One of the largest distilleries in Speyside, Glenlivet produces nearly 6 million liters of single malt each year, while still maintaining many traditional production methods, albeit on an industrial scale. You can get a glimpse into these methods with a visit to the distillery for a guided tour and tutored tastings of various drams; visitors can also bottle their own single malt to take home. Its award-winning visitor center has an exhibition showcasing the development of the brand as well as a café selling whisky-drenched cakes.
Glenlivet is one of the “big three” Speyside distilleries—along with Macallan and Glenfiddich. You can visit all three in one day with a guided tour leaving from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, or many other locations. Visiting as part of a tour allows you to avoid worrying about driving after indulging.
Glenlivet Distillery is about 75 minutes by road from Inverness. The nearest train stations are Keith—which is 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, and Aviemore—which is 30 miles (48 kilometers) away. Getting there by public transport is time-consuming, so skip the hassle by visiting on a tour.
The distillery is open to visitors from morning until evening for select days of the week and tours typically run every 30 minutes. Check the distillery website for up-to-date opening hours, as the distillery may be closed in the winter months.
While visiting the distillery, make time to explore Britain’s largest national park. Cairngorms National Park is filled with stunning mountains—including six of the U.K.’s highest—as well as enchanting forest paths, shimmering lochs, and an abundance of wildlife; including mountain hares, snow bunting, golden eagles, ptarmigan, capercaillie, and wildcats. The area is also home to quaint villages, and even more distilleries; such as Dalwhinnie, Tomintoul, and Royal Lochnagar.