6 Best Sights in The Northern Highlands and the Western Isles, Scotland

This small north coast distillery proves that Scotland's craft-spirits boom has stretched to the very edges of the mainland. Run by husband and wife team Martin and Claire Murray, Dunnet Bay Distillery has gained plaudits and prizes galore for its Rock Rose gin—notable for its use of sea buckthorn, rhodiola rosea (the eponymous "rock rose"), and other coastal botanicals. The distillery also produces a superb vodka called Holy Grass. As well as selling the spirits neat, there are also fun, seasonal cocktail releases, from the gingerbread espresso martini to the winter-spiced negroni. You can tour the "wee" distillery all year round, including taking a stroll around the herb garden and greenhouse (lean down to sniff the deliciously citrusy lemon verbena). Children younger than 18 are allowed to visit and are admitted on the tour free of charge with an accompanying adult.

The light color and delicate floral taste of the Speyside whiskies is exemplified in Glenmorangie, one of the best known of the Highland whiskies. The picturesque distillery in Tain, 8 miles south of town across Dornoch Forth, offers fascinating tastings that reveal how the taste is achieved (the secret's in the exceedingly tall stills). The Classic Tour (£18) includes three drams.

Opened in 2015, this island distillery rapidly gained a reputation for its distinctive gin, infused with coastal botanicals including sugar kelp. Its first malt whisky, called The Hearach (the Gaelic term for an inhabitant of Harris), is currently maturing in bourbon barrels. The distillery conducts guided tours (£10) every weekday from March to October—call to book in advance.

Unusually for a distillery, Pulteney is situated very close to the town center, and it has been for almost 200 years. The spirit produced here, known as "gold," was once in the shadow of the town's other big "silver" industry—herring fishing. But, despite a hairy period of prohibition, it has easily outlasted its competition. The brooding brick distillery is open for tours and tastings, so join the standard one-hour tour (£10) for a behind-the-scenes look at the facilities and a taste of the award-winning 12-year-old Old Pulteney—famed for its smooth, faintly briny character with a lingering, butterscotch-sweet finish. Or, for £25, experience all this plus additional tastings of three older expressions.

Opened in 2017 as Skye's second-ever licensed distillery, Torabhaig debuted its single malt four years later. And just like those from Skye's first distillery, Talisker, the whisky is smooth, rich, and wonderfully peaty. Come for a tasting in the comfort of the beautiful courtyard, flanked by the old stone farmhouses where the magic happens. You can also join a guided tour of the distillery, though note that it's a small operation; don't expect photo ops in barrel-filled warehouses. If you have time, stroll from the distillery down to the pretty, ruined Knock Castle, a former stronghold of the Macdonalds.

It may no longer be the only distillery on the Isle of Skye (since the opening of Torabhaig Distillery in 2017), but it remains one of the best in Scotland. Talisker produces a sweet, light, single malt that has the distinctive peaty aroma of island whiskies, yet with less intensity—making it a great introductory dram for newcomers to Scotch. Robert Louis Stevenson called Talisker "the king of drinks," and the inhabitants of Skye are very proud of it. Classic tours here take about 45 minutes, while tasting tours (available weekdays) take between 90 and 120 minutes. Book ahead, as tours are very popular.