The Coffee Bothy at Deanston

Set on the banks of the River Teith, the Deanston Distillery occupies an imposing former cotton mill whose cool, humid weaving shed also proved perfect for ageing organic malt whiskey. The waters that once drove the mill’s wheel still power the building today thanks to upstream turbines. It’s worth lingering for a tour of the traditional whiskey making methods (it’s the national drink after all), especially the chocolate pairing.

Whisky drinker or not, you should stop in at the Coffee Bothy. Stocky wooden furniture and green bistro lighting create a warm atmosphere, the food is reliably tasty (try the lentil and haggis soup) and the coffee is great. It’s an outpost of the excellent Blairmains Farm Shop down the road and a popular haunt for locals as much as distillery visitors. Old photographs lining the wooden shelves on the wall show the history of the mill. There’s plenty of free parking in the distillery car park, and you can buy a bottle of whisky in the shop for when your journey’s over.