Take a Tour of the Tobermory Distillery
The cascading falls of the Tobermory River set the scene as you descend the Eas Brae to arrive at Tobermory’s harbourfront and Main Street, where the centuries-old whisky distillery awaits.
Where to find the Tobermory Distillery
Conveniently located with access from the Ledaig carpark, the Tobermory Distillery first began distilling whiskies in 1798, with a legacy of over 200 years of whisky making on the island. The distillery continues to thrive to this day, with a fine range of whiskies to sample that combine its historic roots with new, exciting takes on the spirit too.
Tours and tastings at the Tobermory Distillery
The Tobermory Distillery offers excellent tours and tastings, which you can book in advance via their website, or by calling into the distillery’s visitor centre, and typically take around an hour. This makes a great activity in any season, but especially so on a dreicher Mull day, where the steam curls dramatically above the river as it flows into the bay.
You can also book just a tasting, which typically lasts 45 minutes, or for true connoisseurs, the warehouse whisky tasting, where you’ll sample spirit drawn straight from the cask.
Whichever you choose, a warm Highland welcome awaits as you step into the visitor centre, which is atmospherically lit and decorated to immediately get you into the spirit.
From here, an expert guide will begin the distillery tour, taking you on a journey through the entire whisky making production process. As you navigate the site, cocooned between hill and sea, you’ll get to see the copper stills and mash tuns in action, while the guide explains each step of the production process.
After exploring the production areas, you’ll then enter the altogether different feeling cask room. It is in here that barrels of whisky wait to slowly mature. Your guide will explain the different types of barrels used and how this can impart a unique flavour to the whisky within.
Finally – and the highlight for many! – the tour culminates in the cosy tasting room, where an expert guide will lead you through sampling both a Tobermory dram and a Ledaig dram, the Tobermory Distillery’s two signature whiskies. The Tobermory being lighter, while the Ledaig has a fantastically smokey flavour, being a peated whisky.
The designated driver need not miss out, as your drams can be bottled to take away with you and enjoy from the comfort of your cottage by the fire.
Flavours of Mull
The distillery also houses a shop, so you can purchase whiskies direct from the distillery to take home and enjoy the flavours of Mull from further afield. There’s also the opportunity to purchase a distillery exclusive – these are small batch whiskies, ideal for whisky connoisseurs – as well as limited edition single malts and, a more recent addition to the distillery, Tobermory Gin too.