Tour whisky distilleries in Scotland, India and Japan this holiday season

Earlier, Indians travelled abroad and bought back alcohol from duty free shops at the airport. Now, they are travelling to discover the legend of malts across Scottish glens and Japanese Alps, and how they are made.

According to SkyScanner Travel Trends 2024, nearly 63% of respondents out of 1,000 budgeted more on travel in 2024 compared to 2023, and for the first time in history, Indian single malt sales exceeded Scotch (53%) in 2024, according to the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) — a sign that Indians take their malts seriously.

Tasting at the The Singleton of Glen Ord, Scotland. The Singleton is a Single Malt Scotch whisky with varying age statements and expressions
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Encouraged by statistics such as this and a growing interest, whisky appreciation clubs across the country are now ideating and curating itineraries, all for the love of a good dram. 

The Single Malt Amateur Club (SMAC) in Bengaluru, founded in 2011 with over 4,500 members, ran a members-only trip, Whisky Horoheki (₹3.3 – ₹3.7 lakh per person, exclusive of airfare) to Japan in February. With many Japanese distilleries closed to individual visitors, the club managed to pull off an enviable itinerary. Yamazaki Distillery (established in 1923, Japan’s first malt whisky distillery) — strategically located between Osaka and Kyoto, at the confluence of the Katsura, Uji, and Kizu rivers — set the scene for a private Suntory-guided tour, with an exclusive tasting session that included the Yamazaki 25-Year-Old.

Hemanth Rao, Founder, SMAC
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This was followed by a visit to the Chichibu Distillery at the foothills of Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park in Saitama. This distillery is inaccessible to the general public, and its doors were opened thanks to the network of whisky connoisseurs known to SMAC.

The Single Malt Amateur Club (SMAC) in Bengaluru organised Singapore Sling II, a short trip comprising just 11 members, to experience the most exciting whisky bars and savour Singapore’s Scotch culture from April 17 to 21.
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Accompanying seven participants from Hyderabad, Pune, Bengaluru and Mumbai, co-founder Hemanth Rao elaborates, “Visiting established distilleries requires extensive advance planning, whereas newer distilleries offer whisky enthusiasts an in-depth exploration of the production processes. Food pairing, especially malt whisky with sushi, significantly enhanced our experience.” 

The final distillery experience at Nikka Yoichi in Hokkaido was distinctive for its continued use of direct coal-fired pot stills — a rare method in whisky-making that contributes to a heavy, oily, and complex spirit, reminiscent of traditional Scottish drams. These clubs also introduce enthusiasts to countries that they normally would not associate with whisky. Singapore Sling II, organised by SMAC last year, took 11 members to the island country, to experience the most exciting whisky bars and savour Singapore’s Scotch and bar culture (₹1,49,000 excluding airfare). The group tried over 10 ultra-rare whiskies with varying age statements of over five decades, across bars dotting the busy skyline.

Glenfiddich distillery casks, Scotland
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Speaking of the allure of whisky trails, Zoran Peric, MD, Realmix Limited, that does strategic marketing with the spirits industry, explains, “Whisky tours usually offer expressions not available in stores. Japan is famous for its highball bars, popularised in the 1950-60s and you definitely want to add those to your list.”  

Japanese bars are notoriously compact, accommodate under a dozen patrons at a time, and require advance bookings, but Whisky Horoheki pulled off a cocktail bar coup with visits to Osaka’s Bar Freedom, Tokyo’s Whisky Library, Bar Kage in Ginza, and Bar Aloha, run by Hawaiian native David Tsujimoto, which offered intimate experiences and vintage international and Japanese malts.

Casks at Suntory Yamazaki Distillery , Japan
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Japanese mixologist Shingo Gokan, is bullish about Japanese whisky tourism for Indians. “With rising disposable incomes, increased exposure to global culture, and a burgeoning aspiration for premium experiences, India presents a promising landscape for whisky brands.” 

Scottish whisky writers are intrigued by Indians’ love for Scotch history. Charlie MacLean, Scotland’s legendary whisky writer, sees an upward tick in this spirit-led discovery. “Scotland is the heartland of whisky. Its popularity has encouraged whisky production in 87 countries around the world, including India, of course. Only by visiting Scotland’s distilleries and tasting whiskies can this mystery be explored!” says Charlie.

The Kelpies are a pair of monumental steel horse-heads, you’ll encounter on the Scotch trail, between Falkirk and Grangemouth, Scotland
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Mumbai-based The Dram Club, started in 2019, with over 1200 members is currently planning a trip to Scotland in August 2025, specifically the Islay region, with masterclasses and exclusive tastings at 15 distilleries including Lagavulin, Talisker, Laphroaig, Ardbeg, Springbank amongst others. 

Suntory Yamazaki Distillery, Japan
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Having tested the waters with a group of seven members in October 2023, the club’s co-founder Swati Sharma says it is important to know your audience. “We floated polls within our community about duration, distillery wishlists and budget. We planned distillery visits and tastings, but with breaks in between so travellers could explore the area on their own.”

From Edinburgh, home to Johnnie Walker Princess Street, to the Glenkinchie Distillery and an Edinburgh Gin Distillery tour, the group soaked in the spirit landscape of the historic town. It traversed picturesque Pitlochry followed by the Aberfeldy distillery, and tours at the Singleton, Dalmore, Glenmorangie, Glenlivet and Glenfarclas distilleries.

Dram Club members in conversation with Sir Dennis Malcolm at Glen Grant distillery
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Himanshu Chitre, a Dram Club member recollects his experience in Scotland, at his first ever whisky trail. “Tasting at Aberfeldy, bottling our own whisky straight from the cask at Glendronach, judging the Speyside festival drams — spending almost half-a-day with Sir Dennis Malcolm, the oldest-serving master distiller in the Scotch whisky industry at Glen Grant, was easily the most memorable event of the whole tour.”

Workers at Suntory Yamazaki Distillery move the malt
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While India is yet to explore its own whisky trails with just a few visitor centres, John Distilleries, Goa, Bengaluru-based Amrut Distilleries and the experiential Good Craft Co. by Diageo (including a fermentary and an ode to craft Indian spirits), offer a glimpse into the Indian malt scene. “For our overseas visitors, it’s often a pleasant surprise to find a place like this, leading to a greater appreciation of how far the Indian single malt experience has come,” explains Paul P John, chairman and managing director, Paul John Whisky, that operates a visitor centre in Goa, in a Portuguese style mansion.

Dennis Steckel, who started an Amrut appreciation club in Älmhult, Sweden, visited Bengaluru for the launch of India’s oldest and most expensive malt (Amrut Expedition, a 15-year-aged malt). He says, that the number of tourists interested in Indian single malts is witnessing an uptick. “I have close to 400 coveted Amrut bottles that I have swapped with other malt enthusiasts. There is definitely a growing interest in Indian single malts.”

Heemanshu Ashar, Global Brand Ambassador, Paul John Distilleries
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According to Heemanshu Ashar, Global Brand Ambassador, Paul John Distilleries. “Whisky trails make whisky appreciation and palate expansion unique and memorable for participants. The appreciation gained from distillery visits also creates a benchmark of what good whiskies should be and that builds the appreciation of Indian single malts produced from quality producers.”