The Clydeside Distillery Tour

You do not need to go to the Highlands to see whisky being made. The Clydeside Distillery sits right on the Clyde at Stobcross Road, beside the SEC and the Hydro, in the handsome former pumphouse that once controlled the flow of ships and goods into the bustling Queen's Dock. It began making its Lowland single malt in 2017, bringing distilling back to the heart of the city, and its visitor experience is one of the easiest whisky tours in Scotland to fit into a city break. The Clydeside Tour, which this page links to on Tiqets, is a guided visit of about an hour with a live English-speaking guide and a maximum of twenty people. It starts with the story of whisky and of the Clyde dockside, when this was one of the busiest stretches of river in the world, then leads into the still house, where the copper stills stand against windows looking down the river, before finishing with drams in the tasting room. A cafe serves Scottish food paired with whisky.

How to visit: the distillery is at 100 Stobcross Road, G3 8QQ, open from 10am to 5pm every day. Exhibition Centre station is a short walk away, and Finnieston's restaurants and the Riverside Museum are within fifteen to twenty minutes on foot along the river. The hop-on hop-off bus passes nearby, and Tiqets also sells bundles that combine the bus with this tour. Book your slot in advance, particularly at weekends and around concerts at the Hydro next door.

What to expect: the tour is relaxed and well paced, with plenty of chances to ask questions about malting, mashing, fermentation and distillation. The view from the still house over the water is the highlight for many visitors. Tasting is for adults only; check the age policy when booking if you are travelling with older children, and drivers can usually take their samples away. Read the Tiqets inclusions before you buy, since the number of drams and any upgrades depend on the option you choose.

Making the most of it: go late morning, then have lunch in the cafe or walk up to Finnieston, Glasgow's best-known food strip, on Argyle Street. In the afternoon, continue along the river to the Riverside Museum or up through the park to Kelvingrove. Whisky lovers who want to go further can join a Highland day tour and add a distillery visit on another day.