There are 150 malt and grain distilleries in Scotland scattered across 5 distinct regions, a real wealth of whisky-makers to explore. But where do you start, how do you pick one, where will you stay and what else could you explore on your trip? Distillerytours.scot has all the answers.
Objectives
David approached us in 2018 with a clear vision and goal; to create the first Whisky Distillery Tour website, they were a start-up with some brand guidelines, a tone of voice and little more. The objectives were clear; focus on the audience needs and ensure the first iteration of the site delivered enough to keep visitors coming back. It had to provide:
- a one-stop-shop for whisky enthusiasts looking to take a distillery tour
- a clear list of all the Scottish distilleries offering tours, alongside their tour options, and the ability to plan your trip
- local information, notes from experts, and insight you can’t get anywhere else
On the Map
The core feature of the site is an interactive map that pinpoints every whisky distillery in Scotland.
Strategy
The delivery strategy for Distillery Tours was incremental; start with the Minimum Viable Product and layer on features as visitor feedback, distiller feedback and investment aligned.
The site evolved through several phases;
- We launched with a striking homepage welcoming whisky appreciators
- We incorporated advertising content managed by the CMS instead of GoogleAdSense, to maximise revenue opportunities and keep the look and feel clean.
- An interactive distillery listing and map showed every distillery in one place from day one
- ‘Recommended Itineraries’, gave visitors trip inspiration collated by experts in the industry.
True to the original plan, user insight has seen the homepage completely overhauled in 2020 to promote more wayfinders into the key site sections. A new ‘where to buy’ map was launched, as were hotel listings, and there are plans for even more in the future.
Find a Distillery
Interest in the new site was swift and impressive from both distillers and customers. One of the largest exporters of Scotch whisky signed up all of their distilleries within months of launch.
Implementation
At the site’s core is an interactive map harnessing the Google Maps API with a custom overlay. It shows each of the distilleries in their exact location, supported by rich pages of information on each brand, great photography and a ‘book now’ option.
A news and podcast feature launched late in 2019 has become one of the most popular areas on site, with interviews of some of the key players in the industry including distillery owners, managers, and the creator of World Whisky Day.
What are you waiting for? It’s time to plan your trip and book a tour.
Slàinte Mhath!
Plan a trip
The ‘Build your Itinerary’ tool allows visitors to add their favourite distilleries to a list and create their own bespoke itinerary. Again, integration with the Google Maps API allows the site to generate a ‘recommended route’ map around the visitor’s chosen distilleries, alongside printable driving directions. Itineraries can be printed, emailed or shared with a friend too.
Drink, Sleep & Buy
The site also now includes a ‘Shop, Buy, Sleep’ section which provides a wealth of information on the shops, hotels, pubs, bars and restaurants nestled nearby distilleries. This tool was specifically designed to help visitors plan their trip, and made great use of Distillery Tours’ expert knowledge.
“I would have no hesitation in recommending Primate as your digital agency, we have worked with them through the 5 stages of developing the www.distillerytours.scot website. We have found Primate to be more partners in the process rather than just an agency, and we have always felt the passion and commitment from the team in our journey. I have been delighted with the progress we have made and we look forward to continuing our relationship with Primate as our partner agency.”
David Riddell
Founder, Distillerytours.scot