New Distiller For a day experience

Go behind the scenes at The Borders Distillery in Hawick with our immersive Distiller for a Day whisky experience.

Written by: Olivia Pattison
Date Published:: 18 May 2026
Categorized as:: Distillery / The Borders / Whisky

The ultimate whisky experience

There’s whisky tours, and then there’s rolling your sleeves up and getting stuck in.

At The Borders Distillery, our Distiller for a Day experience gives whisky lovers the chance to step beyond the tasting room and into the heart of a working Scotch whisky distillery.

This is a hands-on whisky experience in Scotland where you’ll spend the day alongside our production team, learning how spirit is made from grain to glass.

Set in the historic Borders town of Hawick, we’re the first Scotch whisky distillery in the region since 1837. Everything we do is rooted in the people, produce, and spirit of the Scottish Borders. From locally-grown barley to the team running the stills, this is whisky made by local folk with real passion for the craft.

For those searching for an unforgettable whisky gift experience, a behind-the-scenes distillery tour, or a proper deep dive into Scotch whisky production, Distiller for a Day is exactly that.

what is distiller for a day?

Distiller for a Day is a full immersive experience designed for curious whisky drinkers, aspiring distillers, gin lovers, and anyone wanting to see how a modern Scotch whisky distillery actually operates.

This isn’t standing behind a rope watching machinery from a distance. You’ll spend the day with our team learning about:

Milling and mashing
Fermentation
Distillation
Gin distillation in our Carterhead still
Spirit cuts and flavour creation
Cask maturation
Quality control and tasting

You’ll move through the distillery floor with the people who make our whisky, ask questions, taste spirit at different stages, and get a real understanding of how flavour is developed.

And because we’re a working distillery, no two days are ever exactly the same.

shaped by people

At The Borders Distillery, people are at the centre of everything we do. Our distillery was built not just to make whisky, but to reconnect the Scottish Borders with its whisky-making roots and create opportunities for local people.

That comes through strongly in the Distiller for a Day experience.

One recent guest, Steve, summed it up perfectly after spending the day with our team:

“What a cracking bunch. Seriously – you all get involved in everything, and everybody takes a real passion in this place and in the four walls.”

From the still house to the warehouse, our team genuinely care about the spirit they produce and the place they produce it in.

The experience has been designed to feel relaxed, welcoming, and engaging. No pretence. No whisky snobbery. Just good people making good spirit and sharing that knowledge openly.

That’s very much part of our philosophy: your whisky, your way.

go beyond the standard distillery tour

Scotland is home to some incredible whisky tours, but Distiller for a Day offers something different.

Rather than simply hearing about whisky production, you become part of it for the day.

You’ll gain insight into the technical side of production while also understanding the creativity involved in modern whisky-making. Our production team will explain how fermentation lengths, distillation techniques, barley varieties, and cask types influence flavour.

For guests with brewing or spirits knowledge already, it offers a rare opportunity to compare disciplines and see production from another perspective.

Steve, who came from a brewing background, particularly enjoyed seeing the crossover between brewing and distilling:

“It was interesting to see all the different bits going on, I was a brewer so I know the brewing side of it, but to see the distilling side, and interesting to see the gin distillation too. I’ve never experienced that before.”

Because we produce whisky, gin, and vodka on site, the day offers a broader insight into spirits production than many traditional whisky experiences.

experience scotch whisky in a new light

The Scottish Borders has a rich agricultural and industrial history, but until recently, it had been nearly 200 years without a Scotch whisky distillery.

That changed when The Borders Distillery opened in Hawick in 2018, reviving whisky production in the region for the first time since 1837.

Our distillery itself sits inside a beautifully restored Victorian building that once powered the town through the Hawick Urban Electric Company. Today, it houses a modern distillery complete with:

A 5-tonne mash tun
Eight washbacks
Four copper pot stills
A Carterhead still for gin production

The experience is as much about place as it is process.

Visitors often comment on the atmosphere of the building itself: the smell of fermentation, the warmth of the still house, the natural light flooding through the restored rooflights, and the feeling of being inside a proper working distillery rather than a polished showroom.

gift an experience

Looking for a whisky gift in Scotland that feels genuinely memorable?

As Steve put it:

“It was my birthday present to myself, and I’m glad I did. Loved every minute of it.”

Experience gifts work best when they create stories people continue talking about long after the day ends. Spending a day making whisky in the Borders tends to do exactly that.

The ultimate whisky experience

Sustainability is woven into how we operate as a distillery.

During the day, guests also learn about:

Our locally-grown Borders barley
Our Borders Growers & Distillers programme
Water sourcing from beneath the distillery site
Our waste reduction systems
Our Zero Waste approach

We work closely with local farmers and return production by-products back into agricultural systems through anaerobic digestion plants.

For many visitors, seeing how modern distilleries are approaching sustainability becomes one of the most interesting parts of the experience.

relaxed and authentic

There’s a tendency for whisky to sometimes take itself a little too seriously.

We don’t.

At The Borders Distillery, we believe whisky is for everyone – whether you’ve got a shelf full of rare bottles or you’re simply curious to learn more.

Distiller for a Day reflects that attitude. It’s informative and immersive, but never intimidating.

And when asked what his favourite part of the day was, Steve’s answer probably says more than anything else could:

“I didn’t have a favourite part, I enjoyed every minute of it.”

Why Choose The Borders Distillery Distiller for a Day?

There are plenty of whisky experiences in Scotland, but Distiller for a Day offers something genuinely personal.

You’re not being guided through a scripted attraction. You’re spending time with the real people behind the spirit.

You’ll leave with:

A deeper understanding of Scotch whisky production
First-hand distilling experience
Access to areas not normally seen on standard tours
Insight into whisky and gin production
Tastings throughout the day
Stories you’ll bore your pals with for years

Most importantly, you’ll experience the spirit of the Borders firsthand.

final thoughts

Whisky is ultimately about people. The growers, distillers, blenders, bottlers, and drinkers who all become part of the story.

Distiller for a Day gives you the chance to step directly into that world.

Whether you’re buying it as a gift, ticking off a whisky bucket-list experience, or simply curious about what really happens inside a working Scotch whisky distillery, this is a rare opportunity to experience Scotch whisky production from the inside out.

And in Hawick, surrounded by the people and landscape that shape our spirit, there’s no better place to do it.

Book your Distiller for a Day experience at The Borders Distillery today.

W/C 24th August

faqs

What is included?

The experience includes hands-on distillery activities, behind-the-scenes access, tastings, production insight, and time spent with the distilling team learning about whisky and gin production.

What makes a cask a good gift?

A private cask is a long-term, meaningful gift. It allows the recipient to follow the whisky’s journey and eventually bottle their own cask.