Clynelish Distillery
Clynelish Distillery
5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Clynelish proudly serves as one of the Four Corners distilleries of Johnnie Walker. We distil the rich Highland Malt that is enjoyed around the world on its own and as a vital component of Johnnie Walker whiskies. Discover the mysterious and hidden spirit of our coastal Sutherland home, where we create our rich, waxy whisky, carrying notes of tropical fruit and honey. Clynelish Distillery is located on the A9 at the popular coastal holiday town of Brora, Sutherland, around one hour north of Inverness. With beautiful views of the North Sea and the hills to the north - where the Clynemilton burn runs over seams of gold in the rock. With this water, Clynelish distillery produces a fruity, waxy, slightly smoky single malt.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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7 within 3 miles
Attractions
8 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- RichG439London, United Kingdom97 contributionsDon’t miss out on this!So much better than expected! The background history and information took place in a special room which has to be seen to be believed - no spoilers here! Alan did a great job in guiding us through the background to whiskey and the company. The tour was limited by some building work that was taking place but was still very interesting. The visit concluded with a tasting session which was well organised and beautifully presented. My wife was reluctant to come on this visit as she doesn’t like whiskey but was completely won over by the whole experience. Thoroughly recommended for everyone!Visited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten September 19, 2023
- Martin R2 contributionsA great whisky experienceWe attended the whisky festival in September 2023 and had a thoroughly enjoyable day. The scene was set at the entrance to the distillery with a fantastic garland of autumn flora. The retail area was well set out with many different Diageo whisky brands and accessories. We were given a tour of the distillery and whisky making process by two very proficient team members, which ended with whisky tasting in the upstairs bar area which has an outside deck with fantastic views of the surrounding area. We also joined the cocktail making class which was great fun. The cocktails were all whisky based and delicious. There was fun and games in the outside area and a very large yurt was transformed into a music venue with sets from local musicians. All in all it was a thoroughly enjoyable day.Visited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten September 24, 2023
- Ray C49 contributionsHighland rehab tripLast visit was 2017 and there has been considerable investment in the visitor centre. The tour is very informative and goes in depth to the history of whisky and Clynelish distillery itself. Enjoyed the interactive component which was a nice touch and immersed you more in the story. Guide was very informative and able to answer most questions. Tasting was quite varied and had an interesting twist.Visited September 2023Traveled soloWritten September 25, 2023
- julieHorwich, United Kingdom10 contributionsWhisky GaloreGreat Tour, Great Guide. Was passing Brora so called in for a coffee. Ended up having a dram and a tour. Amazing local lass call Shirley did our tour with another couple. The other couple were in a mission to ask as many questions as they could and she answered them all. Highly recommend a visit in the area.Visited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 7, 2023
- David M2 contributionsFlavour Tour SaturdayExcellent tour and tasting with guide Valerie. Lots of history links, getting all involved. Very knowledgeable on the samples we had. Great to see local distillery having one of the best distillery tours I've been on.Visited October 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 30, 2023
- Jan F10 contributionsA tour 'out of the ordinary!'Just spent a wonderful afternoon on the tour/tasting led by Alan. The interactive session was excellent....with rising tables & secret drawers it gave much more than tours we have attended in the past. Alan obviously enjoys his job & everyone we met had a smile on their face! The tasting session was informative & held in the lovely architect designed building with views for miles. Highly recommended for all ages. Book online.Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 30, 2023
- Ken MatthewsFochabers, United Kingdom6 contributionsA wonderful experience.An excellent tour with Alfie who was friendly, knowledgable and entertaining. The tour ended with a rather fine tasting session. As a driver I was delighted to get a driver’s pack so I know what I’m doing this evening when I get home!! Thanks for a wonderful experience.Visited November 2023Traveled with familyWritten November 11, 2023
- Climber7300171 contributionPick this as your highlands whisky tourEasily the best distillery tour I’ve ever done. It was very interactive and modern whilst still keeping the traditional feel of whisky making. Our guide Alan was wonderful. Would highly recommend this tour to anyone in the highlandsVisited January 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten January 27, 2024
- SteveAlford, United Kingdom139 contributionsThe best whisky tour to dateThe visitor experience is excellent. A well thought through ‘immersive’ journey through the history of Clynelish. Alan our guide was engaging, friendly and knowledgable on the topic of all things whisky. If in Brora this is a well worth visit.Visited February 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten February 11, 2024
- Jennifer GStirling, United Kingdom15 contributionsNow a whisky convert! 🏴🥃I have never experienced a whisky tour before and was not sure I would - but thoroughly enjoyed this unexpected experience. Staff were lovely and full of interesting information and the tour was a load of fun with a few surprises along the way. The whisky cocktail at the end has me hooked 👌 - great value all roundVisited February 2024Traveled on businessWritten February 23, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
654 reviews
Excellent
560
Very good
64
Average
17
Poor
5
Terrible
8
Edward A
London, UK41 contributions
Apr 2021 • Couples
The new visitors centre and tour are amazing, well worth a visit. We’ve been on many a distillery tour and this one does not disappoint. The innovative and interactive experience will appeal to all even those who are non plussed about whiskey. Lyla our tour guide was welcoming friendly and very knowledgeable. Would highly recommend, once COVID restrictions have been eased and they open up the bar it would be a great place to stop for refreshments, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic plus they’re going to sell cakes too!
Written May 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PJHSTA
St. Albans, UK8 contributions
Jun 2023 • Couples
Great experience and thoroughly enjoyable. The tour gave us a really good sense of this history, background and process of making whisky. The tour was very interactive with a great room that brought the story to life. Alfie who lead our tour was a star, he was very engaging and got the message across in a really interesting way. My wife who wasn’t a whisky drinker thoroughly enjoyed it and by the end was saying she was liking the more expensive whisky!! The visitor centre is stunning with a brilliant view towards the sea.
Written June 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CJFJ
Cambridge, UK31 contributions
May 2021 • Couples
Fantastic tour experience, very different to what you cone to expect from distillery visits. Huge investment by Diageo has really paid off and my wife and I were very impressed. We were on the 1pm tour on 28th May and our guide hit the perfect balance between technical information and engagement. You will not be disappointed!
Written May 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KingLarsson
Turre, Spain264 contributions
Jun 2022 • Friends
Absolutely brilliant tour of a running distillery in the beautiful highlands of Scotland.
Shirley was a superb, knowledgeable tour guide and host.
A very theatrical and interactive presentation was given detailing the history of the Distillery. This was followed by a walk round and finally the whisky tasting. A wee kit was provided to our driver.
Thoroughly recommend this tour. They also offer private tastings and have an extensive range of whiskies, great coffee and a lovely shop.
Five stars from us.
Shirley was a superb, knowledgeable tour guide and host.
A very theatrical and interactive presentation was given detailing the history of the Distillery. This was followed by a walk round and finally the whisky tasting. A wee kit was provided to our driver.
Thoroughly recommend this tour. They also offer private tastings and have an extensive range of whiskies, great coffee and a lovely shop.
Five stars from us.
Written June 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
louise p
5 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
We came in last minute to see if we could join a tour that day and were pleasantly surprised that the premium tour started in about 5 minutes so we joined that.
It was a Monday so we weren’t expecting it to be busy but we ended up basically having a private tour from Shirley.
We had a wonderful time and had everything explained very clearly and could ask as many question as we wanted.
We got to try 4 different whiskeys and got lots of info on them.
I’d really recommend the premium tour for any whiskey lovers!
It was a Monday so we weren’t expecting it to be busy but we ended up basically having a private tour from Shirley.
We had a wonderful time and had everything explained very clearly and could ask as many question as we wanted.
We got to try 4 different whiskeys and got lots of info on them.
I’d really recommend the premium tour for any whiskey lovers!
Written August 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sean T
Edinburgh, UK16 contributions
Nov 2021
I've been on a lot of distillery tours and this is one of the very best. At £15 it is superb value for money for an experience that lasts an hour and three quarters. My guide, Valerie, gave a brilliant interactive history to start with followed by a tour and then tasting. Going on the tour also gets you a discount in the shop which, after a bit of shopping, effectively meant I had had the tour for free and a few nips into the bargain.
Well worth a visit
Well worth a visit
Written November 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JennaG
2 contributions
Jul 2021 • Couples
I loved our tour here! All staff are friendly and knowledgeable. Guy was our tour guide. He was brilliant and so approachable. We had a lot of fun! Throughout the tour you will understand all the small details which make this whisky and distillery so unique. It can become busy so book ahead. I would recommend to anyone - whisky lover or not!
Written July 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Explore578161
2 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
This review was about the distillery shop experience we received today (note this is not a review of the tour).
We were purchasing one of the Clynelish whisky ‘special edition’ bottles plus some merchandise and whilst waiting in the queue to make our purchase a member of staff (who had not been working on till area prior to this, she seemed to be organising tours) came over and very officiously started to not only ‘attempt’ to serve us but then also got involved with the previous customers sale which then resulted in a very chaotic performance and one that resulted in us leaving the distillery shop feeling a bit ‘let down’.
You would think that a distillery of this calibre would have pretty good customer service but no….the whole experience was simply transactional.
Said woman could not have been less interested if she had tried!!
It was evident that she was busy with arranging the next tour and had little regard for any level of service to us as customers. Rather than let the ‘proper’ sales assistant serve us….whom I may add seemed lovely….no this woman blundered on…..
To be blunt she was just quite rude!
Our purchase was then pushed over the counter to us with not even a thank you…..Just handed over the bottle and other merchandise purchased no bag or even request if we wanted one, until we asked for one ourselves and that was only because my husband and I stood there and just looked at her in disbelief….and when I asked could I have a bag….please….her response was…’I didn’t want to presume whether you wanted a bag’
Honestly…..I despair….
We were at the Balblair distillery only the day before and the contrast in customer service was stark. They treated their customers with care, time and respect. Three virtues that this particular member of staff/distillery would do well to consider engaging in!!
We were purchasing one of the Clynelish whisky ‘special edition’ bottles plus some merchandise and whilst waiting in the queue to make our purchase a member of staff (who had not been working on till area prior to this, she seemed to be organising tours) came over and very officiously started to not only ‘attempt’ to serve us but then also got involved with the previous customers sale which then resulted in a very chaotic performance and one that resulted in us leaving the distillery shop feeling a bit ‘let down’.
You would think that a distillery of this calibre would have pretty good customer service but no….the whole experience was simply transactional.
Said woman could not have been less interested if she had tried!!
It was evident that she was busy with arranging the next tour and had little regard for any level of service to us as customers. Rather than let the ‘proper’ sales assistant serve us….whom I may add seemed lovely….no this woman blundered on…..
To be blunt she was just quite rude!
Our purchase was then pushed over the counter to us with not even a thank you…..Just handed over the bottle and other merchandise purchased no bag or even request if we wanted one, until we asked for one ourselves and that was only because my husband and I stood there and just looked at her in disbelief….and when I asked could I have a bag….please….her response was…’I didn’t want to presume whether you wanted a bag’
Honestly…..I despair….
We were at the Balblair distillery only the day before and the contrast in customer service was stark. They treated their customers with care, time and respect. Three virtues that this particular member of staff/distillery would do well to consider engaging in!!
Written August 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Explore578161,
Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback.
We pride ourselves in offering world class customer service so we are sorry to hear that you were disappointed by your experience with us at Clynelish. Please rest assured that we will pass on your comments to the Retail Team to ensure that this does not occur again in future.
Thank you once again for sharing your feedback.
Kind regards
Written August 10, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dougie
Denver, CO3 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
Excellent tour!! The grounds are gorgeous. Every detail is well thought out and beautifully presented. Valerie, our guide, was exceptional and presented a tour to a group representing 4 countries without a single misstep.
Written June 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
zathura2016
Leicester, UK31 contributions
Oct 2022
A terrific experience and one which presents the history and social history of the area in the context of the development of the distillery. There were several 'wow' moments and the end tasting was thoughtful and well delivered.
Like no distillery visit I have done before - and I have done a number. Top marks all round...building design, tour design, staff, location!
Like no distillery visit I have done before - and I have done a number. Top marks all round...building design, tour design, staff, location!
Written October 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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