THEY say whisky is the water of life and our other national drink is most certainly a life-line when it comes to tourism in Scotland.
We excel in the whisky tourism industry and, collectively, our distilleries are ranked the third most visited attractions in Scotland.
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In 2019 alone the amber nectar drew in 2.16 million visitors, keen to see the distilleries where their favourite malt was made.
That was a huge 52 per cent more than in 2010 and it looks like the trend will continue.
Spending by visitors is also on the up, pulling in a record £85 million in 2019, 154 per cent more than in 2010.
People from all around the world arrive on our shores to take whisky tours, with Germans and Americans the biggest fans. In fact two in every three visits to a distillery are from international tourists.
Scotland is home to 128 operating malt distilleries, whose exports were valued at £4.9 billion in 2019, with 42 bottles of Scotch Whisky shipped overseas each second!
There are 68 Scotch Whisky visitor centres which are open to the public and a further eight available to visit by appointment.
But while whisky all comes down to personal taste, it’s nearly impossible to state which distillery in Scotland is the most popular with visitors, until now that is!
The team at The Cask Connoisseur have ranked every whisky distilleries in Scotland, based on Google reviews and ratings, Tripadvisor reviews and ratings, as well as the total number of Instagram hashtags and TikTok views.
And the one which comes out top is the Laphroaig Distillery in Port Ellen on the Isle of Islay.
Renowned for its rich and unmistakable taste in its whisky, Laphroaig Distillery still uses its traditional methods to produce one of the most distinctive single malts.
The distillery was one of one of the most popular on Instagram and TikTok – so it’s a distillery that many like to visit and photograph. It scored 736.5 out of a possible 840.
Glenkinchie Distillery in Pencaitland, East Lothian came second with a score of 710. With a 4.9 Google rating, this is clearly a favourite among many whisky drinkers, potentially due to its closeness to the capital. They also have 5 stars on Tripadvisor.
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In third place is Oban Distillery on Scotland’s magnificent West Coast, with a score of 702.5 out of a possible 840,
This small and historic distillery in Oban has been making whisky since the 18th century. Despite being one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland, it is one of the most popular as it has the most reviews on Tripadvisor.
Next it is back to Islay, with Lagavulin Distillery in fourth place, with a score of 690. Situated in stunning Lagavulin Bay near the ruins of Dunyveg Castle, it is thought to be one of the longest established distilleries in the country.
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Take a peek at the ins and outs of the distillery including the unusual pear shaped stills and try a taste of their world-renowned smoky, peaty whisky.
In fifth place is Balvenie Distillery in Dufftown, Speyside – home to one of the biggest of Scottish Whisky festivals. It scored an impressive 689.5 out of a possible 840.
It is renowned for being the only distillery in the Scottish Highlands that maintains the Five Rare Crafts of whisky making – home grown barley, a malting floor, copper stills, skilled coopers and malt masters.
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