Scotland
Whisky Festival Experience 2023
Scot*Dates: 23rd May – 3rd June 2023*
Lang Atholl’s Whisky Festival Experience is an immersive whisky vacation based around two unique festivals held in the town of Campbeltown and on the island of Islay. Both of these festival’s celebrate local culture, music and of course the whisky produced in these regions.
Let us guide you through the Campbeltown Malt Whisky Festival and Feis Ile. The two festivals are unique experiences which occur annually on consecutive weeks. The experience focuses towards the Feis Ile, however, includes the tail end of The Campbeltown Festival.
- Arrival in Scotland | Reside: Kimpton Blythswood Square, Glasgow
- Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park | Loch Fyne Oysters Lunch | Inveraray Castle | Reside: The Royal Hotel, Campbeltown
- Springbank Open Day | Food Pairing at Glen Scotia Distillery | Reside: The Royal Hotel, Campbeltown
- Ferry from Kennacraig to Port Ellen | Feis Ile Opening Ceremony | Reside: The Machrie Hotel & Golf Links
- Lagavulin Open Day | The First Fling | Reside: The Machrie Hotel & Golf Links
- Bruichladdich Open Day | Community Event in the Evening | Reside: The Machrie Hotel & Golf Links
- Caol Isla Whisky & Gin Open Day | The Indie Feis Ile | Whisky Nosing & Ceilidh | Reside: The Machrie Hotel & Golf Links
- Laphroaig Open Day | | Islay Rum | Folk Night | Reside: The Machrie Hotel & Golf Links
- Ardnahoe Distillery Open Day | Bowmore Distillery Open Day | Live evening music & whisky | Reside: The Machrie Hotel & Golf Links
- Kilchoman Open Day | Islay Whisky Academy Open Day | Everything but Whisky Evening | Reside: The Machrie Hotel & Golf Links
- Bunnahabhain Open Day | Jura Open Day | Reside: The Machrie Hotel & Golf Links
- Ardbeg Open Day | The Final Fling | Reside: The Machrie Hotel & Golf Links
- Return to the Scottish Mainland for Departure
Day One
Upon arrival in Scotland, you will be greeted by your Lang Atholl representative who will be your friendly face throughout your Whisky Festival Experience. You will travel to the centre of Scotland’s largest city of Glasgow.
Here you will enjoy a day to recuperate from your travels within the five star Kimpton Blythswood Square. In the evening take a short stroll to the famed Glasgow Whisky Bar, The Pot Still, with many whiskies to choose from you will have the perfect introduction to your trip here.
Day Two
Your second day will see you travel into the western whisky country as you travel to the town of Campbeltown.
Departing Glasgow, you will venture along “the bonnie banks” of Loch Lomond as you travel north before turning east towards the town of Inveraray. You will visit the 15th Century, Gothic Revival, Inveraray Castle and enjoy a walk through the manicured gardens.
From Inverary, you will make your journey along the Argyll Peninsula as you venture to The Royal Hotel, Campbeltown which will be your accommodation for the evening.
Day Three
Day three of your whisky adventure will see you attending the Springbank Open Day as part of the Campbeltown Malts Festival which will allow you the opportunity to experience the Springbank Distillery in a unique way from participating in a distillery tour to tastings, different stalls and even live music.
You will then travel to Glen Scotia Distillery where you will enjoy a food pairing alongside a whisky masterclass before returning to The Royal Hotel for your second night.
Day Four
On day four, you will travel the short distance to Kennacraig where you will get the ferry to Port Ellen on the Isle of Islay. You will attend the Feis Ile Opening Ceremony and begin your whisky festival experience.
Your accommodation throughout your time on the Isle of Islay will be The Machrie Hotel & Golf Links, the finest hotel on the island which has been recently refurbished to give a modern, Scandinavian ambience. The Machrie Hotel & Golf Links enjoys an enviable location, nestled beside seven miles of pristine beach in the Inner Hebrides. The hotel offers visitors many places to meet and relax including 18, their impressive restaurant with panoramic views of the Links, as well as a PureGray Spa.
Day Five
During the day, you will attend Lagavulin Distillery’s open day which will allow you to tour and taste this exquisite whisky while enjoying live music and an incredible atmosphere.
In the evening, you will attend the iconic first fling which is a night full of dancing and celebrating to officially start the festivities before you return to your accommodation for the night.
Day Six
The distillery of the day is Bruichladdich. Bruichladdich distillery dates back to 1881 and is known for being a super-heavily peated single malt from Islay.
In the evening, you will attend the community event. This event will involve rides and inflatables open to all ages alongside live music with the artists announced closer to the time and many different food stalls.
Day Seven
Day seven’s open day will see you exploring the whisky and gin of Caol Ila. This event sees Caol Ila Distillery partnering up with Nerabus Isle of Islay Gin as a result of distillery renovations in 2022 however these may be two separate events in 2023.
You will also enjoy the Indie Whisky Feis Ile event which provides the opportunity to enjoy whiskies from independent bottlers.
The evening will consist of nosing whisky while you enjoy a traditional Scottish ceilidh before you retire back to the comfort of your accommodation after a long day.
Day Eight
Laphroaig Distillery will be holding their open day in which you will have the chance to explore their distillery while tasting their whiskies and enjoying the live music and atmosphere once again.
The festivities for the evening will be Folk Night. This is a perfect event to experience Scottish culture with folk music, dancing and tales.
Day Nine
Day nine has two open days and these are Ardnahoe Distillery and Bowmore Distillery. Ardnahoe Distillery was only opened to the public in 2019 and is known for its heavily peated and richly fruity spirits.
Bowmore Distillery in contrast is the oldest distillery on the Isle of Islay and was opened in 1779. Known for their whiskies leaning more towards being smoky rather than peaty, they are still a distinctly Islay whisky.
Following your day of distillery tours, you will attend the live music and whisky event for the evening before returning to The Machrie Hotel and Golf Links for another night of relaxing rest.
Day Ten
Kilchoman Distillery will be visited on day ten for their designated open day in which you will once more have the opportunity to participate in tours of the distillery and tastings of the whisky all while enjoying the music put on by the distillery.
From here, you will continue on to Islay Whisky Academy Open Day in which you will enjoy another Scottish ceilidh along with food stalls, live musics, never ending drams and laughter as well as homemade scones and dumplings. This event will allow you to feel part of the community as you listen to stories while sitting down for a traditional Scottish lunch.
The event for the evening will be held in the comfort of your own hotel and this night will be the Anything but Whisky event. This evening will allow you to taste the local gins and rums from Islay all while enjoying more live music and local food.
Day Eleven
Day eleven provides you with another two distillery open days and these are for Bunnahabhain Distillery and Jura Distillery. You will visit Bunnahabhain first where you will enjoy tastings and music along with the option of food stalls before you venture to the Deer Island of Jura to enjoy some more special whiskies and continue making your memories.
You will then return to your accommodation for the evening in which you can take some time to rest and enjoy the amenities which the Machrie have to offer their guests with no event to attend on this evening.
Day Twelve
Day twelve sees you attending the final open day which is for Ardbeg Distillery. Ardbeg reopened their doors in 1997 after they were taken over by Glenmorangie plc and are known for their whiskies being the peatiest, smokiest and most complex single malts of all… particularly their Ten Years Old Single Malt.
In the evening, you will attend the Final Fling which signifies the ending of the Feis Ile for the year. Much the same as the first fling, this event will consist of ceilidh dancing along with live music and many different food options.
Day Thirteen
Sadly on this day we must say our goodbyes as your whisky festival experience must come to an end.
You will return to the Scottish Mainland and be transported for the final time to your place of departure.
