Scotland is in the middle of a whisky-tourism boom. After decades of consolidation, the last five years have seen more new distilleries open than in any period since the 19th century. Some are tiny farm operations on remote islands. Some are slick urban experiences in the cities. Some are old distilleries restarting after years of silence: Brora, Rosebank and Port Ellen, all three now back in production after decades closed.
Whether you fancy tasting inventive new gin and whisky styles, meeting the small independent producers leading the charge, or exploring beautifully designed visitor centres, here are 16 of the newest distilleries to put on your 2026 Scottish itinerary, plus a few honourable mentions that aren’t quite “new” any more but are still worth your time.
At a glance
- Biggest 2025 opening: Ardgowan Distillery (Clyde coast, opened June 2025)
- Most northerly new distillery: Lerwick Distillery (Shetland, 2025), Scotland’s most northerly whisky distillery
- Best for the NC500: Stannergill Distillery at Castletown Mill (opened November 2025)
- Biggest comeback: Port Ellen on Islay (reopened 2024 after 41 years closed)
- Best Lowland resurrection: Rosebank (reopened 2024 after 30 years silent)
- Best newest urban experience: Holyrood Distillery, Edinburgh
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The newest 2024-2026 distilleries
Dunrobin Highland Distillery, NC500
Spirits: Gin Location: Dunrobin Castle, Golspie
Dunrobin Highland Distillery makes its home on Scotland’s northeast coast beside Golspie at the incredible Dunrobin Castle. The distillery makes gin using spring water from the hills feeding the Golspie Burn, and botanicals from the castle’s surrounding woodland and gardens.
Although the distillery itself isn’t open for tours yet, Dunrobin runs a pop-up tasting shop at Dunrobin Castle from 1 April 2026, where you can sample and purchase the gin. You can also buy Dunrobin Gin online.
Stay at Dunrobin Cottages for easy access to the castle and distillery shop. One cottage is even located inside the castle grounds.
Ardgowan Distillery, Clyde coast
Spirits: Whisky Location: Inverkip
Ardgowan Distillery opened its doors on 20 June 2025 and it’s a beauty. The first new distillery in Inverclyde in over 100 years, Ardgowan arrives with serious style: a striking Nordic-inspired long-hall design and a big commitment to sustainability.
Located at Bankfoot Farm in Inverkip, Ardgowan Distillery is the home of Clydebuilt, a boutique Scotch whisky collection inspired by the River Clyde’s famed shipbuilding heritage. Ardgowan has also developed a new custom cask design, the first in a century. Called the Infinity Cask, it’s made from European oak and built for long maturation times of eighteen years minimum.
Book a tour at Ardgowan. Stay nearby at the Inverkip Hotel.
Blackwoods Distillery, Clyde coast
Spirits: Gin, Vodka Location: Inverkip (Ardgowan Estate)
Next door to Ardgowan, Blackwoods Distillery is the new brand home for the Scottish gin and vodka producer Blackwoods, located on the historic Ardgowan Estate in Inverkip.
The facility is set within beautifully renovated former stables adjacent to the Ardgowan whisky distillery. The new visitor centre opens to the public in February 2026, featuring cocktail masterclasses, a gin school, and a bottle shop.
Book a tour at Blackwoods Distillery.
Stannergill Distillery, North Coast 500
Spirits: Gin, Vodka and Whisky Location: Castletown Mill, Castletown (near Thurso)
Stannergill Distillery opened on 18 November 2025 inside the restored Castletown Mill, a landmark on Scotland’s far north coast. Led by the team behind Dunnet Bay Distillers (who make Rock Rose Gin and Holy Grass Vodka), the project has transformed a derelict grain mill into a working whisky distillery with a restaurant and shop, directly on the NC500.
Tours of the distillery start at Easter 2026. While the distillery is busy producing whisky, you can already book a table at their new restaurant.
Visit Stannergill Distillery and plan your own North Coast 500 trip with my guides.
Lerwick Distillery, Shetland
Spirits: Whisky Location: Lerwick, Shetland
If you like being able to say “I went there before everyone else,” this one is for you. Lerwick Distillery opened in 2025 as the first whisky distillery in Shetland, founded by locals Martin Watt and Calum Miller with veteran master distiller Ian Millar involved.
You’ll have to wait a few years for the first Shetland single malt, but until then you can visit the distillery and learn all about making whisky in an oceanic sub-Arctic climate at 60 degrees north.
Book a visit to Lerwick Distillery.
Glencadam Distillery, Angus
Spirits: Whisky Location: Brechin, Angus
Glencadam Distillery dates back to 1825, but in 2025, 200 years after it started producing whisky, the distillery opened its doors to the public for the first time. A new multi-million-pound visitor centre in Brechin officially opened in November 2025, with immersive tours, an exhibition about the distillery’s history, a whisky lounge, café and shop.
Visit Glencadam Distillery.
Luss Distillery, Loch Lomond
Spirits: Whisky and Gin Location: Luss, Loch Lomond
On the west bank of Loch Lomond, the Loch Lomond Group’s new distillery and visitor centre in Luss opened in autumn 2025, creating a waterfront brand home for Loch Lomond whisky and Ben Lomond Gin. Built partly in a converted smokehouse near the loch, the new distillery centre offers guided tours, both gin and whisky tasting experiences, and a cafe.
Book a tour at Luss Distillery. My favourite places to stay nearby are The Lodge on Loch Lomond Hotel and the Loch Lomond Arms Hotel.
Glasgow Distillery, Glasgow
Spirits: Whisky, Gin, Rum and Vodka Location: Hillington, Glasgow
Glasgow Distillery has been producing whisky, gin, vodka and rum since 2012, but 2025 was the first year it opened up regular public tours. In July 2025 they launched The Glasgow Distillery Experience, a two-hour tour and tasting that finally lets visitors into the city’s first independent single malt distillery in over 100 years.
The tour includes meeting the team behind the production, sampling whisky straight from the cask in the on-site warehouse, tasting 7 whiskies in total plus optional gin/vodka/rum, and a live coopering demonstration. It’s rare to see coopers at work today.
Visit Glasgow Distillery.
Galloway Distillery, Dumfries and Galloway
Spirits: Whisky, Gin and Vodka Location: Newton Stewart
Galloway Distillery brings whisky-making back to Scotland’s southwest coast with a focus on traditional methods, coastal character and small-batch craftsmanship. Set among Galloway’s rolling farmland and rugged shoreline, the distillery is also notable for Outlander actor Sam Heughan’s involvement. The distillery is now home to Sam’s award-winning Sassenach whisky and gin.
Book a tour of Galloway Distillery.
Benbecula Distillery, Outer Hebrides
Spirits: Whisky Location: Benbecula (Outer Hebrides)
Benbecula Distillery started distilling in 2024 but 2025 was its first proper year of operation. This Outer Hebrides distillery is a family project from crofter Angus MacMillan with help from master distiller Brendan McCarron. The visitor centre is fabulous, featuring a lighthouse (echoing the Stevenson Lighthouse on the nearby Monach Islands) which houses the distillery’s handmade copper pot still.
Benbecula will be producing a lightly peated whisky described as “classically marine in style, smoky on the nose with salty and sweetly peated notes.” Yum.
Travel tip: Benbecula sits between North and South Uist in the Outer Hebrides. If you’re doing a Hebridean hopscotch (ferries via Skye/Uig, or from Oban), plan at least one full day on Benbecula to allow for the distillery and visiting local beaches.
Book a tour of Benbecula Distillery.
The big comebacks: silent distilleries reopened
Some of the most exciting “new” distilleries on this list aren’t actually new, they’re legendary old distilleries that have been resurrected after decades closed. Bottles from these distilleries’ original runs sell for thousands of pounds at auction. The new spirit is highly anticipated.
Port Ellen, Islay
Spirits: Whisky Location: Islay
After 41 years of silence, Port Ellen restarted production in 2024 under Diageo. The original distillery opened in 1825, closed in 1983, and its bottlings became legendary among whisky collectors. Old Port Ellen bottles routinely sell for thousands of pounds. The new distillery is on the same site and has been built to honour the original methods. A visitor centre is in development.
→ Read more about Islay whisky
Rosebank, Falkirk
Spirits: Whisky Location: Camelon, Falkirk
The most famous Lowland comeback of the modern era. Rosebank closed in 1993, sat silent for 30 years, and reopened in summer 2024 after a £20 million restoration by Ian Macleod Distillers. The visitor centre on the Forth and Clyde Canal is one of the most stylish new whisky destinations in Scotland, with cask sampling, tutored tastings and an excellent shop.
Book a visit to Rosebank Distillery.
Brora, Highland
Spirits: Whisky Location: Brora, Sutherland
Like Port Ellen, Brora was closed in 1983 and its remaining bottles became near-mythical in collector circles. Diageo reopened it in 2021 after a careful restoration to honour the original methods. Whisky from the restarted distillery is now being released as ultra-limited bottlings. Public access is by very limited Brora Triptych experience only.
Ardnahoe, Islay
Spirits: Whisky Location: Port Askaig, Islay
Not quite a “comeback” but worth flagging here: Ardnahoe opened in 2018 as the first new distillery on Islay in over 100 years, and released its first whisky in 2024. Owned by independent bottler Hunter Laing, this small north-coast distillery has earned an excellent reception from the whisky press.
→ Read more on the Islay whisky cluster.
Holyrood Distillery, Edinburgh
Spirits: Whisky and Gin Location: Edinburgh
Edinburgh’s first single malt distillery in nearly 100 years, Holyrood Distillery opened in 2019 and released its first single malt in 2023. The distillery is right behind Holyrood Palace in central Edinburgh, easily walkable from the Royal Mile. Tours, gin school experiences, and a stylish bar make it one of the best whisky day-outs you can have in a Scottish city.
Book a tour at Holyrood Distillery.
The Cairn, Speyside
Spirits: Whisky Location: Carron, Speyside
The Cairn (formerly Tomintoul’s sister project) opened in 2022 with a striking new distillery and visitor centre near Aberlour. Designed for whisky tourism from day one, the visitor centre offers tours, a brasserie and a beautifully designed shop with views across Speyside.
→ Read more on Speyside whisky.
Now established but still worth a visit
The 2017-2022 wave of new Scottish distilleries are no longer “new” but they’re still some of the most interesting places to visit. Worth knowing about:
- Nc’nean, Morvern: Scotland’s first net-zero whisky distillery, organic, off-grid. Their Quiet Rebels Distillery Tour is one of the best in Scotland.
- Lochlea, Ayrshire: field-to-bottle whisky on the farm where Robert Burns grew up.
- Lagg, Isle of Arran: Arran’s second distillery, opened 2019, makes the peated counterpart to Lochranza.
- Isle of Raasay, Skye area: first whisky 2020, beautifully designed visitor centre with rooms attached.
- Lindores Abbey, Fife: first whisky released 2021 on the site of Scotland’s earliest recorded whisky distillation (1494).
- Borders Distillery, Hawick: first whisky 2024, the first distillery in the Borders in nearly 200 years.
- Eden Mill, St Andrews: Fife’s distinctive gin and whisky operation.
- Arbikie, Angus: field-to-bottle distillery near Inverkeilor, brilliant for gin and rye whisky.
New Scottish distilleries: frequently asked questions
What is the newest whisky distillery in Scotland?
As of 2026, the newest working whisky distillery is Lerwick Distillery in Shetland (opened 2025), making it Scotland’s most northerly distillery. Stannergill Distillery near Thurso (opened November 2025) is also brand new. Both are still in their early years of production, so first single malts are a few years away.
Has Port Ellen reopened?
Yes. Port Ellen on Islay restarted production in 2024 under Diageo, after 41 years of silence. The original distillery closed in 1983 and its bottlings became legendary among collectors. The new distillery is on the same site, built to honour the original methods. A visitor centre is in development.
Has Rosebank reopened?
Yes. Rosebank Distillery in Falkirk reopened in summer 2024 after 30 years closed. The £20 million restoration by Ian Macleod Distillers includes a striking new visitor centre on the Forth and Clyde Canal. One of the most stylish whisky destinations in modern Scotland.
How many distilleries are in Scotland?
Scotland has around 140 working whisky distilleries plus dozens of gin and vodka distilleries. The number is rising every year as new distilleries open. Most are concentrated in Speyside (50+) and the Highlands, with significant new growth in the Lowlands and on the islands.
Can you visit Brora Distillery?
Yes, but only with very limited access. Diageo reopened Brora in 2021 after 38 years closed. Public visits are by the highly exclusive Brora Triptych experience only. There’s no standard visitor centre. Bottles from the restarted distillery are released as ultra-limited editions.
What's the best new distillery to visit on the NC500?
Stannergill Distillery at Castletown Mill near Thurso (opened November 2025) is directly on the NC500 route and now has a working restaurant, with distillery tours from Easter 2026. Dunrobin Highland Distillery at Golspie is also on-route and runs a tasting shop at Dunrobin Castle from April 2026.
Are there any new Scottish distilleries in Edinburgh?
Yes. Holyrood Distillery (Edinburgh’s first single malt distillery in nearly 100 years) opened in 2019 and released its first whisky in 2023. It’s behind Holyrood Palace, walkable from the Royal Mile. The Port of Leith Distillery in Leith is also a striking modern vertical distillery worth visiting.
Slàinte mhath!
Love from Scotland x
