Inside The Scottish Whisky Houses That Let You Stay Overnight

Forget the distillery tour – Scotland’s most iconic whisky makers are opening the doors to their grand country houses, says Nick Hendry

A Dram Fine Stay: The New Age Of Whisky Tourism

The idea of a whisky pilgrimage to Scotland is not a new one. Legions of travellers visit every year to tour their favourite distilleries. Special bottlings available only to those who complete the journey are commonplace, approaching ubiquitous; tours and history lessons have become more lengthy and elaborate to cater to the truly passionate. One distillery, at the tip of the Mull of Kintyre, even offers an extremely limited intake of ‘working week’ experiences to those who wish to immerse in the manufacturing process. For a hardy few, devotion to Scotland’s most famous gift to the world knows no bounds. 

Thankfully for the majority who enjoy sipping malt more than malting barley, there’s another way to forge a deeper connection with a favourite brand. Many of the distilleries hidden in Scotland’s epic wilderness are approaching their bicentennial; some have already passed it. Their early founders often built estates in these areas and today a growing number of those properties have been rejuvenated as luxury places to stay. 

What Are Scottish Whisky Brand Houses?

There are common traits of each of these new ‘brand houses’. They’re remote – in the early days makers usually preferred to avoid the attention of tax collectors – and they’re grand. They’re also old – the Dower house once belonging to the Murray family, founders of the Glenturret Distillery, dates to the 19th century. Today named Aberturret Estate House, the approach is down a tiny track off an only marginally bigger road, twisting slowly down into a tree-lined valley. 

The distillery itself lies just across the burn at the bottom of the garden, its bright, white walls visible in glimpses as the trees flutter in the wind. The interiors are a chic, elegant blend of modern Scottish design and embellishments by the owners, Lalique. Crystal glassware contrasts warm wood and stone, and walls are dressed with a mixture of contemporary and period artworks, all available for purchase by scanning a QR code next to the frame. 

Stays at Aberturret can be arranged in one of two ways – a full buy-out for a large group looking to enjoy some seclusion and drams, or as part of a dine-and-stay package with the two Michelin-starred Glenturret Lalique restaurant. The latter is a recent initiative to combat the distance of the restaurant from Glasgow and Edinburgh – previously, many patrons would face a significant drive after dinner. 

Much more enjoyable is the ability to stroll mere moments over a bridge to a warm welcome and roaring fire. Guests are encouraged to mingle in the hours before dining and at breakfast the next day, which adds to the homely, cosy atmosphere of the place. However, if you’re not feeling too social there are ample grounds to stroll in, among the resident guinea fowl and silence of the forest. 

Glenmorangie House

About three hours’ drive north, on the wild North Sea coast, Glenmorangie House has an entirely different feel to it. Under the ownership of LVMH, Glenmorangie has taken a bold new direction, using vibrant colour and intriguing partnerships – including the new campaign film series featuring Harrison Ford (in a kilt, sharing single malts with locals), directed by Joel Edgerton – to stand out from the competition. Its house carries that spirit with gusto. 

Perched on a hilltop, surrounded by barley fields that turn golden in summer, at first glance it seems demure and traditional. Get a little closer, and the life-sized giraffe looming over the door tells you that’s not quite the case. Inside, the endearing mania continues, each room a blaze of colour centred on a theme – the sitting room designed to conjure those barley fields, with bright gold leaf to achieve the effect, and bedrooms designed to honour core bottlings in the range.

The small town of Tain, where the distillery is located, is a ten-minute drive from the house (chauffeured, of course) so tours form a natural part of a stay here. Walking in the surrounding countryside is equally enticing – wellies, waterproofs, and walking sticks can be grabbed by the front door – and may even present an alternative motive to visit for some. If you wish to combine the two, the bracing wind along Cadboll Beach will help clear foggy heads in the morning.

The term ‘hotel’ doesn’t feel quite right for these new ventures. There’s no check-in or reception – just the feeling of arriving at the country home of an eccentric, boozy friend. Staff are invisible most of the time but somehow always appear when you need them, and offer a more personal warmth and hospitality (I’ve never had a concierge pull on boots to take me searching for the Northern Lights at midnight, as Charlotte at Glenmorangie House did). Staying in these houses really feels, for a moment, like you’re part of the brand family.

Scotland does of course have plenty of excellent hotels that focus on whisky – the gorgeous Craigellachie Hotel in Aberlour is just one example – and as they’re not attached to one particular distillery, they retain a certain individuality. Linn House, in the distillery town of Keith, has a similar appeal. Rather than the home of one brand, it plays host to the full range of Chivas Brothers’ whiskies – including The Glenlivet, Aberlour, and the local Strathisla. Since 2020, the house, with its five-acre garden and 12 luxurious bedrooms – has been available for private hire, which allows access to exclusive distillery experiences and an astonishing library of rare bottlings. 

For the whisky aficionado this is a place of dreams, as the drams on offer are so exceptionally rare and, in some cases, may never be available again. For the casual hanger-on, it’s a place to gain an amazing whisky education while exploring Scotland’s nature in the day. And that’s the other common trait of these brand houses: they offer world-class luxury among some of the most breathtaking scenery on earth.