Belmond · Luxury rail journey

Scotch Malt Whisky Tour

5-day Royal Scotsman whisky tour through the Scottish Highlands

Scotch Malt Whisky Tour, a rail journey with Belmond

Belmond runs this five-day, four-night journey aboard the Royal Scotsman in partnership with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, with a Whisky Ambassador accompanying travelers throughout. After departing Edinburgh Waverley and crossing the Forth Railway Bridge, the first day includes a whisky nosing and tasting with author Charles MacLean, followed by a tutored tasting at Glenmorangie House and Distillery in Tain on day two, along one of the most scenic railway routes in the UK. Day three offers a choice of Tomatin Distillery or Ballindalloch Castle, and day four brings outdoor pursuits at Rothiemurchus Estate in the Cairngorms National Park before a gala dinner en route to Dundee. The final day returns to Edinburgh over the Tay Bridge. All meals, alcoholic beverages, and 24-hour steward service are included. This suits travelers with a serious interest in single-cask Scotch whisky who also want the comfort of a fixed luxury itinerary rather than planning distillery visits themselves.

What to know before you look closer

  • The included list also mentions a private tour of the Benromach distillery and a one-year Scotch Malt Whisky Society membership with a visit to their headquarters, but neither is tied to a specific day in the itinerary we have.
  • The evidence does not name where the train stables on the first night; only the second, third, and fourth nights (Kyle of Lochalsh, Boat of Garten, and Dundee) are named, though the inclusions confirm four nights aboard in total.

Day by day

  1. Day 1rail

    Edinburgh

    Meet your whisky ambassador in the Balmoral Hotel and enjoy a welcome dram before departure. The Royal Scotsman departs Edinburgh Waverley Station and travels north across the Firth of Forth over the Forth Railway Bridge. A light afternoon tea is served through the former Kingdom of Fife, followed by an exclusive whisky nosing and tasting with whisky expert and author Charles MacLean.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Kyle of Lochalsh

    Tain

    After a full Scottish breakfast, alight from the train in Tain for a visit to Glenmorangie House and Glenmorangie Distillery, including a tutored tasting, followed by a light lunch. Rejoin the train in the late afternoon for one of the most scenic railway routes in the UK, passing Loch Luichart, the Torridon mountains, Achnasheen, Luib summit, Achnashellach Forest, Strathcarron, Loch Carron and the fishing village of Plockton, en route to Kyle of Lochalsh, gateway to the Isle of Skye. A formal dinner is served, followed by coffee and liqueurs in the Observation Car.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Boat of Garten

    Carrbridge

    Enjoy breakfast as the train departs Kyle and retraces part of the previous day's route to Dingwall. Arriving in Garve mid-morning, disembark to visit Campbell's of Beauly or take a guided walk with a historic storyteller. Rejoin the train in Inverness for lunch travelling south to Carrbridge, then visit Tomatin Distillery or Ballindalloch Castle. Return to the train at Boat of Garten on the private Strathspey Railway.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Dundee

    Rothiemurchus

    After breakfast, travel by coach to Rothiemurchus Estate in the Cairngorms National Park for outdoor pursuits including wild swimming, archery or fly fishing. Return to the train in Kingussie for lunch, then choose a private tour of Lindores Abbey distillery or a visit to Glamis Castle. Rejoin the train in Perth for a gala dinner en route to Dundee and the final night on board.

  5. Day 5rail

    Edinburgh

    As the train leaves Dundee in the morning, crossing the Tay Bridge into the former Kingdom of Fife, savour a full Scottish breakfast en route back to Edinburgh.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1The Royal Scotsman departs Edinburgh Waverley and crosses the Firth of Forth over the Forth Railway Bridge, followed by an exclusive whisky nosing and tasting with author and whisky expert Charles MacLean.
  • Day 2A tutored tasting at Glenmorangie House and Distillery in Tain, followed by one of the most scenic railway routes in the UK, past Loch Luichart, the Torridon Mountains, and Loch Carron.
  • Day 3A choice of Tomatin Distillery or Ballindalloch Castle after rejoining the train at Carrbridge.
  • Day 4Outdoor pursuits, wild swimming, archery, or fly fishing, at Rothiemurchus Estate in the Cairngorms National Park, followed by a gala dinner en route to Dundee.

Included

  • Four nights aboard the Royal Scotsman luxury train with 24-hour steward service
  • All meals aboard the train: full Scottish breakfast, two-course lunch, three-course dinner including cheeseboard, coffee, tea and petit fours
  • All beverages including alcoholic drinks
  • A private tour of the Benromach distillery, a visit to Rothiemurchus Estate, and a specialist single-cask whisky tasting with your Whisky Ambassador
  • A one-year membership to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and a visit to their headquarters
  • Traditional ceilidhs on board, evening entertainment in the Observation Car and dining experiences

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes, four nights aboard the Royal Scotsman with 24-hour steward service.
Which train is used?
The Royal Scotsman, traveling a loop from Edinburgh through Tain, Kyle of Lochalsh, Carrbridge, Boat of Garten, Rothiemurchus, and Dundee, and back to Edinburgh.
Is it escorted?
Yes, a Whisky Ambassador accompanies the journey throughout.
What distilleries are visited?
Glenmorangie, a choice of Tomatin Distillery or Ballindalloch Castle, and Benromach are named in the evidence, along with a visit to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society's headquarters.
What is included in the price?
All meals and alcoholic beverages aboard the train, a private tour and tasting at Glenmorangie, a visit to Rothiemurchus Estate, a specialist whisky tasting, and a one-year Scotch Malt Whisky Society membership.
How much walking is involved?
The trip includes distillery tours on foot, a guided walk with a historic storyteller in Garve, and a choice of outdoor pursuits such as wild swimming, archery, or fly fishing at Rothiemurchus Estate.

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