How to Plan a Distillery Press Trip: Lessons from Ten Years of Media Visits
Press trips have long been part of how whisky brands introduce themselves to journalists and media.
When they work well, they create something much richer than a standard launch or tasting. Guests get to experience the distillery first-hand: the landscape, the people, the production choices and the culture surrounding the brand. Those moments often lead to the most thoughtful and memorable coverage.
After more than a decade organising and attending distillery media visits, I’ve been reflecting on what makes the best ones work and a few patterns have emerged.
Here are some of the principles that tend to make the difference.
Clarify the story you want to tell – then let it breathe
Every press trip benefits from a loose narrative. What do you want guests to understand or remember when they leave?
It might be heritage, innovation, sustainability, community or a sense of place. Whatever the theme, it helps to have a guiding story running through the visit.
The key is not to force it. Let the story reveal itself naturally through the people guests meet and the experiences they have.
Leave room for side quests
One of the most common mistakes is trying to fill every moment of the schedule.
The best trips leave space for the unexpected: a walk down to the shore, a conversation with a distillery team member, a moment to take photographs or simply absorb the surroundings.
Distilleries are living places. Some of the most memorable moments are the ones you didn’t plan.
Use the liquid to illustrate the process
Whisky is a sensory product, so wherever possible the liquid should help explain the story.
If you produce two styles of new make, let guests taste both. If cask choices shape the character of the whisky, show the difference through samples.
Tasting the impact of production decisions is far more powerful than simply describing them.
Zoom out from the brand
A distillery doesn’t exist in isolation.
The surrounding landscape, the local community and the culture of the area are all part of the story. Sharing that wider context gives journalists a richer narrative to work with.
Often the place itself becomes just as memorable as the distillery.
Two nights is better than one
Press trips shouldn’t feel like endurance tests.
A second night allows guests to arrive without rushing and gives the visit a more relaxed rhythm. It also means the evening programme can feel sociable rather than obligatory.
People tend to engage far more when they aren’t exhausted.
Don’t hide the humans
Journalists want to meet the people behind the whisky.
Brand ambassadors are important, but so are the distillery team: the distillers, warehouse staff and others involved in production.
The individuals who are most enthusiastic about the distillery often tell the most compelling stories.
Think about the photograph
Every activity should offer a visual moment.
That might be a cask draw, a dramatic pour, a landscape view with a dram in hand or a behind-the-scenes moment in production.
Journalists and creators are constantly looking for images that capture the experience.
Make it sustainable
Press trips inevitably generate materials and gifts, but there’s an opportunity to think more carefully about what guests receive.
Items that are reusable or genuinely useful tend to be appreciated far more than disposable swag.
Remember hospitality
Not everyone wants whisky at every moment of the trip.
Offering alternatives — water, wine or beer — is a simple way to ensure everyone feels comfortable and looked after.
Good hospitality always leaves an impression.
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Many of these principles sound obvious, but in practice they’re surprisingly easy to overlook.
When they come together well, however, a press trip can become one of the most powerful ways for a distillery to share its story.
