible, with suppliers including: 

 

McIntosh Butcher of Dufftown (supply ham and roast beef), 

John Ross Ltd of Inverurie (supply salmon), 

Walkers of Aberlour (biscuits), 

Rizza’s of Huntly (gluten-free biscuits) 

Deeside Water of Ballater (bottled water).

Our sandwiches are packaged in fully recyclable cardboard boxes, and lunches are supplied in recyclable paper bags.  All other packaging materials are recyclable wherever possible.  After lunch your driver guide will collect all waste, and will sort and recycle it at the end of the tour.

 

All money paid for lunches goes directly to this wonderful little tearoom.

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Discover the Factor

LOCAL EXPERTISE
Local owners, guides and knowledge for a truly authentic experience.
GUARANTEED DEPARTURES
Tours always depart, whether with 2 or 20 guests, so you can book with confidence.
FAMILY-RUN
14 years of tours and our aim is the same; to provide a WOW experience every time.
SUSTAINABLE TOURS
Choose to tour with a company who are serious about preserving the Highlands.
BEST GUIDES
Our highly experienced team will ensure you go home with memories to last a lifetime.
COMFORT FIRST
Our custom-designed vehicles offer the highest levels of passenger comfort.

Meet your guides

Gordon Pearson

Founder & Tour Guide

  730 Reviews

Gordon founded WOW Scotland in 2010 and hasn’t looked back since. He is passionate about showcasing his homeland, and is continually striving to create the best possible experiences for every guest.

Robert Carr

Tour Guide

  137 Reviews

Prior to being a tour guide, Rob ran successful food and tourism businesses in Edinburgh and Perthshire. He has now been in the Highlands for 16 years, where he loves to indulge in his joint passions of golf and hiking.

Andrew Jones

Tour Guide

  210 Reviews

With over 10 years of experience as a tour director and guide, Andrew prefers to consider himself as a storyteller, amateur historian and, above all, an ambassador for Scotland

Meet the Team

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