If there is one thing you must do when you visit Scotland, it’s go on a distillery tour. On our NE250 road trip we visited Glenfarclas Distillery and it did not disappoint. There is even the option to taste the whisky at the end of the tour in the very unique tasting room.
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Complete Guide to Visiting Glenfarclas Distillery
Glenfarclas Distillery is a beautiful place to visit nestled in the Moray countryside. Whether you want to go and taste the whisky or even if you’re the designated driver and just interested in the tour, Glenfarclas Distillery is for you. In this guide we will discuss the following
- What is Glenfarclas Distillery?
- Where is Glenfarclas Distillery?
- How to get to Glenfarclas Distillery?
- Why Should I go to Glenfarclas Distillery?
- When Should I go to Glenfarclas Distillery?
- Preparing for your trip to the NE250.
What is Glenfarclas Distillery?
Where is Glenfarclas Distillery?
Glenfarclas Distillery is located in Ballendalloch in the Moray region of the North East of Scotland. It is nestled beneath the hills where the snow cap from the mountains can be used as part of the distilling process.
When you arrive, look out for the beautiful cupola roof.
How to get to Glenfarclas Distillery?
If you are travelling from Dufftown, follow the A941 road north and join the A95 heading westbound. You will see signs for Glenfarclas Distillery.
If you are travelling by public transport, the nearest train station to Glenfarclas Distillery is Glenfarclas Road End. Glenfarclas Distillery is around a 1km walk which takes approx. 14 minutes to walk.
The bus line that stops nearest to Glenfarclas Distillery is 366 and the nearest bus stop is around a 14 minute walk away. The first bus arrives near Glenfarclas at 10.11 and the last bus leaving from this area is at 15.29.
Are you planning to visit more of Scotland on your trip? Why not check out our books to help you plan your trip?
Why Should I go to Glenfarclas Distillery?
Glenfarclas Distillery is well known for it’s sherried style smooth whisky. It was one of the first distilleries in Scotland to open a dedicated visitor centre in 1913 and the warm and welcoming staff invite you to look at the historical whiskys and accessories inside.
The knowledgable team will teach you about the distilling process whilst on the tour and show you inside one of the traditional dunnage warehouses where a number of the casks are maturing. In total there are 68,000 casks on site ranging between 10-40 years old.
After, you will be shown to the Ship’s Room for your tasting experience. The panelling from this room came from the RMS Empress of Australia. This ship was of historical importance in British history. Here you can enjoy a selection of whiskys.
The Grant family aim to create the best quality Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky, in the traditional Speyside style which they remain committed to.
Visiting Glenfarclas Distillery is one of the great things you can do on the NE250 road trip.
When Should I go to Glenfarclas Distillery?
Glenfarclas Distillery is open Monday – Friday throughout the year and on Saturday’s from July – September. It is recommended that if you want to partake in a distillery you should book on as spaces fill up quick.
There is no best time in the year to visit Glenfarclas Distillery as the majority of the tour will be spent indoors.
Before You Leave on the North East 250
Before you head off on your trip around the NE250, there are certain things you will need to get organised to ensure a smooth trip. These include how to get around the route, including being aware of single track roads, etc., what to pack for Scotland, where to stay along the route and what travel insurance to book.
How Do I Get Around the NE250?
Given the reasonably remote location of the NE250 and the majority of the sights along the route, the best way to get around this road trip is by driving. There are of course other methods that are still popular, such as cycling and hiking, however, if you have a short amount of time on the route, neither of these are very suitable.
As for public transport, this isn’t completely impossible, it is just a lot more difficult.
If you are looking to rent a cosy, reliable and luxurious campervan for your trip around the NE250, we highly recommend hiring through Spaceships Rentals.
Browse the full range of vehicles on offer at Spaceships over here.
What Should I Pack for the NE250?
When it comes to packing for a trip along the NE250 there is one item of clothing that you are going to need all year round: a waterproof. It rains in Scotland on average 250 days a year, meaning that during your 7-day NE250 road trip you will probably experience at least a drizzle of rain. Due to this, the number one item on any Scotland packing list is a good waterproof jacket.
As for the rest of the year, the temperature in Scotland and the central heartlands is reasonably mild for most of the year. During the winter months, you will most likely experience snow, however, temperatures usually sit around freezing, so it is not too cold. For your reference, the average temperatures in Scotland are listed below during each season.
Spring (March, April, May) – 5-10 degrees C
Summer (June, July, August) – 15 degrees C
Autumn (September, October, November) – 5-10 degrees C
Winter (December, January, February) – 0-5 degrees C
As you can see, the weather never really gets above the teens, with anything over 25 degrees C considered a heatwave. The best way to pack for your trip to the highlands is with layers that can be added and removed as you need them. You will definitely need a hat and gloves during the colder months and will most likely need sunscreen to protect you on the long days in the open.
Given the beautiful sights and scenery that you are no doubt going to see around Scotland, we highly recommend packing a good camera for your trip. If you want to read more about the cameras we use and why we love them, check out the link below.
You can read what else we keep in our camera bag over here.
Photography Equipment
Main Photography Camera – Sony A7v Mirrorless Camera and Sony A7iii Mirrorless Camera
Microphone – Shure VP83 Condenser Shotgun Microphone
Main Lens – Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8
Zoom Lens – Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8
Camera Tripod – ZOMEI Z669C Camera Tripod
Gorilla Pod – JOBY JB01507-BWW GorillaPod
Action Camera – GoPro Hero 9 Black and Insta 360 One RS
Drone Camera – DJI Mavic Pro 3
Camera Bag – Wandrd PRVKE 41L and The Nest by Tropicfeel
Phone Tripod – Manfrotto MKPIXICLAMP-BK, Mini Tripod with Universal Smartphone Clamp
Sturdy Phone Tripod & Selfie Stick – ATUMTEK 61″ Selfie Stick Tripod, Sturdy Phone Tripod Stand with Wireless Remote
Hard Drives – LaCie Rugged Mini, 5TB, 2.5″, Portable External Hard Drive
SSD – SanDisk Extreme Pro 1TB Portable NVMe SSD
Travel Adapter –Worldwide Travel Adapter Universal Travel Plug with 4 USB Ports+Universal AC Socket
Where Should I Stay in Aberdeen?
Luxury – Residence Inn by Marriott Aberdeen is a luxury hotel in the city of Aberdeen. It is within 20 minutes walk of the beach front and has free wifi, a gym and laundry facilities on site. The best things about this hotel might just be that it was rated highly for the comfort of the beds!
Book your stay at Residence Inn by Marriott Aberdeen here.
Mid-range – The Jurys Inn Aberdeen is located a stones throw away from the city centre shops, bars and restaurants. All rooms have air conditioning, a TV, hairdryer and most importantly, a comfortable bed.
Book your stay at the Jurys Inn Aberdeen here.
Budget – The Station Hotel sits opposite the train station in Aberdeen and is a fantastic budget option for your trip to the city. Each room is equipped with a TV and tea/coffee making facilities as well as having it’s own private bathroom.
What is the Best Travel Insurance?
We know travel insurance is the least enjoyable thing to purchase and look at when you’re planning a trip, however, you wouldn’t want to be without it in the event that something happened. Accidents can happen anywhere and the extortionate medical bills will ruin your trip if you are not covered.
To ensure you have a stress-free trip with no worries about potential medical bills, make sure you cover yourself when you travel. We can recommend using SafetyWing, a backpacker-friendly and cheap insurance company that provides good coverage and support. It is also nomad-friendly, unlike most other insurance companies, meaning you do not need to worry about being out of your home country for too long.
Get a quote for your travel insurance right here and get covered!
So there you have it, a guide to visiting Glenfarclas Distillery. If you have visited the NE250 recently, did you go to Glenfarclas Distillery? Let us know what you thought in the comments below.
As always, sharing is caring so make sure to share this photo guide with your family and friends and inspire them to head off on their own North East 250 adventure. If you are planning the trip for yourself, make sure you have a look at the rest of our Scotland content for more inspiration to our beautiful home country.
When you set off on your own adventure, be sure to tag us in your photos on Instagram and we will share them with the rest of our community. In the meantime, why not follow us over there to see what we are currently up to and keep up with us on our Instagram Stories.
Now Read:
- Complete Guide to Hiking Ben Rinnes – A Beginner Hike in Aberdeenshire
- Must Visit Castles in Aberdeenshire – Castles on the NE250 Road Trip
- Newburgh Seal Beach Aberdeenshire – Seal Spotting on the NE250
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