When you think of distilleries to visit, most likely you’ll think of the old, traditional stalwarts as being the can’t miss options on your list.
But you’d be missing out on so much. Ever since the turn of the millennium, new distilleries have been opening up across Scotland and many of these have been designed with the visitor in mind. From accessible locations to memorable views, these distilleries built after 2010 should absolutely be on your must-see list as you continue to tick off distilleries in your Whisky Passport!
The Clydeside
Website – https://www.theclydeside.com/
Price – Tours start at £19.50
Location – 100 Stobcross Road, Glasgow, G3 8QQ
It is hard to get more accessible than just outside Glasgow’s city centre and right on the Clyde, and that’s part of the appeal at The Clydeside. Opened in 2017, the hope is that this new distillery will become one of the leaders in the country in terms of visitor numbers. Not only is it close to the city centre, but the distillery also lies between the Scottish Event Campus (home to the Hydro) and the Riverside Museum.
But it’s far more than that. The visitor centre is situated in a former pumphouse on the river once at the heart of Glasgow’s ship-building industry, so the distillery is worth a visit for the fascinating history.
And as if you need more, the distillery comes with a top tier visitor experience too, with a fully kitted out and stocked bar to interactive and varied tours. Over recent years, the number of whiskies coming out has started to increase, as have the positive reviews, so there’s plenty to see and sample at The Clydeside.
TOP TIP – If you can, booking a tour hosted by the distillery manager will provide you with even more insight into the vision behind The Clydeside.
Lagg
Website – www.laggwhisky.com
Price – Tours start at £20
Location – Kilmory, Isle of Arran, KA27 8PG
For many, the Arran distillery built in Lochranza was the first of the current age of new distilleries. After its great success, the Isle of Arran Distillers were keen to expand their operations and so in 2019 opened Lagg distillery in the south of the island. The existing distillery (now known as Lochranza) produces unpeated whisky, while Lagg deals in the world of peat. The hamlet of Lagg and the surrounding area was once a hot spot for illegal distilling on the island, giving the new distillery plenty of history to impart on visitors.
The views are amongst the best of any distillery of Scotland, looking south over the sea with the famous Ailsa Craig visible if the weather is favourable. And the building itself is so unique that photos do not do it justice. Designed with the local landscape in mind, the roof is turfed and seeded, creating its own living entity. And then if you need to top it off, there is plenty of fabulous whisky, from both Lagg and Lochranza, and eating options.
TOP TIP – If you’re on Arran and visit Lagg, you might as well go and visit Lochranza distillery. You can drive from one end of the island to the other easily and there are public transport options as well.
Nc’Nean
Website – https://ncnean.com/
Price – Tours start at £21
Location – Drimnin, By Lochaline, PA80 5XZ
A key focus for many of the distilleries built in recent years is sustainability. But nowhere is the focus as strong as it is at Nc’Nean. Situated on the Morvern peninsula overlooking the Sound of Mull, everything is done with the environment in mind. The stills are powered with renewable energy, the waste heat produced through the distilling process is used to heat the warehouse and even the whisky is bottled in completely recycled glass bottles (and they are beautifully designed and unlike any other whisky bottle you’ll likely see).
The philosophy of the team behind Nc’Nean is engrained in the whole whisky process and so a visit and tour are highly recommended to see it all in action. With a mission unlike any other, a remote and wild location and highly regarded whisky, make sure you visit Nc’Nean.
TOP TIP – To get the most out of your long trip to visit Nc’Nean, you can book a private tour of the distillery alongside a visit to the warehouses and a tasting of limited edition and single cask whiskies.
Ardgowan
Website – www.ardgowandistillery.com
Price – Tours start at £19.50
Location – Bankfoot Farm, Inverkip, PA16 0DT
One of the newest distilleries, Ardgowan only opened its doors to visitors in August 2025. Located on the outskirts of the town of Inverkip, less than an hour from Glasgow, the new distillery provides a 90-minute tour of the distillery and a tasting of their ‘Clydebuilt’ whisky range. Ardgowan has plenty of interesting aspects that make it an intriguing visit for any visitor. This distillery is actually the third of its name, so it has a long and storied history. The building design was inspired by the architecture of Scandinavian longhouses and must be one of the most unique looking distilleries anywhere in Scotland.
Much like the other distilleries on this list, Ardgowan has been designed with sustainability in mind. The roof of the distillery is made of 97% recycled aluminium and has systems set up to capture the carbon dioxide produced during fermentation and to reuse the steam and excess heat. And if you need more to capture your interest, Ardgowan has designed a unique cask set-up with their Spanish sherry bodega. Known as the Infinity Cask, it is the first new cask size in over a hundred years and has been designed for their longer whisky maturations. When you combine all of this, Ardgowan is a distillery not to be missed so get along and tick it off your Whisky Passport list.
TOP TIP – There’s no on-site café so make sure you plan ahead. The Inverkip and Wemyss Bay area has plenty of options so make a day of your visit to Ardgowan.
Isle of Raasay
Website – www.raasaydistillery.com
Price – Tours start at £22
Location – Borodale House, Isle of Raasay, Kyle, IV40 8PB
Amazing location and views? Check. Fascinating and intriguing backstory? Check. Informative and exciting visitor experience? Check. And great and interesting whisky? Check. The Isle of Raasay has it all and you should make sure you get along to experience it sooner rather than later.
The small island of Raasay, off the much larger island of Skye, is home to almost 200 inhabitants, many of whom everything work at the distillery or have a strong connection to it. Since the distillery opened in 2017, it has played a major role in boosting the population and economy of the island. As the interest in Raasay has grown, so too has the offering provided by the team. Not only is there a distillery and warehouse to visit, but you can also eat, drink and stay on-site as well.
And to top off the full experience? A wide range of amazing tours, from an in-depth tour of the distillery with a 3-spirit tasting, to a 6-dram warehousing experience, your options at Raasay are numerous and mouth-watering.
TOP TIP – Isle of Raasay is one of the only, if not the only, distillery in Scotland where you can stay overnight on-site, with rooms available in Borodale House. And soon there will cabins too so make sure you maximise a trip to Raasay by staying a night.
