Kilchoman and Bruichladdich – Two Tours on Islay's West Side
A day.
The route
Kilchoman is Islay's farm distillery, out among its own barley fields at Rockside Farm, and Bruichladdich is a Victorian one on the shore of Loch Indaal, 15 minutes' drive away.
This is a day for the two of them, with a tour at each and lunch in Kilchoman's café between. One of the party is named as the driver before the day begins and tastes nothing; both distilleries have something for the driver to take home.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
None of ours is close by: the nearest is The Hollies, 45 miles away. Sleeps 18.
Book the Classic Tour on Kilchoman's website: an hour and a quarter.
Book the Guided Distillery Tour on Bruichladdich's website for the afternoon: 90 minutes, all ages, with samples to take away for whoever is driving.
The day
The Rhinns of Islay
The morning is at Rockside Farm, where the barley grows in the fields round the distillery and is malted on its own floor. The afternoon is down on the shore of Loch Indaal, in a Victorian distillery painted white and sea-green.
About six hours
Kilchoman Distillery
An attraction
Kilchoman stands at Rockside Farm, up a farm road with the visitor car park signed on the way in. Ferries to Islay land at Port Askaig while Port Ellen is closed until 2029, and CalMac's timetable has the sailings. Book the Classic Tour on Kilchoman's website before you go. It takes an hour and a quarter, beginning in the visitor centre and going out onto the farm. The malt floor comes first, where the guides show how the barley and the peat are handled, then the tun room and the still house. There are stairs, so wear sturdy shoes. Whoever is driving tastes nothing all day. Kilchoman's own page says "Driver's drams are available on request". Scotland's drink-drive limit is 50 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, and the Scottish Government's own guidance is that one drink can put a driver over it. Lunch is in the visitor centre's café from noon.
15 min by car
Bruichladdich Distillery
An attraction
Bruichladdich is on the shore road through its village, 15 minutes' drive from Kilchoman, its white walls and sea-green doors facing Loch Indaal. Ask where to leave the car when you book. The Guided Distillery Tour takes an hour and a half round the Victorian distillery, and it is the one tour here that takes all ages. It ends with a tasting in the Laddie Shop for the over-18s, and anyone driving is given samples to take away instead. Dogs are welcome in the visitor centre but not on the tours, and there is no café. From November to February the distillery is shut on Mondays and the visitor centre closes at 5pm, so choose an early afternoon tour and confirm its time when you book.
If it rains
Both tours are under a roof for most of their length; Kilchoman's goes out across the farmyard, so bring a coat.
Port Charlotte Hotel, a restaurant in Port Charlotte.