Kilchoman Distillery to offer visitors whisky tastings on picturesque Machir Bay

The Machir Bay tasting is being offered as part of classic tours, which take place on Mondays and Tuesday at 10am, 11am, 3pm and 4pm. The seaside drams are from 2pm and priced at £20.

Safety measures in place at the distillery are detailed on their website, and include face masks/coverings to be worn at all times, a track and trace system, two metre social distancing at all times and sign and floor markings to be followed.

Writing on their website, the team said: "We have been busy getting the Visitor Centre ready to welcome guests back to the distillery and we are looking forward to being able to do so from the 15th.

"Our priority is of course the health and well being of our staff and visitors. We have followed all government guidelines and added our own additional safety measures to ensure we are opening as safely as possible."

Established in 2005, at the time Kilchoman Distillery was the first to be built on Islay in 124 years.

Despite being a relative newcomer, a rise in orders for its highly prized whiskies, including its award-winning Machir Bay, Loch Gorm and 100% Islay ranges, necessitated the construction of larger storage space after just eight years of production.

The distillery's Machir Bay expression, named for the picturesque beach that visitors can now enjoy, is a non-age statement  that’s best described as liquid charcoal combined with butterscotch.