Whisky tours from Edinburgh: what to expect
A whisky tour from Edinburgh is a full day on the road that, on the tours we describe, pairs Highland, Loch Lomond or Scottish Borders scenery with one or two distillery stops, and 10 hours is the length that comes up most often. We list 13 whisky tours that leave from Edinburgh. Travellers have left more than 2,747 reviews on the whisky tours shown here, with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5.
Types of whisky tour from Edinburgh
Highland tours with Dewar's Aberfeldy entry
This format goes by Dunkeld and Pitlochry, adding a woodland trail to the Black Linn Falls and the Queen's View over Loch Tummel. Entry to the Dewar's distillery is included, and the day runs about 9.5 hours. We would pick it when the scenery matters as much as the dram.
Combined days where whisky is one stop of several
Here the dram shares the day with bigger sights. One listing, rated 4.9, spends about 12 hours taking in Glencoe and a boat cruise on Loch Ness, with fish and chips and a short hike to Highland waterfalls. Another route, of about 8 hours, goes to the Scottish Borders; lunch in Melrose and a dram at Glenkinchie Distillery fill the day.
Small-group trail through two distilleries
The small-group format keeps the focus on whisky itself, with time at Glenturret, which its listing calls Scotland's oldest working distillery. It goes on to the whisky and chocolate tasting at Dewar's Aberfeldy. Over a 10-hour day, it adds digital written translations to the driver-guide's commentary.
A guided tour with tastings included
The standard guided tour runs about 9 hours and goes by Loch Lomond and Stirling Castle; "Glengoyne Distillery tour and tasting (2 drams)", that listing notes, and Deanston adds two more drams.
Comparing whisky tours from Edinburgh
| Type of tour |
★ |
Duration |
Includes |
| Highland loop with distillery entry |
4.8 |
~9.5h |
Driver-guide + Entry to Dewar's distillery + Round-trip minibus |
| Long multi-stop day with waterfall hike |
4.9 |
~12h |
Guide/driver + Air-conditioned round trip + Short hike to Highland waterfalls |
| Small-group two-distillery trail |
4.7 |
~10h |
Live commentary by driver-guide + Luxury air-conditioned bus + Digital written translations |
| Guided day with four drams included |
4.7 |
~9h |
Deanston tastings (2 drams) + Glengoyne tour and tasting (2 drams) + Driver/guide |
Table data is indicative and comes from the GuruWalk catalogue. Each activity's current details, including availability, are the ones shown on its listing when you book.
What sets these tours apart is how many distilleries the day holds and whether the tasting is included; we would compare those two before the rating. Of the trips shown here, the one with the most reviews is "From Edinburgh: Scottish Highlands Tour with Whisky Tasting", with more than 705 reviews and a rating of 4.8 out of 5.
Tips before your whisky tour from Edinburgh
Tasting fees: included or paid as an extra
Some listings include the distillery, such as Dewar's entry on one tour and four drams across Glengoyne and Deanston on another. On other whisky tours the tasting fee is paid on the day as an extra. Read your listing's inclusions before you confirm.
Guiding languages and cancellation terms
Each listing we describe shows English as its language, and one adds digital written translations. Every listing we describe states free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Whisky tours from Edinburgh: frequently asked questions
Where is Glenkinchie Distillery?
Glenkinchie is in East Lothian, south-east of Edinburgh. On one listing here, the dram shares the day with the Scottish Borders and the abbey town of Melrose.
What else do Highland whisky tours stop at besides distilleries in 2026?
Highland whisky loops can add the Sma' Glen, a woodland walk at The Hermitage and Dunkeld Cathedral. On this page, one listing names the cathedral of Dunkeld and the shops of Pitlochry.
