Visiting central Scotland
Distillery Tours Near Stirling
Stirling sits between Edinburgh and Glasgow, on the doorstep of the Highlands, ringed by distilleries. Here are six of the best to visit, starting with the only one in the city.
★★★★★
4.9 / 5 on Tripadvisor · #2 of 112 things to do in Stirling · 1,800+ reviews across the web
★ 4.9 from 1,800+ reviews across the web
🥃 The only distillery in the city of Stirling
📍 50 min from Edinburgh, 40 min from Glasgow
At a glance
Six distilleries within easy reach
Stirling Distillery is right in the city. Deanston, Glenturret, Tullibardine and Glengoyne are all within about 40 minutes, with Auchentoshan a little further towards Glasgow.
| Distillery | Makes | From Stirling | Known for | Best for |
|---|
| Stirling Distillery | Gin and whisky | In the city centre | Spirits made by hand beneath the castle, distil your own gin | A distillery visit inside a historic city |
| Deanston | Whisky | 20 minutes (Doune) | A former cotton mill making unchilled filtered single malt | History and film locations |
| Glenturret | Whisky | 40 minutes (Crieff) | Scotland's oldest working distillery, with fine dining | A premium whisky and food day |
| Tullibardine | Whisky | 25 minutes (Blackford) | Highland single malt on the edge of the Highlands | A quieter, classic malt tour |
| Glengoyne | Whisky | 30 minutes (Dumgoyne) | Highland malt, slow distillation, scenic setting | Scenery on the way to Loch Lomond |
| Auchentoshan | Whisky | 45 minutes (Clydebank) | Triple distilled, lighter Lowland style | A Glasgow side stop |
Drive times are approximate and given for orientation only. Check your route before you travel.
The distilleries
Where to go, and what each is known for
Stirling Distillery
In the cityGin and whisky
Stirling Distillery is the only working distillery in the city. It sits in the Old Smiddy, an 1888 blacksmith forge, and in 2019 it became the first legal distillery in Stirling in over 170 years. Every bottle of gin and whisky is made and bottled by hand on site. It is rated 4.9 out of 5 from more than 1,800 reviews across Tripadvisor, Google and our own site, and ranks number 2 of 112 things to do in Stirling on Tripadvisor. Book a Gin Experience, a Whisky Experience, or distil your own bottle at the Gin School, all a short walk from Stirling Castle.
Best for: a distillery visit inside a historic city, with gin and whisky under one roof.
See tours and book →
Deanston
About 20 minutes
Near Doune, Deanston was a cotton mill before it became a whisky distillery in 1974, and it still uses the old mill building. It is known for unchilled filtered single malt and for powering itself from the River Teith. Doune Castle, familiar from Outlander and Monty Python, is close by.
Best for: whisky fans who like history and film locations.
Glenturret
About 40 minutes
Near Crieff, Glenturret calls itself Scotland's oldest working distillery, with roots back to 1775. As well as tours and tastings it has a fine dining restaurant, so it suits a longer, more premium day out.
Best for: a premium whisky and food day.
Tullibardine
About 25 minutes
At Blackford, on the edge of the Highlands, Tullibardine makes Highland single malt and offers a range of tours and tastings in a quieter setting than the bigger names.
Best for: a classic malt tour without the crowds.
Glengoyne
About 30 minutes
At Dumgoyne, on the road towards Loch Lomond, Glengoyne has produced Highland single malt since 1833 and is known for slow distillation and a scenic setting, an easy pairing with a trip to the loch.
Best for: scenery and whisky on the way to Loch Lomond.
Auchentoshan
About 45 minutes
Near Clydebank on the Glasgow side, Auchentoshan is one of the few Scottish distilleries to triple distil its whisky, giving a lighter Lowland style. It works well as a stop if you are travelling to or from Glasgow.
Best for: a Glasgow side stop and a lighter Lowland malt.
Why start here
Why base your distillery trip in Stirling
Stirling is central, which is what makes it such a good base for a distillery trip.
Easy from either city
Edinburgh is about 50 minutes away and Glasgow about 40, so you can day trip from either and be back the same evening.
More than distilleries
Stirling Castle, the National Wallace Monument and the old town are all here, so there is plenty to do between tastings.
A distillery in the city
Start with Stirling Distillery, the only working distillery in the city, making gin and whisky by hand beneath the castle.
Distillery tours near Stirling, your questions answered
Which distilleries can you visit near Stirling?
Stirling Distillery is in the city itself. Deanston, Glenturret, Tullibardine and Glengoyne are all within about 40 minutes drive, and Auchentoshan is a little further towards Glasgow.
Is there a distillery in Stirling itself?
Yes. Stirling Distillery is the only working distillery in the city, making gin and whisky by hand near the castle.
Can you do a distillery tour as a day trip from Edinburgh or Glasgow?
Yes. Stirling is about 50 minutes from Edinburgh and about 40 minutes from Glasgow, so it works well as a day trip from either.
Do the distilleries near Stirling make gin or whisky?
Most of them make whisky. Stirling Distillery makes both gin and whisky, so it is the one to choose if you want to try both.
Can you distil your own gin near Stirling?
Yes. Stirling Distillery runs a Gin School where you can distil your own bottle to take home.
Do you need to book distillery tours in advance?
Booking ahead is recommended, especially in summer and at weekends, as tours can sell out.
Start your distillery trip in Stirling
Book a gin or whisky experience at the only distillery in the city, then explore the rest at your own pace.
Book your tour
Coming from further afield? See all our distillery day trips to Stirling, from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Perth, Fife and the Trossachs.
Book direct with the distillery
Book a tour at Stirling Distillery
Two minutes from Stirling Castle. Pick a date below to see live availability for the Gin Experience and book in a couple of taps.
