5 Places Every True Whiskey Lover Needs to Visit
Quick answer: The five places every true whiskey lover needs to visit are Scotland (especially Speyside), Ireland (Bushmills and the Old Jameson Distillery), the USA (the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and Jack Daniel’s in Tennessee), Australia (Tasmania and Sydney’s Archie Rose) and Canada (the Canadian Club Brand Centre).
The word whiskey comes from a phrase meaning “water of life”, and for good reason. Whether you like it neat, on the rocks or stirred into a cocktail, there is nothing as smooth as a good glass. The best way to celebrate whiskey is to appreciate it at its source, so here are the top whiskey tours worldwide you should not miss.
1. Scotland: The Motherland of Whiskey
Scotland is home to many of the world’s finest distilleries. Scotch is distilled from malted barley and divided into five distinct categories, the best known being Single Malt Scotch whisky, which must be aged in oak barrels for at least three years.
Visit Speyside
The best way to explore Scotch is to visit famous Speyside in the northeast of Scotland. It has more distilleries than any other part of the country, including bestselling, award-winning labels such as Glenlivet and Glenfiddich.
Don’t miss the Speyside Cooperage, a working cooperage where barrels are still made, and a must-see attraction for whiskey lovers.
2. Ireland: Triple-Distilled Smoothness
Ireland is another long-standing whiskey producer. Known for its triple-distilled smoothness, Irish whiskey was once the most popular in the world, and some of its distilleries are hundreds of years old, telling the history of distillation.
The top two distillery tour destinations are:
- Old Bushmills Distillery: often described as the oldest distillery in Ireland, it produces complex single malts and blends, including the rich Black Bush. The tour includes a walk around Bushmills village, from the story of its beginnings to tasting some of the most renowned whiskeys in the world.
- Old Jameson Distillery: no longer producing whiskey, but still open as a museum of Ireland’s whiskey-making history.
3. America: Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey
American whiskey is made from a fermented mash of cereal grain and is largely categorized as Bourbon or Tennessee whiskey.
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail
One of the best ways to experience classic American whiskey is a trip along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, visiting numerous authentic distilleries, big and small.
Jack Daniel’s, Tennessee
Tennessee is, of course, the land of Jack Daniel’s. In the tiny dry town of Lynchburg sits the historic distillery of one of the most popular whiskey brands in the world. The tour tells the story of the country’s early distilling history and the creation of this liquid gold.
4. Australia: Tasmania and Sydney
Australia may not be the most obvious destination for whiskey lovers, but it offers a great variety of attractions. Beyond the notable distilleries in Tasmania, whiskey tasting in Sydney is growing in popularity thanks to the city’s many Scotch options.
Start a Sydney whiskey tour at the Archie Rose distillery and bar, the first distillery to open in the city in over a hundred years. The distillery tour lets you smell and taste everything from the wort to the new-make spirit, after which you can enjoy an abundance of rare whiskeys at the award-winning bar.
5. Canada: Rye and Iconic Brands
Canada is famous for its uniquely flavored whiskeys and top global brands such as Crown Royal, Canadian Club and Seagram’s. Single malt and 100% rye whiskey are among the country’s most sought-after spirits.
One of the best places for a whiskey lover to visit is the Canadian Club Brand Centre. Canadian Club’s distinctive blend is often ranked among the top whiskeys in the world. The formal tour walks you through the rich history of the building and the notable names connected with it, and ends with a guided tasting of various Canadian Club whiskeys.
Whiskey Destinations at a Glance
| Country | Style | Where to go |
|---|---|---|
| Scotland | Scotch, single malt | Speyside, Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Speyside Cooperage |
| Ireland | Triple-distilled Irish whiskey | Old Bushmills, Old Jameson Distillery |
| USA | Bourbon, Tennessee whiskey | Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Jack Daniel’s in Lynchburg |
| Australia | Craft whiskey | Tasmania, Archie Rose in Sydney |
| Canada | Rye, blends | Canadian Club Brand Centre |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the best place in Scotland for a whiskey tour?
Speyside, in the northeast, has the most distilleries in Scotland, including Glenlivet and Glenfiddich.
Can you still visit the Old Jameson Distillery?
Yes. It no longer produces whiskey but is open as a museum of Irish whiskey-making history.
What is the difference between Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey?
Both are American whiskeys made from fermented grain mash. Tennessee whiskey is made in Tennessee, with Jack Daniel’s in Lynchburg as its most famous example.
Conclusion
From the glens of Speyside to Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail and Sydney’s Archie Rose, these five places every true whiskey lover needs to visit let you taste whiskey where it is made. Raise a glass to the water of life at its source.
