A Dumfriesshire whisky distillery is offering possibly the best dram Airbnb summer break this year.
The two-night stay, which is being made available to members of the public for a limited time, offers guests the chance of going behind the scenes and becoming a distiller for a day.
The unusual staycation at the Annandale Distillery is part of a new campaign to encourage people to visit the Scottish lowlands and support businesses in Dumfries and Galloway.
Throwing a spotlight on some of what the region has to offer, the campaign comes with the unprecedented demand for staycations this summer and aims to encourage holidaymakers to consider Scotland beyond the more widely-publicised Highlands and major cities.
VisitScotland regional leadership director Paula Ward said: “It is fantastic to see Annandale Distillery feature as part of this new Airbnb campaign to encourage people to visit the Scottish lowlands.
“We know that many visitors are looking for something special, an authentic experience that they won’t get elsewhere and this experience at Annandale Distillery offers to do just that.
“Businesses right across the Scottish lowlands look set to benefit from the increased awareness of the region as part of this campaign.”
She added: “Encouraging visitors to stay longer, visit all year round and explore more of what our country has to offer will be crucial as we focus on the recovery of the industry from the pandemic.”
Amanda Cupples, general manager for northern Europe at Airbnb, said: “The stay at Annandale Distillery is truly a unique experience for whisky lovers and an opportunity to visit somewhere they might not have considered before.”
The distillery was first established in 1836 and “reborn” in 2014 after a multi-million pound renovation by David Thomson and his wife, Teresa Church.
In a joint statement they said: “This stay on Airbnb gives us the chance to involve guests behind the scenes and show them that the Scotch whisky produced at Annandale is more than a product, it’s a labour of love.
“Enticing visitors to our part of Scotland is not only good for us but also for other local businesses.”
The stay will be available to book online for £480 for two people at airbnb.com/annandaledistillery.
Guests will get to participate in each stage of the process from meeting the malt delivery, to milling and mashing the barley, fermentation, firing up the stills and filling the
casks.
Each guest will check out from their stay with a bottle of Annandale’s single malt Scotch whisky.
