This distillery, South of Kirkwall's centre, is great to visit. Despite a dodgy Viking rebrand, it's a serious distillery that malts its own barley; see it and the peat kiln used to dry it on the excellent, well-informed hour-long tour (book ahead). The standard 12-year-old is a soft, balanced malt, great for novices and aficionados alike; the 18-year-old is among the world’s finest drams. This and older whiskies can be tasted on more specialised tours (£20 to £75), which you can prearrange.