Lindores Abbey Distillery
Lindores Abbey Distillery
5
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
The Spiritual Home of Scotch Whisky. Revived after 523 years. As custodians of Lindores Abbey, we have made a very sincere commitment to protect this important landmark for future generations. In 2017, spirit started flowing once again from copper stills at Lindores Abbey Distillery. Learning as much as we can from the great Scottish distillers around us, past and present, and from others much further afield, we are bringing a very modern whisky-making approach to this ancient site. We are open for Tours and you can book online. Refreshments need to be pre booked.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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8 within 3 miles
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See what travelers are saying
- Nomad676826825291 contributionNOT TO BE MISSED.Had a great really interesting tour of the distillery with our brilliant guide Donald. Very knowledgeable whisky Expert. A tour you shouldn't miss if you're interested in the history of Scottish whisky. Thanks again Lindores Abby for a brilliant day out.Thank you so much, so glad to hear you enjoyed it!Written October 30, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 6, 2023
- windy mNewcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom10 contributionsFantastic and very smooth, the experience and the Whiskey.So interesting and refreshing to see such an enthusiastic approach to Whiskey making. Fantastic product with great branding, they really have the experience right. Yes I came away with some Whiskey which is lovely, I put it right up there with the best, (I have drank a bit of whiskey in my time !)Thank you so much, so glad to hear you enjoyed it!Written October 30, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 14, 2023
- Keith B5 contributionsLindores tour 2022Didn’t appreciate the history or the views prior to visit and even got a bear logo cut into hillside. Knowledgeable tour guide and informative tour finished off with few nips. Also tasters available for further purchases.Thank you so much, so glad to hear you enjoyed it!Written October 30, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited October 2023Traveled with friendsWritten October 15, 2023
- A Scotsman Outdoors18 contributionsSimply Excellent!As part of a birthday weekend, the distillery tour really didn't disappoint. We had Ronnie as a tour guide who was excellent from start to finish as well as polite and professional but most importantly he was funny, engaging in a good bit of east coast / west coast banter (us being the west coasters). The relatively short history of the distillery building coupled with the centuries old history of the site (and how it was discovered almost by accident) were shared with us by Ronnie's excellent story telling. He clearly listened to us too as he pointed out a part of the distillery's history which was relevant to where we come from. The story of the distillery is amazing and one that has to be learned from the guides on site but above all else the whisky is delicious! Plan a visit here and take the time to have a tour... you might even get to taste the monks concoction (Aqua Vitae).Thank you so much, so glad to hear you enjoyed it!Written October 30, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 29, 2023
- Simon W6 contributionsHistory and Whisky 🥃A great history tour as well as a lovely tour around the distillery itself and into the warehouse to see the resting casks. I feel like Lindores history element made this tour stand out among those I've been on - I love the whisky side of things (obviously), but I'm all too ready to get caught up in the retelling of it all back in 1494 too. Lovely samples, and a distillery exclusive on offer in the shop too. The whisky is fantastic. It may be young but the expressions tried are all confident, assured drams. You can pick up distillery exclusives in the shop.Thank you!Written January 9, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited October 2023Traveled with friendsWritten October 30, 2023
- Andy S11 contributionsAwesome rainy day outing!As a medieval history nerd and collector of less well known whiskies, Lindores was the perfect rainy day outing. Ronnie was a great guide - very knowledgeable, friendly, and patient. They aren’t trying to make “ordinary whisky”. It was really cool to hear about what they do different and why.Thank you!Written January 9, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited November 2023Traveled soloWritten November 3, 2023
- VincetheThame, United Kingdom5 contributionsFabulous distillery tour steeped in historyThoroughly enjoyable tour and you get so much history thrown into it, not just whisky making. Our tour guide really brought the whole story of the distillery to life. Well worth it and highly recommendedThank youWritten January 9, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited November 2023Traveled soloWritten November 10, 2023
- sirl0inlrGlasgow, United Kingdom63 contributionsLovely old abbey ruinsWe'd walked round the ruins the day before, so went to the distillery today. Didn't take the tour, but looked round the oak refectory table (traditionally made with dowels). Lots of information on the abbey and its history on oak information boards and oak "books". Coffee very good, passed on the whisky, as we were driving The abbey itself was very atmospheric; there are pictures of weddings which took place there. Most complete pieces are two doorways, giving an idea of the grandeur of the abbey. It was really big, as you can see from what's still standing. Abbey/distillery not well signposted. Leaving Newburgh, heading towrards Coupar, turn left at the filling station (Buttercup Cafe)Thank youWritten January 9, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited November 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten November 22, 2023
- Andy T1 contributionBest distillery ever!After going to a few tours, this is by far the best one that you can see. Great history for a small and very new operation, and our tour guide Dave was excellent! Lastly the quality of the whisky was unmatched! One of the beat I've ever had, will definitely be on the lookout for more product from them!Thank youWritten January 9, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited December 2023Traveled with friendsWritten December 30, 2023
- Runya2 contributionsInsightful Tour, Powerful Scotch Whiskey ExperienceTour was excellent! Really insightful and such a powerful story behind Lindores and the birthplace of Scotch Whiskey- 'Water of Life'. Thank you to Ronnie for a fantastic tour. We've been really inspired!!Thank youWritten January 9, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited January 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten January 5, 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
333 reviews
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squeggs
St. Andrews, UK1 contribution
May 2022 • Family
The building and surrounding site a beautifully finished; very sleek decor. The tickets were also great value for money - the tour lasted 1.5hrs and the tasting consisted of a measure of the standard whisky and one of their delicious aqua vitae. However, the experience for us was seriously marred by our tour guide Ronnie, who, despite being very knowledgable and a good storyteller, made several patronising and misogynist comments throughout the tour. He compared the copper stills to the shape of a woman’s body; several times used the very tedious trope that his wife talks too much; and finally during the tasting suggested that women cannot drink neat spirits. As a young woman who drinks whisky and beer, I’m used to getting these kinds of comments from old men in the pub, but not from professionals in a distillery. It was pretty disappointing.
Written May 25, 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.
We are glad you enjoyed the tour but are sad you felt that way about the tour. We work with our Tour Guides to make everyone feel welcome and included and will continue to work on and improve this.
Written September 14, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hon S
3 contributions
Sep 2021 • Couples
Honestly could not recommend the distillery tour enough. Ronnie was so knowledgable and passionate, allowing questions throughout and a great sense of humour. It was amazing learning the history of the brewery and we were very tempted to buy a cask.. or 5! There was also an option for a take home taster for drivers which was really appreciated as not all distilleries offer this, there was also no embarrassment asking for this, it was offered at the time of tasting. The tour was followed by a sharing platter which was delicious and every member of staff could not of been nicer! We looked to buy a bottle of Aqua Vita, however, the larger bottles were out of stock but we will keep an eye on the website for these coming back in! Wish we could go every day!
Written September 2, 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.
Thank you so much, we are delighted you enjoyed your visit.
Written November 3, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mark H
3 contributions
Aug 2020
A really well run distillery tour. The Abbey next door to the distillery is the first recorded place to make whiskey in Scotland and is a very pleasant place to have a walk. The tour is well thought out and informative and samples are provided of Aqua Vitae which they now sell and a whiskey made by someone else: they cannot at the moment sell their produce as whiskey because none of it has been in a barrel for over 3 years as yet.
I was driving and could not sample the drinks but cleverly they provide a "driver's pack" so that once home the driver can have their share.
I was driving and could not sample the drinks but cleverly they provide a "driver's pack" so that once home the driver can have their share.
Written August 18, 2020
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.
Hope you enjoyed the drivers pack!?
Written August 26, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Matthias K
Zurich, Switzerland22 contributions
Aug 2022 • Couples
The most informative and entertaining tour of a Scottish whiskey distillery I’ve ever been on. The trip was well worth it.
Ronnie, our tour guide introduced us to the history of this fairly young (but really old distillery - the first spirits for the King of Scotland were produced here in the Abby by “Trionese” monks some 530 years ago) and the art of making whiskey. We got to ask all sorts of questions and he patiently answered them all in great depth, displaying deep knowledge of the brewing and distillery processes. At the end we sampled both the whiskey as well as the Aqua Vitae that is produced from the same distilled spirits. The Aqua Vitae is what the monks probably provided to the king - and I have to say, it also tasted very good.
We felt very welcome in this small family owned business and can recommend a visit to anyone interested in Scotch and history.
Ronnie, our tour guide introduced us to the history of this fairly young (but really old distillery - the first spirits for the King of Scotland were produced here in the Abby by “Trionese” monks some 530 years ago) and the art of making whiskey. We got to ask all sorts of questions and he patiently answered them all in great depth, displaying deep knowledge of the brewing and distillery processes. At the end we sampled both the whiskey as well as the Aqua Vitae that is produced from the same distilled spirits. The Aqua Vitae is what the monks probably provided to the king - and I have to say, it also tasted very good.
We felt very welcome in this small family owned business and can recommend a visit to anyone interested in Scotch and history.
Written August 18, 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.
Thank you and so glad you enjoyed your visit.
Written September 14, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
CovadongaC
Glenrothes, UK43 contributions
Feb 2020
Wasn't expecting such an interesting and enjoyable experience. Audrey the tour guide was excellent, making sure everyone was included and understood what she was saying. Such a wealth of knowledge of a fascinating history and 'mystical' process. Learned lots of fascinating things about Scotland and whisky making. Well worth a visit to what is the oldest site of whisky making in Scotland.
Written February 9, 2020
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.
Thank you so much, glad we convinced you!
Written February 19, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
R1138
Great Malvern, UK108 contributions
Jan 2020
Right from when we walked in the door we were welcomed by the friendly staff and amazed at the hall and refectory area and shop. Even the toilets were impressive (no cheap construction here). We had tea and coffee while we waited for our tour to start and also visited the abbey ruins across the road where we took some photos of the distillery as well. Ronnie gave us an excellent tour of the distillery and background to the abbey itself - something we were more interested in than the process of making Whiskey since after you've visited one distillery you pretty much know the production process. The arrangement of the tour was a perfect combination of seeing an actual production facility but with thought given to how visitors could observe things and move around. Ronnie was knowledgeable about the production process but also told about his background in the yeast industry (he had even visited our home county of Finland in his previous job selling yeast). His international perspective meant he explained things well even for non-British natives. During the tour we encountered some of the production workers who were equally polite to us, holding the door open when we moved from building to building and a couple of times encountered the higher management arriving or having a meeting in one of the rooms we went through and even they said hello to us and wished us a happy new year!
Looking in the guest book we noticed that there were a large proportion of international visitors and I'm not surprised since the combination of the distillery and history make a perfect destination even for those who don't like whisky itself.
We bough a small bottle from the shop to take home and coupled with some ginger ale we will toast the distillery tonight and remember our great time there.
Looking in the guest book we noticed that there were a large proportion of international visitors and I'm not surprised since the combination of the distillery and history make a perfect destination even for those who don't like whisky itself.
We bough a small bottle from the shop to take home and coupled with some ginger ale we will toast the distillery tonight and remember our great time there.
Written January 6, 2020
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.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review and we are delighted you enjoyed our history as well as learning about whisky!
Written January 8, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
sunchasers_11
York, UK12 contributions
Feb 2022 • Couples
We had an amazing visit to the new/old distillery based at the beautiful Lindores Abbey with views of the Tay ,
The tour was conducted by Helen a lovely lady with a huge knowledge of the abbeys history and the rediscovery of probably the oldest known distillery in Scotland.
2 hours flew by we took a trip back to the 12th century through the Abbeys birth to its demise under the Tudors but then on recent times and the rediscovery of the original site of whisky distillation to the birth of a new whisky made using all local ingredients to create fantastic single malt.
The development of the new visitors centre and distillery has been done with such skill as it blends the ancient to the new.
The distillery also produces Aqua Vitae which I for one really enjoyed as an alt to whisky and was great mixed with lime and ginger ale for a long drink .
We took away several bottles of malt etc and thoroughly enjoyed our time spent at Lindores Abbey.
The tour was conducted by Helen a lovely lady with a huge knowledge of the abbeys history and the rediscovery of probably the oldest known distillery in Scotland.
2 hours flew by we took a trip back to the 12th century through the Abbeys birth to its demise under the Tudors but then on recent times and the rediscovery of the original site of whisky distillation to the birth of a new whisky made using all local ingredients to create fantastic single malt.
The development of the new visitors centre and distillery has been done with such skill as it blends the ancient to the new.
The distillery also produces Aqua Vitae which I for one really enjoyed as an alt to whisky and was great mixed with lime and ginger ale for a long drink .
We took away several bottles of malt etc and thoroughly enjoyed our time spent at Lindores Abbey.
Written February 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.
Thank you so much for your lovely review and we will let Helen know how much you enjoyed your tour.
Written February 23, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lozca
Greater London, UK47 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
It is a new distillery. Even though they have not yet produced a drop of whisky they sell tours. They have little to show. Half of the tour is video clips. Highlight of it is the ruins of the Abbey and it is free to visit.
Written September 7, 2020
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.
We are sorry that you felt the need to leave us a 1 star rating and that you feel that we have little to show, especially when we make it extremely clear on our website, email responses and to telephone bookings that we are hosting a different, reduced price pre-booked tour instead of the usual full tour because of Covid and the need to keep our customers and team safe. Because of this we include two very generous serves, Aqua Vitae with ginger ale and a dram of 10 year old single malt as well as a complimentary illustrated guide book worth £3.50 to accompany the free extra tour of the abbey ruins (which incidentally belong to the distillery). We also offer a drivers pack for those who cannot enjoy a drink at the time of visiting. All of this is offered at the reduced price of £10.00 per person, which we believe to be excellent value. We are one of a very small handful of distilleries that have opened up to tourists post covid as we feel very strongly that the people who take the time to come and see us in Scotland should have some attractions to visit. We are extremely sorry that you don’t feel our offering is sufficient. As a new distillery we are very clear that we do not have our own whisky on sale yet, although we have been 'making' whisky for the past 3 years. The tour is about the history of the spirit, Lindores Abbey and the process of whisky making, which is the same as a tour at any other whisky distillery. As ever, if a visitor is disappointed when they visit us, we would always ask that you let us know at the time, rather than leave a 1-star review.
Written September 10, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stuart S
London, UK195 contributions
Aug 2021
We had a wonderful tour here in Aug 2021 as part of our Speyside Whisky Tour with Scottish Routes. The site is of course next to the first recorded mention of aqua vitae distilling in 1494, and they have skillfully incorporated that history into their visitor centre, distillery tour, and the whisky itself. It's a very small and intimate place with friendly staff, and our tour guide Ronnie was so genuine and enthusiastic throughout. We ended with a tasting of new make spirit, aqua vitae (make into a very tasting cocktail), and the brand new 3-year old single malt. We had a great time with our group in the tasting, and took home a 70cl bottle of their inaugural whisky. Definitely a distillery worth visiting for a small and intimate whisky experience!
Written September 5, 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.
Thank you so much, we are delighted you enjoyed your visit.
Written November 3, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PopcornMonkeyReviews
West Yorkshire, UK4,851 contributions
Apr 2022
John the demonstrator was really friendly and provided a really informative and delivered an enjoyable tour. The distillery was really easy to find with lots of free parking. Very reasonably priced, easy to book by phone, the price includes sampling as well so it was really good value for money.
Regrettably, we did not pre-order a charcuterie board (which looked amazing) as we weren't aware you could order one so that will be one to do in the future - our suggestion is that the staff on the phones and the published information online is up to date so punters know what additional services are available (i.e. the amazing looking charcuterie boards).
Regrettably, we did not pre-order a charcuterie board (which looked amazing) as we weren't aware you could order one so that will be one to do in the future - our suggestion is that the staff on the phones and the published information online is up to date so punters know what additional services are available (i.e. the amazing looking charcuterie boards).
Written June 2, 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.
Thank you and so glad you enjoyed your visit.
Written September 14, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
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