Four Days on Islay: A Whisky Tour Worth the Money
My dad's 60th birthday was approaching, and as a devoted whisky drinker with a sharp nose, his dream trip had always been to explore Islay, the Scottish island known worldwide for its smoky, peated single malts. I often travel solo and like organized tours, so Rabbie's four-day Islay and whisky tour-with pickup from Edinburgh, a maximum group of 16, and plenty of drams-sounded ideal for us both.
Islay is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides, with rugged beaches and peat bogs, and getting around usually involves many small logistics. The tour handles transportation, accommodations, attractions, and a local guide. It starts at $609 per adult without accommodations or distillery tours, or around $1,464 all-in. I booked it.
After a night in Edinburgh, we met our driver and group at the bus station. Our guide, Glaswegian Peter McShane, shared Scottish folklore as we left the city. We stopped in Falkirk to see the Kelpies sculptures, then rode through the Lowlands and past Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park to Oban, where we browsed shops and grabbed seafood. After a visit to Oban Distillery, we drove to Kennacraig for the evening ferry. We sailed two hours along the Sound of Jura before the Paps of Jura came into view. At 240 square miles, Islay felt remote yet homey. We settled in Bowmore.
We didn't know what to expect from shared accommodations, but at Bowmore Distillery Cottages, my dad and I each had our own room, sharing a kitchen and living spaces with two others from our group.
Our first full day began with a two-minute walk to Bowmore Distillery, where we learned about its 240-year history, tasted straight from the cask in the cellar, and ended with whisky, chocolate, and sea views upstairs. Because Islay has just over 3,000 residents, flexibility matters-some distilleries may be closed. Our itinerary listed Kilchoman, but we diverted to Ardnahoe for a tour and tasting, then drove to Bunnahabhain, Islay's most remote distillery, for four drams with views of clear blue water. Lunches and evenings were free, which let me enjoy quality time with my dad.
By day two, our group was buzzing. We visited Ardbeg, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig. Though our Saturday visit to Ardbeg wasn't scheduled to include a tour, we saw some facilities and ended with a five-dram tasting-one of my most memorable moments, sitting in the sunshine with new friends. We stopped at Kildalton Church, home to an eighth-century cross, then lunch in Port Ellen. At Lagavulin, no tour or tasting was included, but we chatted at the bar and walked to the coast. Five minutes away, Laphroaig offered our last tasting: a tour of peat kilns, stills, and warehouses, plus whiskies with Glencairn glasses on lanyards.
On day four, we ferried two hours back to Kennacraig, enjoyed a full Scottish breakfast, then stopped in Inveraray for lunch. We drove through the Arrochar Alps to the Rest and Be Thankful viewpoint, and ended in Luss, where we found another distillery. There was something heavy yet appreciative in the air-sad it was our last day, but thankful for new connections and laughs. I've done Rabbie's day tours before, but this was more immersive because we stayed with the same people throughout. My dad, who owns over 200 whiskies, said it was well worth the money.