The Gin Experience
Six gins and the full story, from £32. Our signature daily tasting.
Discover the Gin Experience →🚆
Day trip from Edinburgh
A Distillery Day Trip from Edinburgh
Under an hour by train from Edinburgh Waverley to Scotland's smallest whisky distillery, hand-making award-winning gin and maturing its own single malt at the foot of Stirling Castle.
★★★★★
#2 of 112 things to do in Stirling on Tripadvisor · 4.9 from 1,800+ reviews across the web
Open Mon to Sat 11am to 5pm · Sunday 12pm to 5pm
The journey
Edinburgh to the Castle in under an hour
37miles
50minutes
30min frequency
0changes
Trains from Edinburgh Waverley
Direct ScotRail services to Stirling run roughly every half hour, around 50 minutes, with no changes.
See live departures →Live board from National Rail, updated in real time.
Why come to Stirling
Add Stirling to your Edinburgh trip
Swap the city crowds for an hour beneath the Castle, at Scotland's smallest whisky distillery.
About 50 minutes on the train
Direct ScotRail services run from Edinburgh Waverley to Stirling roughly every half hour, with no changes.
Two icons, one day out
We sit right below Stirling Castle, so you can pair a guided tasting with the Castle on the same day.
Made by hand, on site
Taste award-winning Stirling Gin and bold Battle Strength where they are distilled, alongside our Sons of Scotland whisky, selected and bottled here.
Your day out
A perfect Stirling day, planned
An illustrative day, not a fixed timetable. Experience times move with the season and can sell out, so check the live calendar and book your tasting first, then plan your trains around it. Trains run about every half hour.
11:05
Board at Edinburgh Waverley
Grab a coffee and hop on a direct ScotRail service. No changes, about 50 minutes.
12:00
Arrive in Stirling
Step off and walk up through the historic old town towards the Castle. We are about ten minutes uphill from the station.
12:15
Lunch first in the old town
Cafes and pubs are a few steps from our door. Eat before your tasting and pick up a bottle from our shop on the way.
13:00
Gin or whisky experience
Settle into the Old Smiddy for a guided tasting where the spirit is made, a full 90 minutes. The gin experience usually runs in the early afternoon and whisky a little later, but times change through the year, so book ahead and check the live calendar before you fix your trains.
14:45
Up to Stirling Castle
You are right at its gates, so finish with the Castle and its views over the city. Give it a couple of hours.
17:00
Train home, a bottle in your bag
Back to Edinburgh in under an hour, with a Stirling gin or whisky to remember the day.
What to book
Pick your experience, or drop in for a walk-in mini tasting when you arrive.
The Whisky Experience
A guided tasting of our Sons of Scotland single casks, ahead of our first Stirling single malt in 2027.
Explore the Whisky Experience →
Gin School
Make your own bottle on your own copper still. A hands-on session for a special occasion.
Discover Gin School →Book your visit
Check live availability
Pick a date and time for your gin or whisky experience, straight from our live booking calendar.
Loved by visitors
From all over the world
★★★★★Went to the gin tasting with my mom and aunt and we had a fantastic time. Izzy made the experience fun and we learned a lot.
Kelsey M · Tripadvisor
★★★★★This distillery tour was amazing! Simone made the entire experience. Thank you all for everything and the tasty whisky we brought back home!
Brian W · Tripadvisor
Find us
At the foot of Stirling Castle
The Old Smiddy, beneath the Castle
9 Lower Castlehill, Stirling, FK8 1EN
About a ten minute walk up from Stirling train station, on the way to the Castle. Open seven days a week.
Day trip questions
How do I get to Stirling Distillery from Edinburgh?
Take a direct ScotRail train from Edinburgh Waverley to Stirling, then walk up through the old town towards the Castle. We are at 9 Lower Castlehill, right beneath the Castle.
How long is the train from Edinburgh to Stirling?
About 50 minutes on a direct service, with trains roughly every half hour throughout the day.
Can I visit Stirling Castle on the same trip?
Yes. We sit at the foot of Stirling Castle, so a tour with us pairs perfectly with a visit to the Castle on the same day.
Do I need to book a tour in advance?
We recommend booking your gin or whisky experience ahead, especially in summer. Walk-in mini tastings are available when we have space.
Are you open every day?
Yes, we are open seven days a week: Monday to Saturday 11am to 5pm and Sunday 12pm to 5pm.
Are there other distilleries near Stirling?
Yes. As well as Stirling Distillery in the city, there are several distilleries within about 40 minutes drive. See our guide to distillery tours near Stirling.
Ready for your day out?
Under an hour from Edinburgh. Book your gin or whisky experience and end the day with a dram beneath the Castle.
Book your tourComing from further afield? See all our distillery day trips to Stirling, from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Perth, Fife and the Trossachs.
Book your visit
Pick a date and book
Live availability for the Gin Experience, straight from our booking system. Book before you travel so your slot is held.
Take a bottle home
Take a bottle home with you
Made and selected by hand in Stirling, shipped across the UK.
