Distillers in the UK

Finding a good distillery to visit in the UK

Britain now has hundreds of distilleries, from the Scotch whisky names that have run for two centuries to the craft gin, rum, vodka and whisky makers that have opened in every county since the gin boom, in barns, railway arches and old mills. Most welcome visitors: a tour of the stills with the story of the spirit, a tasting, a shop with bottles and merchandise, and often a bar, a café and events; and the gin distilleries in particular run gin schools where you design and distil your own bottle on a small still in an afternoon.

Visiting well is a matter of booking, since tours run at set times and gin schools sell out weeks ahead; of the driver, since a tasting is a tasting, and many distilleries offer driver's packs to take the samples home; and of what you want: a whisky distillery for the history and the warehouse, a gin distillery for the botanicals and the school, a rum or vodka maker for something different. The shop is the reason to go if nothing else is; distillery-only bottlings and cask-strength releases are sold nowhere else.

The listings here show each distillery's spirits, tours and experiences, shop and bar, prices, hours and contact details, so you can see what is nearby, who runs tours or a gin school, and where people in your town take visitors.

What distilleries offer

Tours: a guided walk through the stills, mash tuns and warehouses with the maker's story, ending in a tasting, from an hour to a half day.

Tastings and masterclasses: flights of the range with food pairings, cask and blending sessions, and comparisons across the distillery's spirits.

Gin schools and experiences: design your own gin from the botanicals and distil it on a mini still, taking a bottle home, for groups, hen parties and gifts.

Shop and bar: the full range including distillery exclusives, refills, gifts and merchandise, and a bar or café serving cocktails and the spirit at its best.

Events and hire: festivals, supper clubs, live music, cask ownership, and private hire for parties and corporate days.

Before you visit a distillery

• Book tours and gin schools ahead; both run at set times and sell out in summer and before Christmas.
• Sort the driver: take a driver's pack, use the bus or a taxi, or stay nearby.
• Check the age limit; tastings are 18 and over, and some tours do not admit children.
• Wear flat shoes; distilleries are working sites with stairs and wet floors.
• Ask what the tour includes — how many drams, the warehouse, a glass to keep — and how long it runs.
• Buy the distillery-only bottles while you are there; they are not sold anywhere else.

What distillery visits cost

As a rough guide, a standard tour with a tasting costs £12 to £25 at craft distilleries and £15 to £45 at the big whisky names, premium and warehouse tours £50 to £150 and upwards for rare drams; a tasting flight £10 to £30; a gin school £90 to £150 a person with a 70cl bottle to take home; a masterclass £40 to £90; and cocktails at the bar £8 to £14. Bottles in the shop are usually the same price as online with exclusives from £35 to £70; cask ownership starts at a few thousand pounds.

A gin school for two costs the same as a good dinner and gives you two bottles and an afternoon you will talk about.