I don’t need a special occasion to down whiskey, but sometimes real life gets in the way.
“One more round” sounds great in the moment. But not so much the next morning as your headache rages, you’ve hit the snooze button four times and you need to go to work… but all you can think about is finding a breakfast sandwich.
Maybe that’s why whiskey tours are booming. Day drinking isn’t just accepted; it’s expected. Who cares if you wake up with a hangover? The only thing you have to do is drink more whiskey.
And since you’re learning about the history and the science behind the beverage, you can even say it’s educational.
As summer approaches, it’s time to start planning your next getaway. So why not make it a whiskey vacation?
Here are five top whiskey destinations, whether you’re planning a roadtrip or you’re ready to get your passport stamped.
Kentucky Bourbon Trail
Of course, a visit to the birthplace of bourbon is at the top of this list. There are currently 56 distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, so if you’re pressed for time, you may need to sample the highlights.
Book early, though – many of the most popular distillery tours are booked solid several weeks in advance.
Check out the Jim Beam American Stillhouse, where you can get whiskey from a self-serving machine, as well as Maker’s Mark in Loretto, where you can dip your own bottle in the classic red wax.
If you’re looking for a scenic drinking destination, you can’t go wrong with Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles.
Tennessee
Technically, Tennessee whiskey is considered a bourbon. But don’t mention that when you’re visiting the Volunteer State.
You can pay your old friend Jack Daniel’s a visit, but it’s located in a dry county. You can buy a souvenir bottle (that coincidentally) has whiskey inside. But it’s not for drinking, OK?
Or swing by one of the five Ole Smoky distilleries for some good old-fashioned moonshine.
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest isn’t home to any big names in whiskey, but it offers some noteworthy micro-distilleries.
Distilleries in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia have even teamed up to offer a self-guided Pacific Northwest Whiskey Trail, which they say is the first whiskey trail to cross international borders.
Ireland
Ireland doesn’t have a single region that’s known for its distilleries. So if you visit for the whiskey, you’ll either need to rent a car to drive the Emerald Isle or take an organized tour.
A few of the top destinations include Kilbeggan Distillery, the oldest licensed distillery in Ireland, and the Jameson Distillery in Dublin, formerly the home of the Irish whiskey legend’s factory.
Speyside, Scotland
Speyside, Scotland is home to over 50 distilleries. The fact that it’s the capital of Scotch whisky may be a bit of a geographical coincidence. It’s situated between the Cairngorm mountains to the south and the North Sea to the north. Distilling whisky was illegal until 1823, but Seyside’s location made for a difficult place for those enforcing the law to reach.
Noteworthy distilleries include The Balvenie (if you’re up for a splurge) or The Macallan (known among Scotch lovers for its sherry casks). You could also visit in late April for the Spirit of Speyside Whiskey Festival, where you’ll find over 500 whisky events packed into six days.
3 comments
Can you do a best of Mexico and international locations..
I loved your article on whiskey vacay’s. I am a true bourbon lover! Great bourbon, that is. I just wanted to mention the HUGE Tennessee ommission. You cannot mention Tennessee whiskey and Tennessee whiskey destinations without mentioning the Nearest Green Distillery in Shelbyville!! It is a WONDERFUL bourbon experience! The gift shop is amazing. The tours are fantastic, and the juice is delicious!! All MUST check out the Humble Baron Bar, the longest bar on the planet according to Guiness! The food is top notch, great wings and burgers and you have opportunity to try the rare and fantastic Anniversary 777 bottle. I have been to dozens of distilleries and tours, but Nearest Green Distillery was truly uplifting, inspiring and a true testament to Black excellence and Girl Power!! The bond and friendship that Nathan Green and Jack Daniel’s had was inspiring. I just think one would be cheating themselves if you didn’t visit the Distillery that honors the man that taught Jack Daniel how to make whiskey, and served as Jack Daniel’s first master distiller! The first African American master Distillery to boot!
Last summer my family and my wife’s cousin’s family went to Scotland for a vacation. Let me rephrase that – this was the trip of a lifetime.
Scotland had definitely been on our on bucket list. Maybe it’s just my opinion but trust me – go there an be changed. Edinburgh was wonderful but the best was still in store. A week in Inverness. I simply don’t have the words – Loch Ness, Culloden, Highlands, Isle of Skye- simply life altering. Now to the whisky.
Scotland and whisky are simply interchangeable. You don’t have one without the other. The whisky experience started quite simply, just spending the evenings in the hotel bar downstairs, while the kids played cards and I got to know the bartender. Not so open at first, but by the second or third day, we were getting on like old mates.
My cousin’s husband didn’t know much about scotch at first (although in Scotland it’s not scotch, it’s simply whisky with no e; cousin’s usually a bourbon drinker) but with the tutelage of our bartender and what I already knew, we brought him along quickly.
We had already planned a private tour before we left for Scotland so after a few days with our bartender, we were ready to go.
Rather than keep rambling on, here is a note I got from our tour guide once we got back home. He captured everything we did on our tour. The only distillery we went to on our own was Talisker on the Isle of Skye. Trust me, it’s worth drive, not only for the whisky but for the beauty of the Highlands. Go – you won’t be sorry.
Anyway, here’s the information from Liam, our whisky guide. The guy was young – mid 20s – but his knowledge of whisky was encyclopedic. It was a private tour in a BMW just Liam, Mark (cousin’s husband, and me). One really interesting thing we did was when we finished up at a distillery, we would go back to the car where LIam had bottles from everywhere. He’d pour some in a quaich and pass it around, just like at a Highlanders camp in days of old. Make sure you google quaich and pick one up for your whisky cabinet, for decoration if nothing else. It’s a cool thing to have and a common gift given at weddings nowadays.
Anyway, here’s Liam’s note:
Hi Dave,
So glad to hear you all made it back safe and sound. We are experiencing a little more rain here with cooler temperatures, I’m not complaining!
Certainly:
Glen Moray Distillery, Elgin.
BenRiach Distillery, Elgin.
(Sidings Cafe, Dufftown).
Aberlour Distillery, Aberlour.
GlenFarclas Distillery, Ballindalloch.
Tomatin Distillery, Tomatin/ Inverness.
As we were mentioning, Skye is such a stunning place. I’m sure you all enjoyed soaking in the scenery and the whisky was just a bonus!
I’m going to have to look out for this Talisker distillers edition.
That is very kind of you, it’s really appreciated and I must say it truly was a pleasure to host both yourself and Mark. I equally had a great day out with you guys, even without having a dram alongside you!
Slaintè,
Liam 🥃🏴
Anyway, that’s my brief review of our whisky tour in Speyside. I could probably write a book about our trip but I’ll spare you anymore gabbing from me except to say – if you possible can, at least once in your life, please, please go to Scotland, and Inverness in particularly. It’s worth every cent you spend and it will definitely change your life.
Slaintè,
Dave 🥃🏴