Whisky Distilleries Within 90 Minutes of Inverness by Public Transport

One of the great things about Inverness is that you don’t need a car to visit some excellent whisky distilleries. Whether you’re staying in the city for a few days or travelling through the Highlands by train, several distilleries can be reached in under 90 minutes using public transport.

The table below gives a quick overview, with more detailed information on each distillery further down the article.

Summary

Distillery	Region	Public Transport	Approx. Journey*	Walk	Highlights
Uile-bheist	Highland	Walk	10 mins	–	Inverness’s only distillery, brewstillery, Celtic-inspired artwork
Singleton of Glen Ord	Highland	Train	21 mins	15 mins	Excellent visitor centre, café, official Glen Ord bottlings
Tomatin	Highland	Bus	30 mins	5 mins	Traditional Highland distillery, warehouse tastings
Dalmore	Highland	Train	46 mins	11 mins	Iconic luxury whisky, Cromarty Firth location
Benromach	Speyside	Train	35 mins	5 mins	Traditional Speyside style, historic dunnage warehouse
Glen Moray	Speyside	Train	40 mins	20 mins	Wide range of cask finishes, relaxed visitor experience
Dalwhinnie	Highland	Train	73 mins	10 mins	Scotland’s highest distillery, scenic Highland railway journey

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Uilebheist Distillery

The Uile-bheist Distillery only began filling casks in 2023 and is still waiting to release its inaugural single malt. However, it has quickly become one of Inverness’s must-visit whisky attractions and is currently the city’s only whisky distillery.

Unlike most Scottish distilleries, Uile-bheist is tucked away within a residential area on the banks of the River Ness and forms part of the Glen Mhor Hotel complex. As well as producing whisky, it also produces beer, so you can sample a range of craft beers before or after your tour. Keep an eye out for the striking artwork throughout the distillery, much of which draws inspiration from Celtic mythology and the legends of the Highlands.

Transport

🚶 Walk from Inverness city centre (around 10 minutes)

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Singleton (Glen Ord)

The Singleton of Glen Ord is one of the easiest distilleries to reach from Inverness by public transport just a short train journey away.

Owned by Diageo, Glen Ord is one of the three distilleries that produce whisky for the Singleton range, alongside Dufftown and Glendullan in Speyside. While each distillery serves a different international market, Glen Ord’s whisky is primarily exported to Asia, making the visitor centre one of the few places in Scotland where you can purchase official bottles.

The distillery also boasts excellent visitor facilities, including a spacious shop, café and restaurant, making it an ideal place to spend a leisurely afternoon.

Transport

🚆 Train (ScotRail: Wick): Inverness → Muir of Ord (around 21 minutes), then a 15-minute walk.

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Dalmore

The Dalmore is one of Scotland’s most recognisable luxury whisky brands, renowned for its rich, sherry-cask-matured style and distinctive Royal Stag emblem. Although the distillery sits on the shores of the Cromarty Firth, making it a picturesque spot to spend an afternoon. The distillery has just started offering tours to the public, and these are limited so far, so best to check availability before you go.

Transport:

🚆 Train (ScotRail: Wick): Inverness to Alness (around 46 mins) then 11 minutes walk.

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Benromach

The Benromach Distillery is located in the historic town of Forres and is just a short walk from the railway station, making it one of the easiest Speyside distilleries to visit without a car.

Founded in 1898 and now owned by Gordon & MacPhail, Benromach is known for producing a traditional Speyside style with a subtle touch of smoke. The tour covers the distillery’s fascinating history before taking you through the production process and into one of its atmospheric dunnage warehouses. Depending on the tour yoo opt for tastings can include both core expressions and limited releases with some interesting cask finishes.

Transport

🚆 Train (Scotrail: Aberdeen): Inverness → Forres (around 35 minutes), then a 10-minute walk.

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Dalwhinnie

The Dalwhinnie Distillery is Scotland’s highest distillery, sitting 326 metres (1,070 feet) above sea level in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park. The combination of its high altitude and cold Highland climate contributes to a slower maturation process and the elegant character of its whisky.

Dalwhinnie is renowned for producing a light, honeyed and floral Highland single malt, matured primarily in ex-bourbon and sherry casks. One of its most distinctive releases is Winter’s Gold, made from spirit distilled during the coldest months of the year and best enjoyed served straight from the freezer.

The train journey to Dalwhinnie is particularly scenic, passing through some of the Highlands’ most dramatic landscapes.

Transport

🚆 Train (Scotrail: Edinburgh): Inverness → Dalwhinnie (around 73 minutes), then a 10-minute walk.

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Glen Moray

The Glen Moray Distillery is located on the banks of the River Lossie, just outside Elgin town centre and around a 30-minute walk from the railway station. The distillery offers a range of tours and tastings from its welcoming visitor centre, making it an easy addition to a day trip to Speyside.

Glen Moray is particularly well known for its experimentation with different cask types, producing an extensive range of cask-finished whiskies alongside its core expressions. Whether you prefer peated or unpeated drams, there is usually plenty to sample. One of the highlights is the opportunity to bottle your own whisky from one of three selected single casks—a great souvenir that’s unique to your visit.

The visitor centre also includes a small café and shop, where you’ll often find distillery-exclusive releases and reasonably priced bottles.

Transport

🚆 Train (Scotrail: Aberdeen): Inverness – Elgin (45 minutes), then a 30-minute walk

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Tomatin

The Tomatin Distillery is one of the easiest Highland distilleries to visit from Inverness, with regular buses stopping just a few minutes’ walk from the visitor centre. Situated on the edge of the Monadhliath Mountains, Tomatin has a fascinating history, having once been the largest Scotch whisky distillery in Scotland during the 1970s, employing hundreds of people in what was effectively a self-contained village.

Today, Tomatin produces a smooth, approachable Highland single malt with a focus on fruity flavours and a wide variety of cask maturations. The distillery offers a range of tours, from introductory experiences to warehouse tastings and premium single cask experiences. The visitor centre also has an excellent shop featuring distillery exclusives and limited-edition bottlings that can be difficult to find elsewhere.

Transport

🚌 Bus (Stagecoach 37 to Carrbridge): Inverness → Tomatin (approximately 30 minutes), then a 5-minute walk.