Bladnoch Distillery – a Lowland Malt by the River
A few hours.
The route
Bladnoch has made Lowland whisky beside the River Bladnoch since 1817, in a group of old stone buildings just south of Wigtown.
The Classic Tour takes an hour from grain to glass and ends with three drams, and Café Melba on site does light lunches and cakes. It is an easy few hours for anyone who likes whisky, and whoever is driving is given drams to take away.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
Book the Classic Tour and Taste on bladnoch.com by midnight the day before, for a Tuesday to Saturday (tours are by appointment only): an hour, three whiskies, £25 a head at the time of writing, over-18s and children 12 to 17 at £10, takeaway drams for drivers.
The day
Bladnoch
An hour among the washbacks, the stills and the casks by the river, three drams, and lunch in the distillery's own café.
About two and a half hours
Bladnoch Distillery
Bladnoch Distillery is in the village of Bladnoch, just south of Wigtown, with free parking at the distillery. The visitor centre opens Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm, and is shut on Sundays and Mondays. Tours are by appointment only: request the Classic Tour and Taste online by midnight the day before. It lasts an hour, from grain to glass, ends with a tasting of three whiskies, and costs £25 a head at the time of writing. Whoever is driving is given takeaway drams. The tours are for over-18s, though children aged 12 to 17 may join for £10 each. They aren't suitable for wheelchair users or anyone using a walking stick or walking aid, because of the old buildings, and high heels aren't allowed. Café Melba, at the distillery, serves light lunches, desserts and cakes from 10am to 4pm on the same days.
If it rains
The tour, the shop and Café Melba are indoors; only the yard between the buildings is out in the weather.
Photographs by Alan Jamieson and Andy Blundell via Google