Spirit of Speyside ‘Behind the Distillery Doors’ – Scotch Whisky News
For over 25 years, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival has been opening the doors to distilleries across the region. And for six days each spring, visitors are invited inside.
Step behind the scenes and into warehouses and production areas, with tours led by the people who know these distilleries best, from still operators and distillery managers to the makers and blenders themselves. This year, guests will even step inside distilleries rarely open to the public, including Benrinnes, Dalmunach and Longmorn.
While some of these experiences fill quickly, there are many exclusive tours and tastings taking place across the festival, offering access and insight you can only get at Spirit of Speyside.
Opening the Doors to Cardhu Distillery at #Dram26
Cardhu is one of Speyside’s most welcoming distilleries, open to visitors throughout the year. But during the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, the experience goes a little further.
Festival events offer the chance to explore areas not usually included on a standard visit, spend time with the people behind the whisky, and enjoy tastings created especially for the week.
From meeting the makers and drawing drams straight from the cask, to discovering an unexpected whisky pairing, these four Cardhu experiences offer a fresh way to explore the distillery during #Dram26.
Tamdhu VIP Distillery Tour & Tasting
Tamdhu Distillery
1 – 2 May – Various Times
Normally closed to the public, Tamdhu invites you on an exclusive guided tour of its Speyside distillery, followed by a tasting of the 12, 15 and 18 Year Old expressions. The experience begins and ends at Dalbeallie, Tamdhu’s Victorian railway station, where festival limited releases and other whisky gems will be available..
Breakfast Tour at Glen Moray
Glen Moray
29 April – 3 May – 9.30am
Start your #Dram26 day with Glen Moray’s popular Breakfast Tour, including a freshly cooked Scottish breakfast and a dram. After breakfast, enjoy a guided tour of the distillery production facilities and warehouse before finishing with two further whiskies back at the bar. A relaxed and delicious way to fuel up before a day of festival exploration.
Tamnavulin Distillery Tour
Tamnavulin Distillery
29 April – 4 May – Various Times
Established over 60 years ago, Speyside Distillery opens its doors to visitors for just one week each year during the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival. On this in-depth tour you’ll explore the mash house, tun room, stillhouse and warehouses, before enjoying a tasting of four whiskies including a specially selected single cask bottled exclusively for the festival.
Tomintoul Distillery: Behind the Scenes Tour & Tasting
Tomintoul Distillery
1 – 2 May – 12pm
Join Distillery Manager Robert Nicholson for a behind-the-scenes tour of Tomintoul Distillery, exploring the whisky-making process from mashing to maturation. The experience concludes with a tutored tasting led by Master Blender Iain Forteath, featuring a selection of his favourite Tomintoul single malts.
Many of Speyside’s distilleries are tucked away in rural locations, just as they have been for generations, so getting from one to another isn’t always as simple as hopping in an Uber – in fact, we don’t have Uber or app-based taxis here at all.
If you’re planning to enjoy a dram or two during your festival adventures (and no one wants to volunteer as designated driver), a local taxi is often the easiest way to travel between distilleries, accommodation and events.
You can find contact details for local taxi providers in our Taxi Listing, and booking ahead is a good idea when planning your festival itinerary.
These are just a handful of this year’s events – you can explore the full programme here:
Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Ltd.
PO Box 6783
Elgin, Moray IV30 9AW
United Kingdom
