5 Of the Most Interesting Virtual Distillery Tours

If you can’t visit in person, these distilleries have gone out of their way to bring themselves to you

In these uncertain times, for many, travel is still not an option. While distilleries around the world are still, thankfully in production, one aspect of their operations that is down considerably due to lack of travel and health restrictions is onsite tours and tasting room business. While the tactile enjoyment of tasting the products in their home environment, and the aromas of the distillation process, are obviously not possible to experience through a screen, many distilleries now offer virtual tours in lieu of real ones.

Some of these virtual distillery tours consist only of a few YouTube videos, but some are indeed quite creative. For instance, some have used Google Maps to create 360-degree walk-through tours of their campus, while others have used a mix of walk-throughs, 3D videos, and conventional videos to create a distillery tour that is almost as fun and informative as the real thing.

Here are five virtual distillery tours that are worth spending some time with.

Talisker Distillery

Although the Talisker Distillery is now open for real tours by appointment, using government guidelines, there’s also an excellent virtual tour for anyone who can’t get to Scotland’s picturesque Isle of Skye in person. The distillery dates from 1830, though it has used the modern technology of Google Maps to create a virtual walk-through tour that starts in the still room. Click here for the tour.

Why it’s worth a visit:

· The Google mapping tool makes it easy to move everywhere.

· The Google Street View pop-up window gives you a map in one half of the screen and images in the other.

· After touring the buildings one can take a virtual stroll outside and explore the distillery’s scenic location overlooking Loch Harport.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon Distillery

The distillery that George Washington operated post-presidency at his Mount Vernon estate stands by the Potomac River in Virginia, 20 miles south of Washington DC. It was recreated in 2007 not only to make whiskey, but to show visitors exactly how it operated in Washington’s day. At the time, it only had six employees, and was a tiny operation, compared to most modern distilleries. But it happens to be very virtual tour-friendly.

It would also have been easy for the distillery to take the lazy way out, shoot a few minutes of video, and leave it at that. Fortunately the distillery has taken a much more inventive approach, combining still photos, numerous videos, a 360-degree walk-through experience, and lots of information panels, which you can see here.

Why it’s worth a visit:

· Its instructions are simple and intuitive, making it easy to navigate.

· Round buttons indicate a pop-up photo and information panel.

· Lots of video buttons covering topics like Making Washington’s Whiskey and Sending the Product to Market.

· The tour also includes access to the Library with its Archives, Reading Room, Rare Books Suite, and other fascinating features.

Corsair

Like Talisker, Corsair’s distillery and taproom in Marathon Village in Nashville is now open in person under health and safety protocols. However, they have still put in the effort for their virtual tours, and also using Google mapping technology embedded into their website for a 360-degree walkthrough experience. Click here to experience.

Why it’s worth a visit:

· Uses a professional photographer to get the best results.

· Separate sections for Tasting Room, Production Floor, Barrel Room, Upstairs Deck, and Downstairs Patio, so no wandering blindly around.

· Each section opens in a larger Google map if you do want to see what else is around and check out the neighborhood.

Big Machine Vodka

With two locations in Nashville, and another in Lynville, another Tennessee distillery with an interesting online experience is Big Machine Vodka. With no physical tours open to the public as of press time, they too gone for the 360-degree walk-through tour experience, which one can access here.

Why it’s worth a visit:

· The cool dollhouse view shows the entire location in one image that you can revolve.

· Hover over buttons on the dollhouse and information panels pop up.

· Fourteen thumbnail photos allow you to move easily between locations.

· Other useful icons include a Floor Plan, a Floor Selector, and even a Measuring Tool, though it’s a bit unclear what exactly anyone would want to measure.

Patrón

Easily one of the most sophisticated of these virtual distillery tours is the one of Patrón tequila’s hacienda in Jalisco, Mexico. It covers the agave fields, distillery, and the hacienda itself. It’s so extensive, they’ve even put together a documentary-style video showing how the online tour was created, with its clever mix of 360-degree video and cartoon animation. The only thing missing is the tequila for the tasting at the end, so better have some ready while going here for the experience.

Why it’s worth a visit:

· You can let the video play by itself or pause it to explore the location.

· The 360-degree view can even be operated while the video is playing.

· The cartoon bee at the start of the video also moves in relation to the video action.

· Seeing the jimadors working in the agave fields.

· Patron’s hacienda is a handsome building in its own right.