Where to base yourself
Regions
From Speyside out to the islands and the cities. Speyside leads because the visitor venues cluster there. Skye and Mull are island days, with a ferry or a slow road attached.
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Speyside
Dufftown, Aberlour, Craigellachie, and Glenlivet. The densest cluster of visitor distilleries in the Highlands.
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Northern Highlands
Glenmorangie in Tain, golf at Dornoch, Nairn and Brora, a brewery on the Black Isle, chocolate in Dornoch, and 8 Doors at John o' Groats.
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Skye
Talisker in Carbost, Torabhaig on Sleat, a distillery on Raasay, and a brewery at Uig pier.
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Lochaber and Mull
Ben Nevis in Fort William, Tobermory on Mull, Ardnamurchan at Glenbeg, and Nc'nean on the Morvern coast.
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Royal Deeside
Royal Lochnagar is at Crathie. Braemar has a golf course and the Linn of Dee, further up the valley.
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Cairngorms
Dalwhinnie is on the A9. Aviemore has a brewery tap room, a forest loch, and a championship course. Carrbridge has the family park.
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Edinburgh
Holyrood under the crags, Port of Leith on the shore, Johnnie Walker on Princes Street, and a brewery beside the firth.
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Glasgow
Clydeside on the river, a distillery out at Hillington, breweries in the east end, and a whisky bar on Hope Street.
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Aberdeen
A whisky bar on Stirling Street, a brewery tour in Ellon, and links at Bridge of Don and Cruden Bay.
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Stirling
A distillery under the castle, and a whisky bar on Barnton Street. Two good reasons to be in town.
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Dundee
A whisky room on Union Street, and a brewery taproom on Ure Street.
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Oban
The distillery is in the town. The chocolate workshop is a few minutes along the esplanade.
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Highland Perthshire
Walks at Aberfeldy and Bruar, chocolate in Grandtully and Crieff, gin at Bridge of Cally, golf at Pitlochry and Blairgowrie, and a spa or a round at Gleneagles.
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Scottish Borders
A distillery in Hawick, a castle spa at Stobo, a brewery under the chapel at Traquair, and a taproom at Tweedbank.
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Fife
Kingsbarns and Lindores for the whisky, the St Andrews links and the East Neuk courses, a spa in town, and a brewery on the edge of St Andrews.
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Loch Lomond
A spa day at Cameron House, on the loch, within reach of Glasgow if the A82 is kind.
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Islay
Ardnahoe is the new still on the north coast. The Machrie is the links on Laggan Bay. The older Islay names are other mornings.
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East Lothian
North Berwick, Gullane and Muirfield on the firth, and Dunbar at the far end of the links.
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Angus
Carnoustie, Panmure, Arbroath and Montrose on the coast, and a gin tasting room in Glamis.
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Ayrshire
Prestwick, Royal Troon and Turnberry, and the links between Troon and Irvine.
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Kintyre
Machrihanish and the Dunes on the Atlantic side, and Dunaverty down at Southend.
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Arran
Shiskine at Blackwaterfoot, and Brodick by the ferry from Ardrossan.
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Jura
Ardfin, on the south of the island. The ferry is the way on.
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Western Isles
Askernish on South Uist, and a gin and whisky distillery in Tarbert on Harris.
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Argyll
Fyne Ales at Cairndow, in the farm buildings at the head of Loch Fyne.