We visited Glengoyne Distillery whilst we were in Glasgow staying with friends. I’ve never been much of a whisky fan, but I do like finding out how things are made. A tour with a tasting seemed a good way to spend part of the day.
My Glengoyne Distillery Tour Review
Glengoyne is at Dumgoyne, north of Glasgow. The licensed distillery dates to 1833. Our tour took us through the production areas and explained what happens before whisky is ready for the bottle.
Whisky In A Warm Drawing Room
We started our tour in a room which was like a big drawing room. It had plush, comfy chairs and was lovely and warm, a stark contrast to the outside world, which was bitterly cold. It had also just started to rain.
Whilst we were seated in these inviting chairs, we were handed a small measure of Glengoyne whisky. The initial sip packed a bit of a punch on my taste buds. Once I got over the “I’m not very keen on whisky” taste, I could taste the warmth and woody flavours.
Our guide welcomed us and asked us to watch an introduction video about the people who worked at the distillery. He joked that some of the accents were a bit strong and some of the lingo unusual, so they’d had to subtitle it. It was quite easy to follow, but it did make us all smile when we got to some of the stronger accents.
Behind The Scenes At The Distillery
After the video and our whiskies, we joined the tour of the facility. I won’t go into every part of it, as I wouldn’t want to ruin it if you were to visit. I found it fascinating to see the process first-hand and hear about the work that goes into it.
On the last part of our tour, we were shown how the ageing process works, how the casks affect the whisky’s colour and how liquid is lost during ageing. You have to be patient to work in a distillery.
There were bottles in the shop that cost over a thousand pounds when we visited. I don’t think I’d appreciate a bottle at that price! I was happy to have tried a small measure and learnt a bit more about it.
Is The Tour Worth Doing?
The tour was really interesting. Our guide was obviously proud to work there and very knowledgeable about the process. The only thing I would change is that I would have liked my whisky tasting at the end, so I could appreciate the effort that had gone into making it and think about the flavours after learning about ageing.
Booking A Glengoyne Tour Now
Our 75-minute tour with a tasting was £25 per person at the time. This is an account of that earlier visit. The Glengoyne tour page lists the experiences, prices and durations available now.
Check age rules and access information when choosing a tour. If you’ll be driving, ask about arrangements for taking tasting samples away and plan your transport before you go.
Whilst in Scotland, we also went up Conic Hill at Balmaha and ate at Lebowskis in Glasgow. Both are written up here if you’re planning a trip.
Glengoyne makes awesome whisky! Sounds like you enjoyed it and will try it again. ? #Anythinggoes
We really enjoyed it Jeannette. I’m not really much of a whisky drinker, but I thought the Glengoyne whisky was really nice. I’d love to go back and do a longer tour one day.