Inverness Whisky Distilleries Worth Adding To Your Trip
Explore Inverness’s best whisky distilleries, from the historic charm of The Singleton to the artisan Uilebheist Distillery, offering a blend of tours, tastings, shops, and samples of classic Highland whiskies.
By: Lesley Stewart
No trip to Inverness is complete without a dram of classic Highland whisky - and though there are excellent bars in the city, it’s Inverness’s whisky distilleries that offer the strongest sense of place, heritage, and tradition.
They work best when approached as part of a broader day out rather than a checklist, paired with a walk along the River Ness, a drive through the Black Isle, or a slow lunch somewhere en route.
Distance plays its part here. Some are close enough to visit on foot or by taxi; others require a more deliberate commitment, but the change in landscape is often as memorable as the whisky itself.
What the best Inverness whisky distilleries have in common - much like their Isle of Skye counterparts - is excellent tours that move visitors through the stages of whisky making and, of course, end with a guided tasting and samples of uisge beatha.
This guide brings together those Inverness distilleries worth visiting.
Getting Around Inverness Whisky Distilleries
We’ve chosen these Inverness distilleries for their character, tours, and quality visitor experience, but we’re also mindful of their proximity to the city. We’ve decided that around an hour is far enough to venture; however, with the whisky region Speyside on your doorstep, there are options if you’re happy to go a little farther.
That said, it’s essential to be mindful that here in Scotland our drink-driving laws are strict, with a zero-tolerance policy. It goes without saying that you’ll need to choose a designated driver - or book us for a private Inverness whisky distillery tour.
For a fully tailored experience, our private tours offer custom itineraries built around your whisky preferences. Ideal if you're keen to visit more than one distillery or want to include scenic stops and a great lunch along the way.
At A Glance: Best Inverness Whisky Distilleries
These are the distilleries we recommend most, all within easy reach of Inverness city centre. You’ll find more information, tour options, and practical tips in the larger guide below:
Uilebheist Distillery & Brewery
The Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery
The Tomatin Distillery Visitor Centre
Dalwhinnie Distillery
The Cairn Distillery
Inverness Whisky Distilleries Worth Visiting
Uile-bheist Distillery
We’ll start with the distillery within walking distance of the city centre. Uile-bheist is Inverness’s first distillery in more than a century, bringing whisky production back into the heart of the city for the first time since the 19th century.
Opened in the 2020s and named after the mythical “monster” said to inhabit the River Ness, Uilebheist is a modern, characterful distillery that blends Highland whisky heritage with a contemporary, urban edge.
Alongside single malt whisky production, the site also houses a brewery, reflecting a broader craft ethos and a focus on flavour-led experimentation.
The visitor experience is designed to be approachable and engaging, with guided distillery tours that introduce guests to small-batch whisky making, fermentation, distillation, and maturation, as well as tastings that may include new make spirit and developing expressions.
The on-site bar and restaurant create a relaxed, social atmosphere, making Uilebheist as much a place to linger as it is to learn.
Tour & Location
Our favourite way to visit is their whisky and craft beer tour, a great way to explore the distillery with an expert guide and taste a range of locally made drinks. Tour from £33 per person.
Uilebheist is located in Inverness city centre, within easy walking distance of the River Ness and the main shopping streets.
The Singleton Distillery
The Singleton is one of the Highlands’ oldest working distilleries, founded in 1838 on the western edge of the Black Isle. With a long and continuous whisky-making history, The Singleton (of Glen Ord) is known for its use of traditional methods, including on-site malting floors in earlier years and long fermentation times that contribute to its rich, fruity house style.
Today, its single malts form the backbone of The Singleton range, widely recognised for their smooth, accessible character. The setting, surrounded by barley fields and rolling countryside, reinforces its agricultural roots and sense of heritage.
We loved the striking architecture, the bold facade providing a very memorable welcome.
Tours & Location
The distillery offers a modern visitor centre that reminded us of our favourite distillery on Skye, with guided tours that take in the still house, mash house, and warehouses, along with structured tastings of The Singleton expressions.
We love the Singleton Classic Tour, a tutored tasting of three exceptional whiskies from £24 per person.
However, more in-depth experiences, like this Malt to Cask tour, are available for those looking to explore maturation and flavour in greater detail, along with six whisky samples of unique and rare Singleton expressions.
The Singleton is approximately 15 miles north-west of Inverness city centre, around a 30-minute drive.
The Tomatin Distillery Visitor Centre
Tomatin Distillery is a classic Highland whisky producer founded in 1897 and located south of Inverness, just off the A9.
It has a long and varied history, becoming one of the largest malt whisky producers in the world during the 1970s before later refocusing on quality-driven single malt production. Today, Tomatin is known for its balanced, approachable Highland style, with a core range that spans classic aged expressions, limited editions, and distillery exclusives.
Tomatin’s visitor centre offers a welcoming introduction to the distillery’s story, with guided tours that walk guests through production, maturation, and tasting. A well-stocked brand shop allows visitors to purchase exclusive releases.
Tours & Location
Experiences range from standard distillery tours to more hands-on options, including warehouse tastings and cask-strength bottle-your-own experiences.
We like the Legacy Whisky Tour, which lasts around an hour and is perfect if you’re short on time. It includes a guided tasting of three whiskies for £20 per person.
For something more in-depth and experiential, choose the two-hour Taste of Tomatin, a distillery tour followed by a tutored nosing and tasting of five whiskies.
Tomatin is around 16 miles south of Inverness city centre, roughly a 25-minute drive.
Dalwhinnie Distillery
Dalwhinnie Distillery is one of Scotland’s highest and most remote distilleries, founded in 1897 at the edge of the Central Highlands.
Sitting at the crossroads of historic cattle-droving routes, its location has long influenced its identity, with cold temperatures and pure mountain water shaping a light, elegant Highland whisky style.
Dalwhinnie has become particularly well known for its role within classic Scotch whisky ranges and its distinctive balance of honeyed sweetness and gentle spice.
Tours & Location
The visitor centre provides a clear, well-structured introduction to whisky production, making it a popular first distillery visit for many travellers. Tours typically include guided tastings, often paired with local chocolates (this excellent whisky & chocolate tasting is a must) to highlight flavour profiles.
Dalwhinnie is approximately 57 miles south of Inverness city centre, around a 1.5-hour drive away. Visit this distillery as you make your way to (or from) Highland Perthshire or the Cairngorms National Park.
The Cairn Distillery
The Cairn Distillery is one of the newest additions to the Highland whisky scene, opening in the early 2020s near the edge of the Cairngorms National Park.
Built on the historic Cragganmore Estate, the distillery was designed with longevity and sustainability in mind, while still drawing heavily on traditional Highland whisky values. Its focus is on producing a refined, elegant single malt that reflects its Speyside setting and careful approach to distillation and maturation.
The visitor experience at The Cairn is modern, immersive, and thoughtfully curated. That said, the architecture and surroundings are integral to the experience, offering expansive Highland views and a strong sense of place.
Tours & Location
Guided tours combine production insights with storytelling around landscape, water, and heritage, while tastings are often presented in a contemporary, educational format.
We’ve yet to visit this distillery; however, it’s on our list for this year. We think The Adventurer Experience - an in-depth guided tour with three drams to taste from £60 per person - sounds like the best option.
The Cairn Distillery is around 38 miles south-east of Inverness city centre, roughly a 50-minute drive.
Planning Your Inverness Distillery Trip
The distilleries around Inverness are best experienced as part of a wider day rather than in isolation. Some sit within the city itself, others stretch out into farmland, moorland and upland landscapes, and the transition between them is often as memorable as the whisky. Pairing a visit with a walk, a scenic drive, or a good lunch nearby turns a simple tasting into something more rounded and rewarding.
What unites these distilleries is a straightforward, well-grounded approach to storytelling. Tours tend to focus on fundamentals rather than spectacle, explaining how ingredients, equipment, climate and time shape the final spirit.
Visitor centres vary in style, from understated to contemporary, but the strongest experiences are those that leave space to linger, taste and take in the setting.
Plan ahead where necessary, allow more time than you think you’ll need, and keep your itinerary flexible enough for the detours that often make a distillery day memorable.
Inverness whisky distilleries: FAQs
Are Inverness distilleries easy to visit in one trip?
Yes, but they work best when spread across a few days or folded into wider sightseeing plans. Some distilleries are walkable from the city centre, while others require a car and a half-day commitment. Trying to rush multiple visits into one day often detracts from the experience.
Do I need to book distillery tours in advance?
In most cases, yes. Smaller distilleries and more in-depth experiences often have limited availability, especially during peak travel seasons. Booking ahead ensures you get the tour or tasting you want and helps you plan realistic timings for the day.
What can I expect from a typical distillery tour?
Most tours follow a similar structure, starting with raw ingredients and moving through mashing, fermentation, distillation and maturation before ending with a guided tasting. The details vary by distillery, but the focus is usually on process, craft, and how small decisions affect flavour.
In terms of your experience, some distilleries blend contemporary visitor centres with historic production methods. In contrast, others remain firmly traditional, with a scattering of whisky artisans daring to do something different.
Are the visitor centres suitable for beginners?
Very much so. Many Inverness-area distilleries are particularly good at explaining whisky clearly and accessibly, making them ideal for first-time visitors. Guides tend to adapt their explanations to the group, and questions are encouraged.
How long should I allow for a distillery visit?
A standard tour and tasting typically takes 60 to 90 minutes. More immersive experiences can last two hours or longer. It’s also worth factoring in time to browse the shop, enjoy a dram afterwards, or simply take in the surroundings.
Can I visit distilleries without a car?
Some distilleries in or near Inverness are accessible on foot, by taxi or via public transport, but others are remote. If you’re not self-driving, it’s worth planning carefully or combining distillery visits with guided tours or private transport.
Are Inverness distilleries about more than just whisky?
Yes. Setting and landscape play a big role, and many visits naturally extend into nearby walks, viewpoints, cafés or villages. A distillery stop often becomes the anchor for a broader day exploring the Highlands rather than a standalone activity.
