Blair Athol Distillery

The smell hits you first - that warm, slightly sweet grain smell mixed with something deeper, almost savoury. Blair Athol Distillery sits just outside Pitlochry, a working whisky distillery that's been going since 1798, and it's the kind of place that works whether you're a whisky obsessive or just fancy a look around and a dram.

The tour takes you through the actual production - you'll see the copper stills, the washbacks, and the warehouse where casks sit maturing. It's properly industrial and real, not theatre. Staff know what they're talking about, which matters when you're learning why water chemistry and barley selection make such a difference to what ends up in your glass. Allow around two hours, maybe three if you're lingering in the visitor centre.

It's best for adults and older teenagers who actually want to understand how whisky gets made. Younger kids get bored quickly - there's only so many copper pipes you can stare at when you're eight. The tasting at the end matters though; even if you don't drink spirits usually, the comparison between the different ages and styles makes the whole process click.

Free entry to the grounds, though the guided tour costs extra. Worth doing if you want the full story. If you're staying at Milton Of Fonab Caravan Park just down the road, or Faskally Woods further out, it's an easy addition to a Perthshire break. Pair it with a walk in the area - Pitlochry itself has decent trails - and you've got a proper day sorted.