Whisky Tours · FOOD
Good whisky & food experiences sell out weeks ahead and the small-group ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Spend about three hours walking Edinburgh’s Old Town with a local guide such as Carlos, Nyssa, Nichola, or Madge. Sample haggis with neeps and tatties, Scottish cheese, cakes, whisky, tea, and a surprise dish while hearing food stories and city folklore.
“I really enjoyed this food tour with Nyssa. There was a good variety of food and I learned some about Scotland too!”
Spend three hours tasting Scottish classics in Edinburgh’s Old Town with guides such as Nichola, Nyssa, Craig, Madge, and Carlos. Expect haggis, Cullen Skink, cranachan, cheese, cakes, whisky, a secret dish, and plenty of food history in a group of no more than 10.
“Craig was very knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. Really enjoyed the day!”
Spend about three hours walking one mile through Louisville’s NuLu district with guides such as Cathy or Allison. Taste bourbon, craft cocktails, cheese, dinner-size food pairings, and dessert, ending at a rooftop bar. This is a food-and-history tour, not a distillery visit.
“Allison was a fantastic guide—fun, knowledgeable, and great at keeping the group energized. Excellent food, smooth pacing, and awesome local spots. Highly recommend!”
Start at St Giles’ Cathedral and walk central Edinburgh with a private English-speaking guide such as Nicola or Skye. Taste haggis with neeps and tatties, Scottish cheese, cakes, a secret dish, and Lowland single malt whisky. The route ends near the lower Royal Mile.
“Nicola was a great tour guide. She is knowledgeable, passionate about Scottish culture and funny. We enjoyed our tour immensely. Haggis, scones, whisky and ice cream were delicious.”
Spend three hours with guides such as Kay, Kaylee, or Hayley in Lexington’s James E. Pepper Distillery District. Expect Kentucky food, bourbon, hard cider, beer, local history, and easy walking within one block. The small group is capped at 16 people.
“It was so fun! Kay was great and very informative. Lots of excellent food, drinks and conversation!!”
Spend about four hours tasting Nashville barbecue, whiskey, and craft beer with a guide such as Ray, Bob, John, or Caleb. Visit Central BBQ, Corsair Distillery, and New Heights Brewing Company in a small group of up to 14, with transportation, water, and tastings included.
“Great tour, but it was more distillery tours than BBQ. The one BBQ we had wasn’t a BBQ joint at all, but a brewery that served a BBQ sandwich. It was a great tour, but I specifically signed up for BBQ, not knowing this.”
Meet your whiskey guide in central Dublin for five Irish whiskey samples, paired with farmhouse cheeses, crackers, fruit, and handmade chocolates. Visit Lincoln’s Inn and The Palace Bar, with guides such as Andrew and Rachel explaining Irish whiskey in a relaxed, small-group setting.
“It’s an advanced whiskey tasting. The guide was extremely knowledgeable and went through everything thoroughly and was passionate. The pace is nice, two locations visited and 3 tastings at first 2 at second. Good recommendations and inside information. My only suggestion would be to add micro breaks to the tour, the guide talked for the entire 2.5 hour tour, it would be nice to get a break to process the information and chat and enjoy the snack.”
Spend two hours with an English-speaking whiskey guide, tasting five handpicked Irish whiskies at Lincolns Inn and the Palace Bar. Pair them with farmhouse cheeses, soda bread, and handmade chocolates. Groups are limited to 10, with guides such as Andrew and Tiernan bringing plenty of Irish whiskey knowledge and humor.
“Andrew was a witty, well informed guide on Whiskey.”
Spend about three hours with a private English-speaking guide, possibly including Laci, as you sample beer cheese, fried chicken, bourbon balls, Modjeska, and other Kentucky favorites. The experience links Louisville food, bourbon, Prohibition tales, Cave Hill Cemetery, Whiskey Row, NuLu, and Butchertown.
“Really great food tour. Enjoyed every stop, the signature cocktails, and the great storytelling by Laci. I would recommend!”
Meet a local whiskey guide at Lincoln’s Inn, taste Irish whiskey with food, then walk through Dublin’s Georgian district to the Palace Bar for two more premium pours. Guides such as Andrew, John, and Tiernan have led this relaxed, small-group experience.
“Guide attempted to change time and then didn’t show up. ………………… what else is there to say. Should drop this tour from your list.”
Spend three hours walking from Christchurch through Thomas Street and the Liberties, tasting Irish dishes, cake, beer, and spirits before making Irish coffee at Jameson Bow St. Guides such as Noel, John, Martin, Richard, and Moira bring local history and pub culture to life.
“So much fun. I loved the history aspect. Martin asked us what we wanted to know about Ireland and we said “history/music” and he tailored the tour to lean into that. We loved it.”
Meet at Powerscourt Townhouse Centre for a three-hour whiskey walk through central Dublin. Guides such as Gráinne, Sean, Adam, and Johnny explain Irish whiskey, local history, and pub culture while you taste up to six whiskeys at several pubs, with food pairings on the Deluxe option.
“Gronya was so knowledgeable on all aspects of whiskey history. We intend to look a bit harder to find some of the find brands in the states. Job well done and would go again.”
Meet guide Kaz or Grant at Waiheke’s Matiatia Wharf for a five-hour small-group food and drink tour. Visit Mudbrick, The Heke, Batch Winery, and an olive-oil stop, with tastings, scenic views, private transport, and time for a platter lunch. Ferry tickets and some meal costs may be extra.
“What a fabulous day! Tour Guide Grant was such a great guide. My husband and I had the most memorable day learning about wine, beer, olive oil and the Waiheke community. This is the best tour we have had in 5 years and we travel frequeRead more”
Join local guide Joanne for a three-hour Edinburgh food and drink walk. Taste sparkling, white, rosé and red wines with Scottish dishes, then compare two single malt whiskies with cheese and oatcakes at a venue overlooking the Old Town and Castle.
“My wife and I had an amazing time on the tour. We learned a lot about wine and whisky that we didn't know, and got to taste a lot of great food. We highly recommend this to anyone coming to Edinburgh who wants to experience local cuisine with a nice wine pairing, as well as plenty of whisky to choose from.”
Explore Glasgow’s West End on a 3.5-hour food walk capped at 10 people. Taste Cullen skink, haggis, cranachan, sticky toffee pudding, a secret Scottish dish, and two single malts, with guides such as Adam and Will adding local stories along the way.
“This was an easy walking tour, at 3 1/2 hours, into locally owned eateries and shops with hard-working, friendly authentic owners and fresh food. Absolutely lovely food. Adam is a personable and friendly guide. He did a good job of keeping us on time while allowing us time to enjoy the atmosphere, the company, and the food. The pick up point was easy to find. I just took the little underground subway, which was easy, clean and safe. Once the tour was over I was in a great spot to visit the botanical gardens which was so fun to sit in there enjoy the garden, and watch people and pets.…”
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