whisky tour & tasting
Situated on Kirkwall’s harbour front, The Orkney Distillery is the ideal attraction for whisky enthusiasts looking for a quality visitor experience in the heart of Orkney’s main town.
Our whisky tour begins with a walk through our production area where all the magic happens. Your guide will show you the working processes of the distillery, detailing the meticulous nature of our craft and how we bring our spirit from grain to glass in one of the smallest Whisky operations in Scotland.
After this, it’s time to head upstairs to our tasting room overlooking the picturesque Kirkwall harbour. Here, you’ll be guided through a tasting of four drams, each selected to transport you through the history of whisky.
The tour will conclude in our front bar, where you can enjoy a complimentary dram of your choice and 10% off in our gift shop.
Gin Tour & Tasting
Join us for a captivating journey through Orkney’s past and present, where our spirits weave a tale worthy of a Viking saga.
The tour will begin with a short introductory video. Following this, one of our guides will walk through some of our Orkney-grown botanicals, demonstrating the vast array of flavours and aromas you’ll find in our gin.
Next, you'll be guided through a tasting of our four core Kirkjuvagr gins - a voyage through Orkney's seasons and moods.
The second half of the tour will take you though the working processes of the distillery, where you’ll see the crafting of our artisanal spirits up close.
The tour will conclude in our front bar which overlooks Kirkwall's historic harbour-front, where you can enjoy a complimentary drink of your choice and 10% off in our gift shop.
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further information
Situated in the main area of our distillery and visitor centre, the Coffee & Gin Bar is an ideal place to relax and watch Kirkwall’s bustling harbour-front. You can join us before or after your tour, or just pop along to speak to our knowledgeable staff about our Kirkjuvagr Orkney Gin and merchandise.
Bottles of our Kirkjuvagr Orkney Gin are available to buy from our retail area. We also have a range of merchandise on offer including cocktail glasses, bar blades, sweet treats and more. We’ll be adding more merchandise over time.
Disabled access available including lift access to the first floor.
Cancellation Policy
Cancelled Orkney Distillery and Visitor Centre tour bookings will be subject to a cancellation charge of £10 per head up to 48 hours prior to your booking, and no refund will be offered for cancellations within 48 hours of your booking. Please call us on Tel: 01856 875338 if you require to discuss further.
We reserve the right to refuse the sale of alcohol under the terms of the Licensing (Scotland) 2005 Act.
In the event of total closure of the distillery, any tickets issued for tours on the day of closure will be exchanged or refunded at the price paid for them but no further compensation will be offered.
We reserve the right to alter the content, times and prices of our tours.
Walk-in Bookings
Due to changing Government Guidelines and restrictions, pre-booking for a tour is currently essential. Our visitor experience has been re-designed to ensure stricter cleaning regimes and social distancing can be maintained for the safety of our visitors and staff. We hope to welcome back Walk-in bookings in the near future as our daily running practices revert back to ‘normal’.
Accessibility
The Orkney Distillery and Visitor Centre has an accessible entrance from Ayre Road, accessible toilets and a lift to allow all visitors to reach the first floor.
Conditions of Entry
Under 18s are permitted in the distillery and we provide activities for this age group. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Tours are open to all ages with a reduced rate for under 18s where no alcohol is provided. Please be aware that we operate under the ‘Challenge 25’ Policy and as such, we may ask for photo ID as proof of age. If you have paid for a full price ticket but cannot provide proof of age when requested we regret that no refunds can be given.
Any individual, or group of individuals who are intoxicated will be refused entry and not offered a refund or exchange.
We support the Scottish Government’s Zero Tolerance campaign towards drinking & driving, and recommend visitors who intend to consume alcohol arrive on foot, or by public transport.
Photography
Photography is permitted except in the distillery room. However, we don’t allow filming unless you’ve made prior arrangements with us and provide the relevant compliance and insurance documents. From time to time we or other authorised third parties may carry out photography or other recording at the distillery and any images or recordings may feature visitors. Visitors consent to the use of such images by us in connection with advertising, promotions or monitoring and acknowledge that the copyright in such images rests with us and/or any authorised third party of Orkney Distilling Ltd.
Health & Safety
The distillery is a controlled working and manufacturing environment, and you should exercise due care and attention on the tour. Distillery staff may draw your attention to specific health & safety procedures to which you must adhere. If the fire alarm sounds during your tour the tour guide will direct you to the nearest exit and muster point.