My Experience Touring the Faer Isles Distillery in Vestmanna

I’m pretty sure that the first thing you think of when the Faroe Islands come to mind is not whisky. It’s probably not gin, either, or any other spirit. That might soon change, though; Faer Isles Distillery is slowly making moves and is about to bring an innovative new product to the market. 

*This post is sponsored by Guide to Faroe Islands. However, all views are my own. 

It always amazes me what the human mind is capable of, and seeing people bring cool things into the world is hugely enjoyable. While traveling around the Faroe Islands, I was invited by Guide to Faroe Islands to join a tour at the Faer Isles Distillery in Vestmanna. 

I saw this tour as an opportunity to learn more not just about the distillery, but also understand the unique challenges of distilling in such remote settings. Regulations on the archipelago have historically made it difficult to create spirits, too, so I was interested to discover the influence this has had. 

Based on my experiences, I’ll share my thoughts on touring the Faer Isles Distillery. You’ll also find out how to book the tour, get to the distillery, and more. 

The Challenges (and Opportunities) of Making Spirits in the Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands’ regulatory relationship with alcohol has historically been complicated. Like neighboring Iceland, beer was banned on the archipelago for a long time. But while Iceland lifted its ban in 1989, it took the Faroes until 1992 to do the same. 

Today, alcohol is still somewhat restricted in the Faroe Islands. While you can buy beer and spirits from state-run liquor stores, spirit sales are still challenging. You’re not allowed to sell any spirits with an alcohol by volume (ABV) percentage of more than 60%. 

While you might think that making spirits in these conditions would be a challenge, it actually works in Faer Isles Distillery’s favor. The distillery uses various natural ingredients from the Faroe Islands, including seaweed and water; Faroese water is some of the world’s cleanest (and by the way, it tastes amazing). 

Faer Isles Distillery uses a unique maturation process. The distillery adopts similar methods used for wind-drying meat and fish, which have been staples of the Faroese diet for decades. The casks are exposed to the wind, of which there is plenty in the Faroe Islands, though they’re kept in a warehouse. Once the whisky is released, you’ll likely taste something like you never have before.

The Distillery Doesn’t Just Make Whisky…

Faer Isles Distillery started commercial distilling whisky in February 2023, and the first set is expected to launch in November 2026. But in the meantime, the distillery isn’t waiting around and twiddling its thumbs. In fact, it has already released multiple products. 

On the tour, we were able to try akvavit, gin, and vodka—obviously, in separate glasses. While trying each of these, our guide told us about the story behind each one—along with how Faer Isles Distillery is differentiating itself in a crowded market. 

In my opinion, the vodka was its most unique product. Faer Isles Distillery has created the world’s first vodka, which was made from a below-seabed reservoir, and it has already won awards. 

My favorite thing about the tour was being able to try the different ingredients that go into the drinks. For example, we had the option to sample some local seaweed. While I wouldn’t class the smell as “fantastic”, it tasted pretty good. Maybe it’s another business idea, but I reckon they could sell seaweed chips as snacks in their Vestmanna bar. 

You can try seaweed, cardamom, and various other ingredients. I was assured that everything we could try was safe for consumption, so you shouldn’t need to worry 🙂. 

A New Bottle Design?

While on the tour, we also got to see some of the possible new bottle designs. Currently, Faer Isles Distillery sells its drinks in similar bottle shapes to what you’ll find with other spirits. While they still have unique branding, there’s definitely an opportunity to really stand out. 

Our guide showed us the new proposed bottle designs, which were created by local artist and musician Eivør Pálsdóttir. In my opinion, the new bottles look really cool, and they’d immediately make Faer Isles Distillery stand out on store shelves. 

While money is the main constraint right now, I’d like to see these bottle designs become a reality in the future. 

Touring Behind the Scenes

Like any good startup, our trip to the Faer Isles Distillery wasn’t complete without seeing some wordplay. As we went behind the bar, we saw a door saying: “Nirvana: Smells like gin spirit”. I mean, *shrug emoji*. 

After bringing us through the coveted doors, we entered the back part of the distillery. Here, we learned more about the distillation process and saw where all the magic happened.

We also learned that what you observe can very much depend on what you’re used to. The Germans, for example, were impressed by the Faroe Islands’ stunning natural landscapes (the equipment was German). Meanwhile, the Scots, who are blessed with their own beautiful nature, were really impressed by the distiller’s engineering quality. 

While the tour was scheduled to last for an hour, we went over. None of us minded, though, as it was really interesting to learn about Faer Isles Distillery and its plans for the future. I would say, however, that it’s a good idea to be flexible and book other tours within good time so you don’t miss them. 

Getting to the Distillery

You’ll have to make your own way to the distillery, but it’s quite easy to reach. It took us around 35 minutes to drive to the distillery from our hotel in Tórshavn. 

The distillery itself is by the port area in a red building. You’ll find plenty of parking spots when you arrive. 

Would I Recommend This Tour?

If you’re interested in gin, whisky, or spirits in general, I think this is a fantastic tour. Learning about the unique challenges and opportunities for distilling in the Faroe Islands was fascinating, and you can also get a cool souvenir to bring home with you. 

Our guide was really enthusiastic, and the distillery’s bar is really cool. We learned about the story behind the furniture, too, which was designed by an American living in the Faroe Islands. 

The only real challenge would be that you have to make your own way there, but if you have a rental car, doing so is easy enough. Vestmanna is the launchpad for various other tours, too, such as trips to the stunning nearby seacliffs. 

How to Book the Faer Isles Distillery Tour

The Faer Isles Distillery tour is available exclusively through Guide to Faroe Islands, and you can book it on this page. Quite a lot of people showed up on our tour, and booking in advance is wise because the tour can sometimes be canceled if there aren’t enough participants. 

The tour itself costs 300 DKK (c. $46 USD), which is pretty affordable considering how much value you get. 

You Can Also Support the Faer Isles Distillery

Personally, I think this project is quite cool—and if you feel the same, you can also invest in the Faer Isles Distillery yourself. Shares cost 120 DKK each, and you need to buy a minimum of 50 to become a shareholder. 

You can sign up as a shareholder for Faer Isles Distillery on this page. 

Side Note: The Journey to the Distillery Is Also Nice 🙂

While the tour itself was great, I was also a huge fan of the journey to the distillery. To reach Vestmanna, you have to drive along Route 21—a road that cuts into the side of a mountain and gives you stunning views. Compared to the roads to Gjógv, Elduvík, and Tjørnuvík, this one was in very good condition. 

On the way there (or back), you can also enjoy an excellent view of the village of Kvivík. You’ll find a parking lot where you can stop for free; it’s one of the best photo spots in the Faroe Islands. 

A Unique Experience in a Remote Location

Faer Isles Distillery is close to launching its first whisky and has already brought a couple of high-quality products to the market. It’s a unique project that deserves the attention it’s getting, and I can 100% recommend joining this distillery tour. Besides being informative, our guide was also very funny.

My girlfriend also agreed that it was well worth a visit. Getting to the distillery is straightforward, and our guide was very informative. This is a must-do on your trip to the Faroes, especially if you’re interested in spirits and their production. 

A huge thank you to Guide to Faroe Islands for inviting me on this tour. As mentioned before, all views are my own. If you want to visit Faer Isles Distillery, remember to book your spot here.