ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST WHISKY FESTIVALS

LAUNCHES THEIR 2026 PREVIEW

Craigellachie Distillery of the Chairman of Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, Henry Angus and Steven Dalgarno, Distillery Manager of Craigellachie Distillery who are hosting the opening dinner and this year’s ceilidh.

Now in its 27^th year, the annual celebration of Scotland’s national drink has become one of the largest events of its kind anywhere in the world, bringing thousands of visitors to the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival since 1999.

Contributing over £2.2million annually to the local economy, there is a vast array of over 600 events, over 6-days.  Kicking off on Wednesday, 29^th April 2026, it takes visitors right through the first May bank holiday weekend.

The festival is renowned for attracting visitors who want to discover more about whisky, in an area that boasts the greatest concentration of beloved brands.  With 51 working distilleries, they make up more than a third of Scotland’s total number in Speyside alone.  Peppering towns including Elgin, Forres, Keith, Aberlour, Dufftown and Rothes, the festival continues to build on its reputation as a globally recognised event, providing high-quality experiences for visitors.

So, what to expect from the line-up this year?  Attendees from over 40 countries who descend on Speyside, will find immersive tours and tastings as well as coopering masterclasses and chefs creating whisky-paired dinners.  There is the chance to meet Master Blenders and get tours behind the closed doors of dunnage warehouses where festival goers can draw samples from the casks themselves.  Visitors can enjoy fireside drams or sipping whisky on Findhorn beach.  Plus, the Dram Tram returns, where passengers can soak in the scenery in their Gold Carriage from Dufftown to Keith whilst savouring a special whisky enroute.  Of course, it wouldn’t be a Scottish whisky celebration without the Friday night ceilidh which will be held at Craigellachie Distillery and is a highlight of the 6-day calendar.

Henry Angus, Chairman of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival commented; “The festival is the perfect way to launch World Whisky Month and is all about showcasing the very best of what’s in this area.  Whilst we have an amazing quantity of events, the quality of them is what really shines through.  It’s wonderful to see the whole of the Speyside community getting behind it as a highlight on the calendar.  We’ve seen a great increase in visitor numbers and ticket sales in the last couple of years, which tells us that we are continuing to build on how successful this international festival has become to the area.”

Speyside also boasts incredible scenery.  A chance to embrace the country air with aromas from barley malted to make the whisky.  There is a plethora of cosy chic hotels, self-catering pads and B&Bs to choose from. Plus, Stagecoach is extending its local bus service from Aberdeen and Inverness for day trippers.

SSWF 2025 Event Listing Imagery – Dallas Dhu Distillery: Drams from the Archives

The festival will launch with almost 80 events lined up on Wednesday 29^th April, including an industry dinner, co-hosted for the first time by Craigellachie Distillery, as part of their 135^th anniversary celebrations this year.

For those wanting to take a deep dive into whisky making, the 4-day Whisky School is back for its 10^th year.  Providing an incredible insight into the industry from a doyen of industry experts, it starts just a few days before the festival kicks off.   A limited number of spaces are still available on the website.

TICKET INFORMATION

Previews for ticket sales go live at 12noon on 18^th February

Launch of ticket sales is live at 12noon on 24^th February

WEBSITE – https://www.spiritofspeyside.com/

Spirit of Speyside

Spirit of Speyside organises some of the world’s premier whisky events, welcoming visitors to the beauty of Speyside from across the globe each year. The organisation is responsible for the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival each year with hundreds of events incorporating the Whisky School and Whisky Awards. The same team also hosts Spirit of Speyside: Distilled, exclusively for whisky distillers.

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival

First launched in 1999, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival’s annual celebration of Scotland’s national drink has developed into one of the largest events of its kind anywhere in the world. This year it will celebrate its 27^th anniversary with a programme of around 500+ whisky-inspired events over 6 days.  The Festival is a true mecca for the curious beginner and the whisky connoisseur alike. Festival events take place throughout Speyside, the biggest whisky-producing region in Scotland, located in the Moray area in the north-east of the country between Aberdeen and Inverness. Over the years, the Festival has developed close links with many Speyside businesses and communities who help to fund the festival. It is a true team effort to deliver an ever-improving range of events and services to make the six days of the festival a truly unforgettable experience.

COMBINING INNOVATION, COLLABORATION AND TRADITION ON THE KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL!

Founded in 2014, Bardstown Bourbon Company may be a relative newbie on the Kentucky Bourbon scene, but in just over a decade, they have emerged as one of the top 10 distilleries in the US by volume, as well as the largest custom distiller in the country. Key to achieving that status has has been their incessant commitment to innovation which is most obviously evidenced in their state-of-the-art production facility, widely considered the most sophisticated in the industry with cutting-edge techniques, technology and equipment. They are also distinct in their ongoing pursuit of collaborative opportunities with world-class partners outside of their immediate industry, e.g. wine, brandy and other spirits producers, to craft whiskies with unique and intriguing finishes. At the same time, they honor time-tested distillation traditions and maintain a focus on craftsmanship in their relentless pursuit of excellence.

The result of this three-pronged philosophy of innovation, collaboration and tradition is a product portfolio that consistently garners the highest critical acclaim along with an ever-growing consumer fan base that seemingly can’t get enough of what they have to offer. We are proud to present our current selections from the Bardstown collection and can assure that there will be more from where these came from in the months and years ahead.

Cheers!

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The Epicurean

Côte-Rôtie Edition | Red Wine Cask

Delight in the exceptional Epicurean 12 years old Côte Rôtie Cask Finish, a distinguished addition to our Signature Series. This Lowland Malt, refined yet indulgent, has been enriched by an iconic northern Rhône Red Wine Cask, releasing layers of fruity, spiced richness. Limited to just 240 bottles, this release celebrates Lowland sophistication at its finest – elegant, rare and unforgettable.

Region: Lowlands
Abv: 55.9%
Vol: 70cl
Cask: Côte Rôtie Cask Finish
Spec: No Colour Added
Spec: No Chill-Filtration

LIMITED TO JUST 240 BOTTLES

Meet The Epicurean – our 1930s Glasgow man, a real cheeky character who was ever the life and soul of the party and a connoisseur of fine food and drink. A master of versatility, this fresh, zesty, grassy marriage of the finest Lowland malts is perfect for cocktail hour or simply for sipping. Part of the Remarkable Regional Malts range, the ultimate distillation of Scotland’s Malt Whisky Regions.

How Scotch Whisky Came To Be

With International Scotch Day on February 8, it’s the perfect time to explore what makes Scotch whisky, Scotch. Each bottle is a distilled Scottish spirit made from grain and matured in oak casks. From simple ingredients – cereals, water, yeast and oak – comes one of the world’s most diverse and complex drinks, shaped by more than 250 distilleries across Scotland, each interpreting them in its own way.

Learn More

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London Distillery Company unveils London’s first 10-Year-Old single malt whisky

The London Distillery Company (TLDC) is proud to announce the upcoming launch of Ten Times Around the Sun, London’s first 10-year-old single malt whisky and a landmark release that marks a major milestone in the capital’s modern whisky revival.

Distilled from Quench spring barley and laid down on 20th October 2015 in single ex-bourbon barrel #007, Ten Times Around the Sun has been bottled at 51.4% ABV and is presented non chill-filtered and with natural colour, reflecting TLDC’s long-standing commitment to authenticity of flavour. The release is accompanied by striking artwork inspired by the single malt’s decade of maturation, visually capturing ten full orbits around the sun and the passage of time that has shaped the spirit.

Ten Times Around the Sun is limited to 220 bottles, priced at £89.95, and will launch on Friday 27th February via www.londondistillery.co.uk

TLDC was established in 2011, creating the first new whisky distillery in the capital since Lea Valley Distillery closed in 1903. Founded and inspired by the city’s lost distilling heritage, this iteration of the Company operated from a small, but ambitious site in Battersea. It quickly gained recognition for its innovative approach – combining traditional production methods with a fresh, contemporary vision.

Following the company’s revival in 2025, the past year has seen TLDC re-establish its place in the capital’s whisky landscape, laying the foundations for future releases and building a bridge between London’s historic distilling past and its contemporary, forward-looking ambitions. Ten Times Around the Sun is a tangible expression of that journey – a whisky that preserves an important piece of London distilling history while pointing confidently to the future.

As one of the earliest casks laid down by the distillery, ex-bourbon barrel #007 has matured over the past decade, witnessing the growth of England’s whisky sector and the rise of a new generation of London-based distilleries. Surviving TLDC’s closure in 2019, the cask now stands as a symbol of the company’s resilience, while reinforcing the capital’s position as a serious and credible whisky-producing region.

Speaking of the launch, Matt McKay, TLDC Managing Director and Whisky Maker said: “Ten Times Around the Sun marks a defining moment for The London Distillery Company. It honours one of our earliest casks, capturing the original spirit that began our journey. This release is a tangible piece of London’s whisky history, surviving the distillery’s closure in 2019 and now emerging as a symbol of our return. This is a whisky born of our past, shaped by our revival, and confidently demonstrating our bold, bright future.”

Ten Times Around the Sun

10-year-old, London Single Malt Whisky

Fully matured in single ex-bourbon cask #007

51.4%, 70cl

£89.95

Available from www.londondistillery.co.uk from Friday 27th February 2026

Nose: Bright and inviting with tinned peaches and sliced mango, layered with soft nougat, earthy dunnage floors, and dusty oak spices.

Palate: Bold and fruit-forward, offering a syrupy sweetness alongside piquantly spiced tinned fruits. Notes of milk chocolate and creamy cereal add depth and texture, whilst cask pepperiness provides warmth and lift.

Finish: Long and lingering, marked by the persistence of ripe fruit, fading gently into tingling Szechuan pepper spice.

About The London Distillery Company

The London Distillery Company was established in 2011 as London’s first new whisky distillery for over a century. Trailblazing the revival of the capital’s distilling heritage, the company crafts exceptional spirits that reflect both tradition and modernity.

Committed to using only the finest ingredients and time-honoured methods, every bottle produced by The London Distillery Company expresses a dedication to craftmanship, blending expertise and a relentless pursuit of character and flavour.

www.londondistillery.co.uk/

Lochlea is an independent and family-owned craft whisky distillery located in the Lowlands region of Scotland to the south of Kilmarnock. It is a farm distillery that grows all of the barley used in production. The farm is the former home of the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns, who lived and worked there between 1777 and 1784.

Their inaugural release was released in 2021 and since then a flurry of limited edition and cask strength variants have been launched. Lochlea produces a robust cereal-led style of spirit. This is heavier than the regular style associated with the Lowlands, which are known to be light and delicate with floral and grassy notes.

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2025 Elijah Craig 11 Year 6 Month Old Barrel Proof “Batch B525” 126.2 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey $69.99 View

Email: wine@klwines.com
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ralfy review 1116 Extras – The education of ‘slow sipping’.