Royal Lochnagar Distillery — Local services in Great Britain

A Majestic Whisky Experience

I recently had the incredible opportunity to visit the Royal Lochnagar Distillery, nestled in the heart of the stunning Scottish Highlands, with Balmoral Castle as main neighbour. Its story is fascinating. Let me tell you, it was an experience that truly left me in awe.

Firstly, the location itself is a sight to behold. Surrounded by majestic mountains and picturesque landscapes, the distillery offers a breathtaking view that perfectly complements the rich history and tradition it embodies.

Upon entering, I was warmly greeted by the friendly staff, who exuded a genuine passion for their craft. Their knowledge and enthusiasm were truly contagious, making the tour all the more engaging and enjoyable.

The guided tour took us through the entire whisky-making process, from the malting of the barley to the maturation of the spirit in oak casks. The enthusiastic tour guide explained each step in detail, giving us a deep understanding of the art and science behind creating such exceptional whiskies.

One of the highlights of the tour was the opportunity to witness the traditional copper pot stills in action. The rhythmic sounds and the mesmerizing steam rising from the stills created an atmosphere that felt almost magical. It was truly a privilege to witness the distillation process firsthand.

Of course, no visit to Royal Lochnagar would be complete without indulging in a tasting of their world-renowned whiskies. As a whisky enthusiast, I was delighted by the diverse range of flavors and aromas presented to us. From the smooth and mellow notes of their 12-year-old expression to the rich and complex flavors of their limited-edition releases, every sip was a delight to the senses.

Before leaving, I made sure to check out the distillery's charming gift shop. From unique whisky-related souvenirs to a wide selection of their own bottlings, it was the perfect place to find a special memento to remember my visit by.

Remember to plan ahead and check their website for tour availability, as they can get quite busy during peak seasons. And don't forget to sample their whiskies responsibly for...

Ended up here by default after my partner was delivering to Aberdeen. After an overnight stay in Aberdeen, we found ourselves with an unexpected 'free weekend's in Bonny Scotland so, after taken in the breathtakingly beautiful views (pitstop for a walk alongside!) of the River Dee, we found ourselves in Balmoral.

We were going to visit the Castle but decided to drive a further mile up the road to the distillery (not often you get this but take note FREE PARKING at both the castle and the distillery- WONDERFUL!) and glad we did.

We took the £13 tasting tour (2 wee drams to taste at the end of the tour-1 on the £9 tour) and were part of a group of 4- myself, my partner and 2 very lovely, polite Australian young men who were a pleasure to share the experience with as we enjoyed banter, humour and knowledge.

Speaking of knowledge, our tour guide was a very informative lady named Lesley who also shared a wry, dry and friendly sense of humour while sharing her vast wealth of knowing her field in the craft of whiskey making in this tiny though very well formed distillery! (may I also say, it's very beautiful too-yeah, beautiful-who knew that a working industry could look less like a 'factory' which is what one would expect of a 'production line' of whatever produce imo!)

The 'wee drams' at the end of the tour were very welcome (and tasty!) tho' only 2 of us got to savour the whole of our drams at the venue because the other 2 were driving but they were able to take theirs away in the cutest of little glass bottles to enjoy at a later date... tho' did kinda resemble a drs specimen bottle so don't make the mistake of taking it along to your next medical check up appointment because if it come back 'positive' with twins- something's gone DRASTICALLY awry!!!

All in all, a REALLY good unexpected afternoon experience (tho' I'm sure it's just as good in the morning too!) and would highly recommend-especially if Lesley and the same calibre of people we had were part of the...

Last month we had 4 days in the Highlands (and somewhat surprisingly it didn't rain!) hiking and sightseeing. We booked up a day at the Balmoral estate and decided to try the neighboring whisky distillery. I have always been interested in how whisky is created and this was my chance to find out more. As it turned out our party was the last of the day and our guide for the tour was Sally Anne. I have to say it was an enlightening and absorbing experience, and made me realize that the distillery process has a touch of alchemy about it and is heavily reliant on the skill, experience and loyalty of the distilling team. Absolutely fascinating. The "sniffing" (can't think of another word for it) of the aged barrels was a lot of fun and the sampling at the end even better. Thoughtfully, as i was driving, i was given some samples to take home in little bottles which was a nice touch. Ten out of ten for Sally Anne, she was brilliant. Really engaging, knowledgeable and very slick in her presentation. Just a shame we couldn't take some bottles home as we were flying back with hand luggage. But, happy days, you can buy RL single malt on Amazon! Highly recommend the tour, great fun. Thanks a...