What do you want from a distillery visiitor centre?

[Onefortheditch]

I want whisky including distillery only bottlings, a cafe/restaurant, a gift shop to keep my wife amused and make her half interested in driving me there on days when I have gained brownie points.

A few years ago I got caught in the Kilchomen trap on a day trip to Islay - good restaurant, gift shop and very little whisky! Unfortunately my family all wanted to spend more time there and I missed out in visiting all the islands distilleries.

By the way Dalmore seem to be doing up their visitor centre - and about time too!!

[Muskrat Portage]

I'll look forward to reading other posts as sometime in the next 4 years I want to invade the motherland and would like to know what distilleries to hit and which to give a miss.
Musky

[Wave]

I'm kinda surprised from Inverness you aren't saving your brownie points for the Spirit Of Speyside Whisky Festival Spring edition. I've been to both Spring and Fall editions and the Spring festival is by far the best. Lots of great distilleries to see including many that the normal public rarely gets to go to. During the 2 festivals I've attended I've been to among others Glen Elgin, Glenallachie, Glen Rothes, Speyburn and even got to see and go inside Caperdonich before it was torn down last year. Apart from the distilleries there are lots of crafts, fairs and tons of other activities for the rest of the family.

I'm not big on cafe/restaurants though it is nice if it's the only place that serves food and drink for miles, Ardbeg comes to mind. They have restaurant with great food but not so great when it comes to distillery own bottlings. The best on Islay is Bruichladdich, no cafe (or none that I remember) but a great gift shop with at least one fill-your-own Valinch on hand.

In fact my points goes to the distilleries that give you the option of pouring you own whisky straight from the wood. Aberlour, Benromach, Bruichladdich, Glen Moray and Old Pulteney come to mind. The last, Old Pulteney was really nice and I'm hoping to explore it and Wick a little more in the future.


Cheers!

[Willie JJ]

I'm not big on cafe/restaurants though it is nice if it's the only place that serves food and drink for miles,

Tom I agree with everything you say except this. Like OFTD I have a good lady/driver to amuse and the cafe really helps. There aren't many distilleries with cafes, but as I recall as well as Ardbeg and Kilchoman there is Glenfiddich, Glenturret and Ben Nevis. Can't think of any others of the top of my head. Hazel made me burger and chips at Daftmill, but I don't think that counts.

I also like distillery only bottlings as long as they are not a rip off.