You can visit these scotch whisky distilleries from Glasgow, all around 30–45 minutes from the city centre. Currently, Glasgow itself has two distilleries, Glasgow Distillery and The Clydeside Distillery.
Both are fairly new distilleries but very different in their style and practices. The Clydeside has combined new and old in its distillery design. The distillery is within the old Pump House building (built in 1877), which was once a controlled entry into Glasgow Queen’s Dock. A nice bit of Glasgow history there.
They have released a 6-year-old sherry-matured whisky, a limited-edition cask-strength bottling, and an NAS release aged in ‘finest oak casks’. I felt the tour lacked a bit of character and was fairly rushed, but I haven’t been there for a couple of years now, so perhaps it has changed since. If you are in Glasgow, it is still worth the trip.
Glasgow Distillery, on the other hand, has only just opened their doors for visitors. The dates are limited, therefore make sure to check their website for details. The distillery is an industrial area and in a warehouse-style building, therefore they aren’t open for drop in visits. Glasgow Distillery whiskies aren’t your usual Lowland-style releases, quite the opposite. Their 1770 core range is excellent, and it caters for most whisky drinkers.
The triple-distilled release is sweet, creamy and spiced, The Original is juicy and fruity with a lot of depth, matured in first-fill bourbon barrels and virgin oak, and finally, there’s their 50ppm bonfire-BBQed peated expression for the peat heads. But what you need to keep an eye out for is their limited-edition batches with fun cask finishes, from beer to tequila to tokaji and more. If you are in Glasgow, be sure to visit a whisky bar to sample their bottlings.
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Distilleries to visit near Glasgow
Glengoyne Distillery
Glengoyne Distillery is a must-see for any whisky lover visiting Glasgow. You can get the X10 bus directly from the city centre to right outside the distillery in just 45 minutes, and the buses go every hour.
Glengoyne is known for its delicious sherry-cask-matured whiskies. The distillation is very slow, contributing to a sweet, soft and juicy new make. Combine this with both sherry and ex-bourbon casks, and you’re in for a treat. All their whiskies are unpeated.
Try your hand at whisky blending. The Malt Master Experience includes a tour of the distillery and a whisky-blending (and tasting) session.
The distillery doesn’t have a café, but there is one within a short walk of the distillery.
Auchentoshan Distillery
Auchentoshan (pronounced “ock-un-tosh-un”) is in Clydebank, about 30 minutes from Glasgow city centre. Jump in a taxi or get the 1D bus to Mountblow Road, which is about a ten-minute walk from the distillery.
They use triple distillation and mature their spirit in a selection of bourbon barrels, sherry casks and wine barriques. Their whisky has been nicknamed ‘breakfast whisky’ due to its easy sipping qualities. (*drink responsibly and all that…)
The visitor centre is open Monday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm, but I recommend pre-booking your tour/tasting ahead of time via their website.
Rosebank Distillery
The legendary Rosebank Distillery is a quick train ride away from Glasgow Queen Street station – it literally takes 20 minutes. You can walk to the distillery from the station, or if you’re feeling lazy, there’re always taxis available outside the station.
Rosebank was known as the King of Lowlands, but unfortunately, due to many unfortunate circumstances, it closed its doors in 1993. However, in 2017 the owners of Glengoyne Distillery decided to take on the challenge of bringing the distillery back to its full potential.
It’s an interesting distillery to visit, a blend of new and old. Unfortunately, we are still waiting for their whisky to be released, but there is some older stock available (30+years-old in fact), which you can sample after your tour.
Learn more about the tours and the history of Rosebank Distillery from my previous blog post.
Have you visited any of these distilleries near Glasgow? Which one is on the top of your list to visit?
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