The Royal Scotsman Scotch Malt Whisky Tour

Board Royal Scotsman at Edinburgh Waverley Station ready for seven spectacular nights. The highly personalized service and unhurried pace allow you to reclaim the romance and stately opulence of rail travel from a bygone era. Elegant Edwardian interiors wrap you in the warmth of cashmere and tartan as you traverse a land of rugged beauty, age-old fables and modern Scottish culture.

Depart in the early afternoon and travel north, crossing the Firth of Forth by means of the magnificent Forth Railway Bridge. This is one of the oldest cantilever bridges to be built, designed by Benjamin Baker in the late 1880s and considered one of the greatest achievements of the Victorian Age.

Indulge in afternoon tea as you journey through the former Kingdom of Fife. The train follows the east coast, passing through Arbroath, Montrose and Aberdeen before arriving in the market town of Keith.

Your first delicious dinner of the trip is served tonight. Our Chef’s inventive menus use the finest local ingredients, such as line-caught wild salmon, shetland Lobster and Aberdeen Angus beef. Chanterelles and wild garlic are foraged straight from Scotland’s wild larder. Afterwards, you are invited to enjoy lively entertainment in the Observation Car.

Departing Keith this morning, the train travels west along the Moray Firth towards Inverness, capital of the Highlands. 

 Lunch is served on the way to Kyle of Lochalsh, on what is arguably the most scenic route in Britain. The line passes Loch Luichart and the Torridon Mountains, which geologists believe were formed before any life began. Travel onwards through Achnasheen, then commence the climb to the Luib summit and Achnashellach Forest before descending to Strathcarron. 

Continue to the picturesque village of Plockton, where you can take a boat trip to see the colony of wild seals and enjoy magnificent views across the bay to the Applecross Mountains. There is also a woodland walk to be discovered here and time afterwards to enjoy a traditional Highland welcome and a nip or two in the seafront Plockton Hotel.

Return to the train in Kyle of Lochalsh, gateway to the mystical Isle of Skye, for overnight stabling. We invite you to dress for a formal dinner this evening, followed by coffee and liqueurs in the Observation Car.

Savour a full Scottish breakfast as the train travels east towards Carrbridge, followed by a specialist single-cask tasting with your whisky ambassador in the Observation Car. Then, head to our luxury dining cars, where a light and refined lunch is served.

Disembark in Aviemore to visit the historic Tomatin Distillery and learn the secrets behind its celebrated Highland single malt. Finish your tour with a tutored tasting of three Tomatin single malts, each revealing why this is considered the ’softer side of the Highlands.

Return to the train at Boat of Garten on the private Strathspey Railway. After dinner, make your way to the Observation Car, where local musicians are waiting to entertain you.

After breakfast, travel by coach to Rothiemurchus Estate in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park and select among a variety of outdoor pursuits such as wild swimming, archery or fly fishing.

Return to the train in Kingussie and enjoy a leisurely lunch while the journey takes you south, before disembarking to visit Tullibardine Distillery in Blackford village. Your private VIP tour features nosing straight from the cask and a tutored tasting of three Tullibardine Highland single malts.

Re-join the Royal Scotsman in Perth and prepare for a formal dinner en route to Dundee. Tonight, the infectious beat of the music may inspire you to join in some lively Scottish country dancing on the station platform, a fitting finale to your Whisky Journey.

As your train leaves Dundee in the morning, crossing the Tay Bridge into the former Kingdom of Fife and making its way back to Edinburgh, savour a full Scottish breakfast with your fellow guests.