Ride the rails in style this summer, as Scotland’s luxurious Belmond Royal Scotsman train prepares to board for a series of Scotch Malt Whisky Tours across the nation’s countryside.
Acclaimed for world-class accommodations, the train merges 5-Star hotel amenities with a lavish travel experience. The U.K.’s first spa carriage on a train pampers patrons with indulgent, all-natural therapies. Luxury en suite cabins outfitted with plush beds and picturesque views offer private Scottish sanctuaries for rest and relaxation. Best of all: there’s whisky, and lots of it.
Guests will sip single malt Scotch, or their beverage of choice, while exploring the scenery, as all meals and alcoholic drinks are included in tour packages. Travelers can expect to start the morning off with a full Scottish breakfast, prepare for excursions with a three-course lunch, and wind down the day with a four-course dinner featuring cheeseboard, coffee, tea, and petit fours.
Fares start at approximately $7,500 for a four-night round-trip excursion from Edinburgh Waverly departing July 21. A second tour leaving August 23 will cost around $9,800 per person.
Destinations include a visit to Rothiemurchus Estate and private tours of the Tomatin, Macallan, and Tullibardine distilleries. A whisky ambassador will guide visitors through a special single-cask tasting experience. Membership to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society for one year is included, as is a tasting at the society’s headquarters.
The experience is complete with 24-hour steward service, traditional entertainment, and guided tours of historical gardens and estates.
While only these two dates remain open for the dedicated whisky tour, the railroad also offers a selection of other routes varying in length of stay and destination, though these trips exclude the society membership perk and may not visit all of the distillery locations.
With Europe finally opening to U.S. travelers, whether vaccinated or not, this whisky train is a stylish way to get back on the road — or rails — to adventure.
