European Tour: 26 Countries for 2026

The end of an action-packed tour! Hitting the road ten weeks ago to bring Kilchoman to whisky enthusiasts across the continent. Ticking off cities from Rome to Riga, and everywhere in between – hosting lively tastings and bespoke festivals, the tour was an opportunity to share our story beyond Islay, and to reconnect with the people who make what we do so worthwhile.

Kicking off at the end of January, in France, before moving down into Switzerland and battling the Swiss alps to make our way to Italy – the land rover hit it’s first obstacle – snow! Conquered it like champion, and just as well as we learnt this would become a continuous challenge during our time on the road….

Always incredible to see the volume of people turning up to share a dram with us along the way, from the small towns to the big cities. With venues managing to pack crowds of people into rooms smaller than our old stillhouse! Whether it was a masterclass with a long-time retailer, a collaborative event with a local bar, or an informal meet-and-greet, every event brought its own local flare.

The Land Rover had now been on dry land for what an islander would consider a lifetime! We had a ferry to catch and it was a new country to join the tour, Greece! Tour T-shirts came in handy as the weather was heating up. The team were very grateful for a refreshing Gingerman tour cocktail after a long, tough day of chatting Kilchoman and drinking whisky. Not sure they would have got any sympathy… but just as well there was enough to share with everyone.

Travel days blurred into events as we made our way through the Balkans before reaching Poland and ticking off more new countries. In disbelief that we were already halfway through, and of course the Tour edition was going down a treat – with it being a first for us, as a full-term mezcal maturation!

We headed further north through the Baltics, meeting the coldest weather we would encounter at -17 degrees, and feeling grateful that whisky doesn’t freeze! As always, it was a pleasure to see both familiar faces and new fans discovering Kilchoman for the first time.

Reminded at every venue what makes a tour like this special isn’t just the whisky, it’s the people: the shared stories and conversations had with long-time fans, as well as people just starting on their whisky journey. Showing us that, while Kilchoman is rooted on Islay, its community stretches much further.

As we made our way country hoping by ferry: an islanders dream, through Scandinavia. We encountered a small hiccup with the mysterious disappearance of the fuel cap, but nothing a sherry cask bung can’t fix as a temporary measure….

Starting to make the trip down south again, through Denmark, an eight-day leg in Germany! To the final countries of The Netherlands and Belgium, before catching the Eurotunnel closer to home. With these countries being long-time residents of the tour itinerary, it was no surprise to us that venues were packed full of excitement, and we were even getting recognised on the road!

Last stop on the tour was the UK, and a great round off to an incredible trip. Holding our breathe that the Land Rover had one final push to make it back to Islay. We couldn’t let it go too smoothly as the missing fuel cap saga continued and we lost another – perfect finishes are overrated?

Now, we’re back home, tyres a little worn, suitcases a little lighter, and more grateful than ever for the support we’ve seen on the road. The Land Rover covered over 20’000 kilometers, visiting 26 countries in ten weeks. Having hosted everything from masterclasses with over 150 people, casual pop-up sessions and everything in between, as ever we are incredibly grateful to all those who travelled far and wide to come along, share a dram, or simply stopped by to say hello—thank you. We’ll see you again soon!

Until then, Slàinte mhath.

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