Strathisla Distillery Home of Chivas
Strathisla Distillery Home of Chivas
Strathisla Distillery Home of Chivas
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
The Home of Chivas is now open and ready to welcome you back to Strathisla Distillery. To keep you and our staff safe and well we are operating in a slightly different way: We will greet you at our Brand Home to take your temperature. Please bring your face mask to wear whilst inside and adhere to physical distancing. We are offering tastings for groups of maximum of 6 people for over 18 years old. Our shop will also be open - capacity is limited so a short wait in our courtyard may be required.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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- Jet621390877563 contributionsWe had an amazing time. The welcoming we received by Cassie was warm then she delivered an outstanding experience with the tour of the distillery and then the tasting. We also booked in for the warehouse 3 experience, which was amazing. Nothing like tasting 18 year old Chivas that had been re barrelled for another 10 years which is kept under lock and key with the rest of the special whiskies not out for regular consumption. Good to know it was kept in the room with the King and Princes barrels. Thank you Briony for that special experience and for the tasting of som special whiskies after as well.Thank you very much for your lovely review. We are very happy that you enjoyed your time with us. We are pleased to know that you liked the combination of the Distillery Tour and then the Warehouse 3 Experience. Kind RegardsWritten June 28, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited June 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten June 26, 2024
- Pixie-Willow45629 contributionsAbsolutely wonderful place. We took the tasting tour, our guide Cassie was a lovely lady, who kept us entertained throughout. Her knowledge of the whisky making process was good, and she handled questions from some 'overly precocious' American tourists very well. The distillery is beautiful and has a cosy family atmosphere. This was our first visit as a memorial to my Father who passed away, Chivas Regal was his favourite tipple. Our tour was at 10 am, and we were provided with small glass bottles to decant our samples of the three whisky's to take home. If you have time, park at the station just around the corner from the distillery, and walk through the town, it's a beautiful friendly place.Hello, and thank you for taking the time to give Strathisla Distillery a lovely review. We are very happy that you enjoyed your time here with Cassie as your host. Kind RegardsWritten October 8, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited September 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten September 19, 2024
- wendyianFalkirk, United Kingdom275 contributionsThis distillery is one of the most picturesque with its twin pagodas. We were given a very friendly welcome from Gemma and she was our tour guide for our visit. Her presentation when we were watching the history video was flawless, she never read from a script and went through it brilliantly. The rest of the tour was just as good and we would thoroughly recommend it. The whisky tasting was very good too.Thank you very much for your lovely review. We are very happy to know that you enjoyed your time with us here at Strathisla Distillery. Kind RegardsWritten July 4, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited July 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten July 2, 2024
- Cameron B2 contributionsIf you’re visiting the area, a distillery visit is a must. There are lots of excellent distillery tours to choose from, but few, I suspect will be better than this one. A friendly, knowledgeable guide explained the process and the long history of Strathisla, and the tasting was, even for the non drinkers in our party, an enjoyable and instructive culmination to our visit. Keith is described as “the friendly toon” and Strathisla more than lives up to this reputation.Thank you very much for your lovely review. We are very glad that you enjoyed your visit so much - it means a lot to us. Kind RegardsWritten July 6, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited July 2024Traveled with friendsWritten July 4, 2024
- Erin M1 contributionLoved the tour! They were very accomodating, and our guide Freya was so friendly and knowledgeable. She answered every question we had (even the silly ones), and overall was a very engaging host. I don't even really like whisky, and I still had a wonderful time thanks to her!Thank you very much for your lovely review. We are very happy that you enjoyed your time with us here at Strathisla. Kind RegardsWritten January 24, 2025This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited January 2025Traveled with familyWritten January 17, 2025
- Theresa RennieFife, United Kingdom1 contributionThis was a trip down memory lane for my sister and me as our dad worked there as a still-man for many years. He left fifty years ago. The tour brought back fond memories. And we learned about the history of the distillery which was very interesting. Our tour guide Alison was very knowledgeable and friendly. She made the tour a very enjoyable experience. And of course we got to sample some of the varieties of whisky at the end of the tour. This was just the icing on the cake. I would highly recommend this experience. TheresaDear Theresa Thank you very much for coming to see us, and for your lovely review and for recommending us. It was very interesting to hear about your family connections with Strathisla Distillery. We are glad to note you have fond memories of Strathisla. Kind RegardsWritten March 11, 2025This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited March 2025Traveled as a coupleWritten March 7, 2025
- jennFochabers, United Kingdom49 contributionsWe did a tour and tasting at strathisla as two locals, working very closely with Chivas and two friends from England with absolutely no knowledge at all. Briony was our host and was utterly fantastic. So passionate, experienced and friendly. She really made an impression and is a credit to the company. We know a lot about the distillery via family connections and work but we’re still learning things from Briony. The tasting was great too, a nice selection.Thank you very much for your super review about your visit to Strathisla Distillery. We will make sure that Briony gets to hear about your lovely comments. We are very happy to hear that our tour was enjoyable for those with no prior whisky knowledge and for those who already knew a lot about Strathisla. Kind RegardsWritten August 16, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited August 2024Traveled with friendsWritten August 9, 2024
- francis A3 contributionsAs always, Strathisla is a pleasure from the moment you arrive as it is a jewel, such a beautiful distillery. Did a standard tour first before the blending sessions. the tour was very well done and informative. it is really fun too. The whole experience at the distillery was great. To be recommended.Dear Francisca, thank you very much for your lovely review. We are very glad that you enjoyed your visit and that you thought it was informative and fun. Kind RegardsWritten October 8, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited September 2024Traveled with friendsWritten September 22, 2024
- JUDITH BAuckland Central, New Zealand276 contributionsKatie provided us with a excellent tour explaining the process with enthusiasm. The tasting that followed allowed us a take the samples away, an excellent idea for drivers and non drinker. We tasted two single malts and a blend learning the differences between. The distillery is one of the most pictureque. RecommendedDear Judith, many thanks for your lovely review. We are very happy that you enjoyed your time with us here at Strathisla. Many thanks for recommending us. Kind RegardsWritten August 16, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited August 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten August 5, 2024
- RoofdiggerMunich, Germany115 contributionsCertainly the of the most picturesque Distillery in Scotland and we had the pleasure to have Karen as our guide. We very much enjoyed the 1,5 h tour having only a group of 8. Time flies when visiting places like this gem in the Highlands..Many thanks for your review comments. We are very happy that your enjoyed your time here at Strathisla. Kind RegardsWritten May 25, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited May 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten May 1, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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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
616 reviews
Excellent
507
Very good
81
Average
19
Poor
3
Terrible
6
Marco K
1 contribution
Aug 2022
As an Australian from Sydney, getting to Keith and Strathisla isn't particularly easy however I'd happily do it again just to make an "I quit Insurance - Extra" blend.
The Blending Experience is one of the best ways to spend a few hours in the Speyside region and unfortunately for other distilleries and their tours, you guys have set the bar so high that you guys would be the only one I'd recommend if you have to pick just one as this also includes great insight into the single malt process for the Strathisla single malt.
My Blending Experience was led by Briony who was knowledgeable, funny, engaging and an absolute angel (thankfully not one of the ones taking 1-2% of the volume of the barrel out each year).
Literally everyone else you may meet there are similarly lovely and I've always loved their whiskey (in-fact it started me on my whiskey journey). Getting a much deeper insight into the hard work, dedication, skill, patience and lovely people involved makes this a worthy stop on any whiskey pilgrimage.
The shop is well stocked with blends and single malts that you can't get anywhere else so pack light and leave room for at least 200mL of your own blend at the end of the Blending Experience.
For those of us who do too good of a job (like me), it'd be nice to be able to have a much larger bottle to take home (500mL) for additional cost because it's a very unique experience and I'd like to share my blend back home with friends as Australian friends can be especially thirsty.
All in all, every time I'll walk past Chivas Regal in the shops or I'm looking for a great whiskey at a bar on the other side of the world, I will never forget the wonderful time I had with Briony and the team and that every time I buy Chivas Regal, it's going towards keeping their good work going.
The Blending Experience is one of the best ways to spend a few hours in the Speyside region and unfortunately for other distilleries and their tours, you guys have set the bar so high that you guys would be the only one I'd recommend if you have to pick just one as this also includes great insight into the single malt process for the Strathisla single malt.
My Blending Experience was led by Briony who was knowledgeable, funny, engaging and an absolute angel (thankfully not one of the ones taking 1-2% of the volume of the barrel out each year).
Literally everyone else you may meet there are similarly lovely and I've always loved their whiskey (in-fact it started me on my whiskey journey). Getting a much deeper insight into the hard work, dedication, skill, patience and lovely people involved makes this a worthy stop on any whiskey pilgrimage.
The shop is well stocked with blends and single malts that you can't get anywhere else so pack light and leave room for at least 200mL of your own blend at the end of the Blending Experience.
For those of us who do too good of a job (like me), it'd be nice to be able to have a much larger bottle to take home (500mL) for additional cost because it's a very unique experience and I'd like to share my blend back home with friends as Australian friends can be especially thirsty.
All in all, every time I'll walk past Chivas Regal in the shops or I'm looking for a great whiskey at a bar on the other side of the world, I will never forget the wonderful time I had with Briony and the team and that every time I buy Chivas Regal, it's going towards keeping their good work going.
Written August 16, 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 so happy that you had a fantastic experience! Thank you so much for leaving such a lovely review. I hope you continue to enjoy your whisky journey and that it brings you back to Strathisla.
Written August 20, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Diane K
7 contributions
Aug 2023 • Friends
I booked online for myself and my 88yr old dad who has some mobility issues. When we arrived they told us there were quite a few stairs. He was a trouper and Nat (our guide) made sure that she waited for him before she began talking. Very accommodating.
Written August 29, 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.
Saumit
11 contributions
Aug 2022 • Solo
Any trip to Speyside is incomplete without a visit to Strathisla distillery. Nestled amongst the rolling hills and the charming and friendly town of Keith in the low valley of Isla, its easy to see why this distillery is one of the most photographed in Scotland.
While the distillery offers 3 tours which would tickle any Scotch enthusiasts' fancy, I opted for Chivas: The Blend- a tour which gives you a glimps into what the passionate people behind the brand must be doing at an unfathomable scale.
Upon entering this mesmerising distillery we were given a warm and friendly welcome by Claire and Alice.
The tour starts in the history room where you will get a glimps into the inspiring past of the distillery, followed by a tour of the production areas where you can witness first hand how the distillery has managed to stay traditional in its processes while balancing the increase in production capacity, a tasting of some exclusive blends in the cellar with the opportunity to draw whisky straight from the barrel and finally the opportunity to create your own blend. The latter two making this a truly unique experience.
Special thanks to Claire, our guide is extremely passionate, enthusiastic and lively which adds so much more value to visiting this already historically significant distillery. She is a natural and effortlessly paints you a picture of the Distillery's history and beautifully explains the entire production process whist taking the time to answer queries regarding to the brand or production. A special thanks to Alice as well with whom we only had a brief yet in-depth conversation about production.
Claire and her team are committed in making this a memorable experience and this tour has indeed been one of the most extraordinary experiences me and my father have ever had.
While the distillery offers 3 tours which would tickle any Scotch enthusiasts' fancy, I opted for Chivas: The Blend- a tour which gives you a glimps into what the passionate people behind the brand must be doing at an unfathomable scale.
Upon entering this mesmerising distillery we were given a warm and friendly welcome by Claire and Alice.
The tour starts in the history room where you will get a glimps into the inspiring past of the distillery, followed by a tour of the production areas where you can witness first hand how the distillery has managed to stay traditional in its processes while balancing the increase in production capacity, a tasting of some exclusive blends in the cellar with the opportunity to draw whisky straight from the barrel and finally the opportunity to create your own blend. The latter two making this a truly unique experience.
Special thanks to Claire, our guide is extremely passionate, enthusiastic and lively which adds so much more value to visiting this already historically significant distillery. She is a natural and effortlessly paints you a picture of the Distillery's history and beautifully explains the entire production process whist taking the time to answer queries regarding to the brand or production. A special thanks to Alice as well with whom we only had a brief yet in-depth conversation about production.
Claire and her team are committed in making this a memorable experience and this tour has indeed been one of the most extraordinary experiences me and my father have ever had.
Written August 14, 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.
Your description of this distillery is lovely. Thank you for leaving such an amazing review of the distillery and of our staff. We are so glad that you had a wonderful time with us. I hope we can welcome you back in the future.
Written August 15, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Chris Brown
3 contributions
Jul 2023
My father loves whisky, so we came to Strathisla for the personalised blending experience and tour around the distillery - as part of a larger tour around Abereenshire as an 80th birthday gift.
Cassie was our host, and did an absolutely fabulous job. She was warm, engaging, very knowledgable and struck just the right note in interacting with us to help us get the most of our experience. The blending was accompanied by much laughter and was unforgettable.
The distillery tour was also excellent. It was under maintenance at the time but we got to see right inside all the mash tuns and the stills, and to go inside the bonded warehouse where all the barrels were stored, some 50 years old - the smell when you walk in the warehouse door is amazing!
First class experience
Cassie was our host, and did an absolutely fabulous job. She was warm, engaging, very knowledgable and struck just the right note in interacting with us to help us get the most of our experience. The blending was accompanied by much laughter and was unforgettable.
The distillery tour was also excellent. It was under maintenance at the time but we got to see right inside all the mash tuns and the stills, and to go inside the bonded warehouse where all the barrels were stored, some 50 years old - the smell when you walk in the warehouse door is amazing!
First class experience
Written August 19, 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.
Christine R
1 contribution
Jul 2023
Our visit with our friends to Strathisla Distillery today was excellent in every way, especially the guide, the lovely Briony who gave us all a knowledgeable and humorous presentation. The Distillery is very interesting and full of character, the tastings were well organised and thoughtfully arranged for samples to be taken away for those those who wished to. Thanks to all the staff for a grand tour.
Written July 25, 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.
Colin E
2 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
Absolutely fabulous distillery tour and service beforehand. We arrived an hour early but were made very welcome in the shop and whisky bar. They asked if we were driving and we said yes so they put our whisky samples in a box to bring home with us. We took the 1 oclock tour and Briony was a marvellous tour guide - very entertaining and also fulLof interesting information. We have been on a few distillery tours in our time but this one as by far the best and also best for value for money
Written August 7, 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.
TwoShanesTravels
8 contributions
Jul 2022 • Friends
After visiting 15 distilleries, we weren't sure we could be impressed...we were wrong! We booked the warehouse tasting and were completely blown away. Claire gave us the most incredible experience of our entire whisky tour (18 distilleries) of Scotland! What makes this so unique is you get to draw the whisky yourself from the casks using a copper dog. I can honestly say the whisky was wonderful from start to finish...rarely do the initial drams hold up...these did. Even got to try some 30+ year olds. Claire was so fun, so kind, so engaging, we couldn't help but post this review (which we rarely do)!
Do yourself a huge favor, if you love whisky, book the warehouse tasting and ask for Claire. Just might make your whole trip!
Do yourself a huge favor, if you love whisky, book the warehouse tasting and ask for Claire. Just might make your whole trip!
Written July 26, 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 so happy that you had a great time with us and thank you so much for leaving a glowing review of Claire. We agree that she is a fantastic person with such a bubbly personality.
Written July 28, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mary G
2 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
Strathisla is not only the oldest surviving distillery in Scotland but also probably the most picturesque. It also produces great single malt and Megan gave us a very enthusiastic tour of the distillery. However, the presentation becomes confusing because while the product of Strathisla is single malt the presentation seems to be more a promotion of Chivas blended varieties produced elsewhere.
Written September 30, 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.
Thomas Lundbäck
1 contribution
Apr 2022
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit under the excellent guidance of Norman. He took us through history in a highly engaging manner, throwing in interesting details about both the estate and interesting persons. This was finished with a visit to a warehouse and tasting of a nice set of representative whiskys. Man y thanks for this, well worth the visit!
Written April 24, 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 for the great review!! We are so glad you had a good time with us.
Written April 26, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hannah M
1 contribution
Feb 2023
Had a fantastic tour! We were the only ones on the tour, and since we have been to many distilleries they were able tailor the information on this tour to give us more details about how their process and equipment is different from other distilleries, as well as the process of blending.
The only downside was being charged for the drivers pots. Having been too many distilleries all over Scotland, I was a bit taken a back at being charged for the tasters for the driver as this has always been free at the other distilleries. We got the basic same packaging for the drivers pots for free from the distillery we went to the day before which was also the same price for the tour.
The only downside was being charged for the drivers pots. Having been too many distilleries all over Scotland, I was a bit taken a back at being charged for the tasters for the driver as this has always been free at the other distilleries. We got the basic same packaging for the drivers pots for free from the distillery we went to the day before which was also the same price for the tour.
Written February 7, 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.
Thank you very much for your review! We are so glad that you had a good time with us and pleased that you enjoyed a more tailored experience. We appreciate your feedback on the drivers packs. We are currently reviewing our policy on them and so your input is valuable to us.
Written February 9, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Is all that temperature checking and physical distancing and nonsense described in the description of this place still done or did they go back to normal?
Written November 26, 2024
Is there an option to store baggage while I take a distillery tour? I will be having my backpack while I come for the distillery tour.
Written April 17, 2023
Hi, I recon not.
Of course I do not recollect of seeing any such sign but during my visit, none of the visitors had there pets with them.
There was this one group who kept their pet in their van.
I hope to have answered your query.
Written September 2, 2022
Hi,
Are dogs allowed in the courtyard or shop? Looking for somewhere we can go with the pooch.
Thanks
Gav
Written May 7, 2022
hola, quisiera saber si puedo contratar una excursion a la destileria en español o tienen audioguia?? gracias!!
Written June 18, 2019
Jenna C
Keith, United Kingdom
Hi,
There is a great little site at Fochabers just 8 miles from us. Or a little further away in Lossiemouth & Nairn about 20 & 30 miles respectively, both on the coast. Even Keith residents have caravan's in these locations that they head off to at the weekends!
We look forward to seeing you here!
Written June 6, 2019
Hola. Quisiera saber si desde argentina puedo contratar un tour en español por la destilería. Muchas gracias!!
Written May 15, 2019
We stay at Ugie House, is a long way to go?
Written August 18, 2018
Viajamos con niños. Si no pueden pasar, hay algún sitio en el q puedan esperar?
Written July 29, 2018
Hi, we will be visiting soon, we have two children ages 7 and 4. Can they go in please?
Written July 28, 2018
Nope - no one under the legal drinking age is allowed into the distillery, but you can do a tasting in the main area!
Written July 28, 2018
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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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