Strathisla Distillery — Attraction in Great Britain

My fiancé and I visited in late September 2022. We had bought a tasting tour and emailed them ahead of time to ask if we could take engagement photos there and they graciously allowed us to do so. Initial contact was made in early May 2022 and they got back to us within a 2 week time frame (depending on when you are reading this review, 2022 was the year of short staffed businesses EVERYWHERE).

We arrived in the parking lot to meet our photographer and to my absolute horror I ended up not actually booking the tour by mistake, and management had originally agreed to allow us to do photos only if we were doing a tour. I’m not sure if they actually had the room or if they made room especially for us, but they booked us in for the tasting right away and sent us off to take our photos with the intention of coming back for the tour later. They also opened up their blending room and tasting room privately for us ahead of time to take photos.

The tasting itself was conducted by Claire who is an absolute wonderful character (if you have the pleasure of meeting her, ask her about her time abroad!). She was very upbeat and made the tasting a fun group challenge. Afterwards she served us a few samples of some currently available whiskies to help us decide on our purchase and really showed off her knowledge of Strathisla’s offerings and also other products under the Chivas umbrella. We ended up really liking the limited run of an 8 year single malt and a Royal Salute 21 Malt.

My fiancé and I walked away with two bottles and some wonderful photos thanks to Claire and the amazing staff at Strathisla. The visitor centre and shop have a dark, moody gentleman’s library vibe and is honestly a beautiful place for photos. Don’t sleep on this distillery just because they’re not known for single malts; you might be like us and be happily surprised at what...

Strathisla Distillery – A Speyside Gem

Strathisla is without doubt one of the most picturesque distilleries in Scotland. Even if you only make it to the bar, as we did (twice!), you’ll feel immersed in the rich character and heritage of Speyside whisky.

One of the real joys of visiting Strathisla is the chance to try single malts that rarely make it into the wild—most of their spirit goes into blends, so tasting these expressions on their own is a real treat. A standout moment was getting to try Caperdonich, a distillery that closed in 2002. It’s rare, old, and full of character, and it was a privilege to enjoy it right there at the source.

What made the experience truly memorable though, were the people. Callum was an absolute legend—clearly passionate about whisky, full of knowledge, and always happy to chat and recommend a dram or two. We bumped into him elsewhere in Speyside and he was just as friendly and welcoming.

On our second visit, we were lucky enough to be looked after by Jed, who we’d actually heard about from a taxi driver! Jed is, without exaggeration, Mr Whisky. A more kind-hearted and knowledgeable man you could not hope to meet.

Strathisla has got something special—not just in the drams they pour, but in the people who pour them. They’re the embodiment of what makes Speyside whisky culture so special. We’ll...

The breathtakingly beautiful home of one of my favourite Speyside single malts: the Strathisla 12 (now very sadly discontinued due to a poorly executed rebrand). Criminally underrated in its time, it was too beautiful for this world.

The distillery tour I attended here was among the best experiences I've had anywhere and was led by Carys, a knowledgeable, clever, and intelligent guide who is sure to go far. Walking through the living history of its distillery on the most exciting day of the year (the day before they begin a new batch), was the best way to learn more about the favourite export of Speyside.

This experience has been on my list for many years, and I'm glad to have had the opportunity to make a visit. I strongly recommend it to all whisky lovers, whether seasoned or just discovering the aqua vitae.

P.S. To the higher ups at Pernod Ricard/Chivas: with the right marketing, you have a gem in the Strathisla 12 that could easily rival the Glenlivet 15 and almost meet the Glenlivet 18. Please don't deprive the world of Strathisla Single malts forever. You'd be making an equally wise decision to promote Carys and make her a part...