Island Whisky Experience 
A journey to the beautiful and unspoilt West Coast island of Islay
- highlights include a tour of two Whisky Distilleries, a round of golf on the Machrie Golf Links and a reception at the Bowmore Distillery Visitor Centre
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Day 1
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Day 2
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Day 3
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Day 4
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DAY ONE - Arrival in Edinburgh & Panoramic Tour of the City On arrival at Edinburgh Airport you will be met by a professional tour guide who will provide you with a Panoramic Tour of our majestic Capital City, visiting the historic Old Town and the World Heritage Site architecture of the New Town. Continuing past the magnificent setting of the Botanical Gardens and onto historic Calton Hill for views across the city and the perfect panoramic photograph of the Edinburgh skyline. Returning to the Old Town you will pass the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the award winning Scottish Parliament building, before arriving at your Luxury Hotel on Princes Street in the heart of Edinburgh.
Edinburgh Skyline from Calton Hill This evening you will dine in the unique setting of the Amber Restaurant at the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre, an interactive visitor attraction which brings 300 years of Scotch Whisky history to life and allows visitors to experience the sights, sounds and smells of the “water of life”. DAY TWO - Travel to Islay This morning you will begin your journey to beautiful Islay, the most southern island of the Hebrides, and a place that is renowned for its smoky, single malt whiskies. You will travel along the bonny banks of Loch Lomond before climbing over Rest-and-be-Thankful and down to the shores of Loch Fyne. Here you will stop for a delicious lunch at the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar Restaurant, the UK's largest oyster farm.
You will be staying in Bowmore, the island's capital and home to the Bowmore Distillery, the oldest distillery on Islay. Your 4* family run Island Inn has a magnificent setting overlooking the harbour where you will find superb accommodation in plush rooms and a top-notch award winning restaurant.
The Harbour at Bowmore DAY THREE - Whisky Distillery Tour and Golf at the Machrie Links Course This morning you will discover the reason why the whisky on Islay is world famous, and for many, the best in the world. It is a characteristically strong whisky with a peaty and seaweedy flavour, although there are discernible differences in its several malts.
Since then it has been revived, repaired and restored and you are sure to receive a warm welcome at this friendly distillery. Following a tour you will enjoy a warming dram before a delicious lunch in the Old Kiln Cafe, housed under the old pagoda roofs. You will also have an opportunity to join the Ardbeg 'Committee', formed by thousands of whisky lovers worldwide to ensure the doors of Ardbeg never close again. For those who enjoy golf you will then be able to enjoy a round at The Machrie, a famous classic links course perched above the golden sands of Laggan Bay. Dating back to 1891, The Machrie hosted the British Open in 1901 and is an unforgettable golfing experience.
Bowmore Distillery This evening you will visit the stunning setting of the Bowmore Distillery Visitor Centre, home to one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries dating back over 200 years and widely recognized as one of the finest single malt Scotch whiskies in the world.
DAY THREE - Tour of Caol Ila Distillery and Depart Islay This morning you will pay a visit to Caol Ila Distillery situated on the north eastern shores of Islay. Here you will see two of the finest views in the world of whisky - distillers at work tending the six copper stills, and the magnificent view across the Sound of Islay to the spectacular Paps of Jura.
We will then arrange for you to jon the afternoon ferry from Port Ellen and return to the Mainland and your onward journey to Edinburgh or Glasgow. |
Accommodation
We will always try and reserve the best possible accommodation for your Meeting or Incentive Trip to Scotland. This is often the most important part of your trip and deciding on where you will stay is often the hardest decision you will make. We will assist you in providing a range of Hotel options for you according to your requirements and your budget. We use carefully selected Hotels in all of our packages and each one will provide you with a unique atmosphere and a warm Scottish welcome.
We have described two Hotels below in our Island Whisky Experience itinerary just to give you an idea of the style of accommodation that we use.
The Harbour Inn Situated adjacent to Bowmore harbour this excellent Inn prides itself on providing outstanding service and high quality food and the owners always provide a warm welcome to their Hebridean Island home.
The individually decorated, warm and comfortable en-suite rooms are furnished to a very high standard, with some having views over the water. There is also a comfortable cosy guest lounge located on the first floor, with lots of books to read, games to play and opportunities to admire the view across the harbour.
It’s an ideal place in which to spend a relaxing few days and a great base for touring Islay with many of the island’s attractions and areas of natural beauty within an easy drive. There are also excellent views across the harbour from the spacious ground floor Conservatory Lounge and there’s always the chance to enjoy a dram or two in the reception lounge with its roaring open fire.
The Harbour Inn also boasts an award winning restaurant which features the freshest of local produce from the Islay larder. At lunchtime there is a more casual dining experience in the Harbour Restaurant and snacks are also served in the Conservatory Lounge or Schooner Bar. |
Port Charlotte Hotel The Port Charlotte Hotel has been completely restored to provide the discerning guest with high-class modern facilities in the original delightful Victorian surroundings. The Hotel is located in Port Charlotte, an attractive conservation village built of whitewashed stone around 1830, on the west shore of Loch Indaal.
A large comfortable conservatory opens out into the garden which in turn leads down to a sandy beach. The residents' lounge and public bar feature open fires where guests can unwind with convivial company and most bedrooms enjoy lovely sea views. All of the rooms are tastefully decorated and furnished with antiques - a special feature is the use of oriental rugs on wooden floors.
The restaurant of the Port Charlotte Hotel serves wonderful local produce, freshly prepared to order and served in elegant surroundings. The dinner menu is a la carte and changes regularly - you can expect beef and lamb from local farms to feature, or game from the nearby island estates. Also frequently on the menu are scallops, lobsters and prawns, fresh from Islay’s fishing fleet. The public bar and the conservatory serve bar meals and have some of the finest malt whiskies in the world for you to sample.
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Alternative Suggestions While we have suggested an itinerary for your Island Whisky Experience we would be delighted to make any alterations in order to ensure that your trip is tailored to your specific requirements. We have made some alternative suggestions for you to consider below: |
Day Tours
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Please note, that due to the limited accommodation that is available on Islay we recommend that group sizes for this itinerary are limited to 20 people.
Quality Assurance
All of the accommodation that we reserve for you has been personally selected by one of our team to ensure that its quality exceeds our exacting standards. You can guarantee that your Hotel accommodation has been personally inspected by a member of our management team.
We would be delighted to assist with the planning, organisation and delivery of your next Meeting or Incentive Trip, so please feel free to complete our online enquiry form or call us on +44 (0) 131 447 2570 to discuss your future requirements.
Group Travel Tailor-made Trips
Absolute Escapes Ltd, 27/10 Maxwell Street, Edinburgh, EH10 5HT
tel / fax: + 44 (0)131 447 2570
Company Registration No: 270516 VAT No: 902 8027 50
www.escape2scotland.co.uk
