Loch Lomond & the Glengoyne Distillery
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Port
Greenock (Glasgow), Scotland, United Kingdom
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Activity Level
Moderate Activity
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Excursion Type
Information Not Currently Available
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
$190
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
4½ Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Departing the pier at Greenock, you'll drive through two of greater Glasgow's outlying villages -- Bearsden and Milngavie.
You're on your way to Campsie Fells and the Glengoyne Distillery. Decide for yourself whether it deserves its reputation as the most beautiful distillery in Scotland. It certainly makes a fabulous first impression.
Nestled in a peaceful glen, Glengoyne stands out, starkly white against the spectacular backdrop of Dumgoyne Hill and its waterfall. The quirkiest characteristic of Glengoyne is that it sits in both the Lowlands and the Highlands, all at the same time. The spirit is distilled on one side of the road, in the Highlands, and then matures to become whisky in the bonded warehouses on the other side, in the Lowlands. As they use un-peated malt at Glengoyne, it is stylistically closer to a Lowland rather than a Highland single malt -- fresh and grassy, hinting at green apples with a sweet, malty finish.
Inside the pristine Visitor Center, the staff warmly welcomes you, and a wee dram of Glengoyne single malt is served as you watch a presentation about the history of production.
Then, you'll tour the distillery itself, absorbing the sights, sounds and aromas of the barley intake, mash tuns, washbacks and towering stills. You'll even visit the warehouses where the casks are stored during the maturation process.
Head for the Kilpatrick Hills, passing the shores of Loch Lomond. You'll take a short therapeutic break at a quality shopping area. Take in the fantastic views up the loch to Ben Lomond and the Highland Boundary Fault.
Eventually, you'll head back to Greenock via Dumbarton -- once the center of the Kingdom of the Strathclyde Britons -- with its famous fortification on Dumbarton Rock.
Please note: Wear comfortable walking shoes.