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.

Events at Cardhu Distillery

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..

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

VIEW TAXIS

These are just a handful of this year’s events – you can explore the full programme here:

VIEW FULL PROGRAMME OF EVENTS

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Ltd.
PO Box 6783
Elgin, Moray IV30 9AW
United Kingdom

Clock-In at Coleburn: A Hands-On Whisky Warehouse Experience 💪⚒️🥃

This Spirit of Speyside, we’re opening the warehouse doors — and inviting you to step inside.

On Friday 1 May 2026, join our team at the traditional Victorian warehouses of Coleburn Distillery for a rare, hands-on morning shift with Murray McDavid.

This is not a tour.

This is your chance to work alongside our experienced Warehouse Team and discover what it truly takes to care for maturing Scotch whisky.

Under the guidance of our Team, you will:

• Stow and ‘time’ casks
• Re-rack spirit
• Regauge and assess maturing whisky
• Carefully draw samples straight from the cask

You’ll gain practical insight into the precision, skill and dedication that shape every Murray McDavid release — along with a few terrible warehouse jokes along the way!

After your shift, enjoy a well-earned flight of three ‘Warehouseman’s’ drams and receive a special certificate of achievement to mark your experience.

⚒️ Get hands-on in a whisky warehouse!

Friday 1 May | 9:00am-12:00pm

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This immersive experience is designed for true whisky enthusiasts who want to go beyond the tasting table and into the heart of maturation itself.

Driver’s Drams are available to pre-order if required.

Spaces are limited 🎟️

We look forward to welcoming you on shift 💪

Slàinte,

The Murray McDavid Team

At the start of February, we suggested giving a blind tasting a try. If you’ve ever tried one, you’ll know how revelatory an experience it can be. If not, there’s still time…in the form of this email! Below we’ve shared the Tasting Notes for four last drop bottlings. Intrigued? Click through to find your next favourite whisky.

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The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Join Us for Art & Whisky on the Beach

This Spirit of Speyside, Murray McDavid invites you to experience whisky in a truly creative way.

On Sunday 3 May 2026, join Dean Jode, our Head of Whisky Creation, at the charming beach huts of Findhorn for an inspiring seaside session overlooking the Moray Firth.

This is not your typical tasting…

As you sip a curated selection of three Scotch whiskies, Dean will guide you to explore each dram through art — drawing, painting or sketching not what you see, but what you experience in the glass. Flavours, textures, aromas and emotions will become your creative palette.

This is the Art of Maturation like never seen before.

Art & Whisky on the Beach with Murray McDavid — Findhorn Beach Huts

Sunday 3 May | 4:30pm-6:00pm

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Your ticket includes:

• 3 x 2cl drams
• All art supplies
• A relaxed, hands-on creative experience
• Access to our on-site shop, including our 2026 Spirit of Speyside Festival Bottling

Driver’s Drams are available to pre-order if required.

Spaces are limited 🎟️

We look forward to raising a glass — and a paintbrush — with you by the sea 🎨

Slàinte,

The Murray McDavid Team

Heaven Hill Earns Top Honors at 2026 World Whiskies Awards America and Icons of Whisky

Bardstown, Ky. – Heaven Hill was recognized with multiple top honors at the 2026 World Whiskies Awards America and Icons of Whisky America ceremony, held February 12 at The Brown Hotel in Louisville.

The awards celebrate the best in American whiskey, recognizing one winner per category along with standout individuals and teams shaping the industry’s future. This year’s results underscore Heaven Hill’s strength across distilling, sustainability, production, public relations, and product excellence.

Icons of Whisky America 2026

Distiller – Winner
Heaven Hill Brands

Sustainable Distillery – Winner
Heaven Hill Distillery

PR Team – Winner
Lauren Cherry Newcomb and Kaitlynn Fish West, Heaven Hill Brands PR Team

Distillery Manager – Highly Commended
Adam Ganoe, Heaven Hill Brands

Production Team – Highly Commended
The Team, Heaven Hill Springs Distillery

With this year’s recognition, Heaven Hill has now been named Distiller of the Year three times at the Icons of Whisky America awards, including back-to-back wins in 2023 and 2024. The 2026 honor further cements the company’s leadership in American whiskey production and reflects sustained excellence across its distilling operations.

Heaven Hill Distillery’s Sustainable Distillery of the Year win marks its second time receiving this distinction, reinforcing a long-term commitment to environmental stewardship and operational responsibility. From energy efficiency and water conservation initiatives to thoughtful investment in infrastructure, sustainability is built into the way the company produces whiskey.

Being named PR Team of the Year highlights the integral strategic work behind the scenes. As the largest, independent family owned and led distilled spirits company of brands in the United States, Heaven Hill continues to invest not only in production but also in ensuring its brands remain culturally relevant and visible through earned storytelling.

Adam Ganoe’s Highly Commended recognition as Distillery Manager, along with the Highly Commended honor for the Heaven Hill Springs Distillery Production Team, underscores the expertise driving operations across the company’s growing footprint. Notably, Heaven Hill Springs Distillery has been officially open for just under one year, making this early recognition especially meaningful as the new facility begins shaping the next chapter of the company’s production legacy.

World Whiskies Awards 2026 – America

Heaven Hill brands also earned category wins in the 2026 World Whiskies Awards America competition.

Best American Rye Whiskey – No Age Statement
Elijah Craig Toasted Rye

Category Winner – 13 to 20 Years
Heaven Hill Heritage Collection — 19-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey

These awards reflect both innovation and patience. Coming off the heels of Elijah Craig Rye Barrel Proof being named Whisky of the Year by Whisky Advocate, Elijah Craig Toasted Rye continues to expand the brand’s rye credentials with layered flavor and a distinctive finishing process. The 19-Year-Old Heritage Collection Wheat Whiskey represents decades of stewardship, showcasing the depth of Heaven Hill’s aging inventory and long-term commitment to American whiskey.

“We’re proud of these wins because they reflect both consistency and range,” said Heaven Hill Master Distiller, Conor O’Driscoll. “From premium, innovative rye to well-aged wheat whiskey, it speaks to the breadth of what our teams are capable of. These awards belong to the people who make the whiskey every day, and they reinforce the long-term mindset we bring to the work. We’re building for today, and we’re building for the next generation.”

As the largest, independent family owned and led distilled spirits company of brands in the United States, Heaven Hill continues to invest in distilling, sustainability initiatives, and aged stock to support the future of its portfolio.

Winners from the America round will advance to compete for World’s Best titles at the World Whiskies Awards Global Dinner in March.

For more information, visit World Drinks Awards.

ABOUT HEAVEN HILL BRANDS: Founded in 1935, Bardstown, KY-based Heaven Hill Brands (www.heavenhill.com) is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and led spirits company of brands, as well as the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill has been named a Best Managed Company in both 2024 and 2025 by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes the Heaven Hill Whiskey family of brands, Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Widow Jane, Larceny, Old Fitzgerald, and Henry McKenna Bourbons; Rittenhouse Rye Whisky; Deep Eddy Vodka; Admiral Nelson’s Rum; Black Velvet Canadian Whisky; Lunazul and Ocho Tequila; HPNOTIQ Liqueur; and Carolans Irish Cream Liqueur.

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Poitin Now has hit the road for 2026

4 Tastings in 4 Provinces

The exciting new approach from Poitín Now will see all of the best poitín in Ireland being celebrated in a regional way and therefore bringing the festival, and our native spirit, to be accessible in a more regional way for all participants.

These regions all boast quality food and accommodation venues or are easily accesed through mini bus or lift shares for many with ample parking. We look forward to seeing you at Molly’s Bar in Warrenpoint for the first of these brilliant tastings.

Location: Molly’s Bar, Warrenpoing
Date: Saturday, Mar 7 from 4 pm to 6 pm GMT

Buy your Poitín Now Ticket Here

Highly Commended: Sustainable Distillery

Sustainability is central to how we work at the Cotswolds Distillery, from caring for the landscape around us to reducing our environmental impact behind the scenes. This commitment is brought to life through initiatives such as our Wetlands Ecological Treatment System, a living reed-bed landscape that treats the majority of our production wastewater on site while supporting local wildlife. To be highly commended in the Sustainable Distillery category is a meaningful acknowledgement of this approach, and of our belief in doing things thoughtfully, responsibly and with the future in mind. Take a look at the video below to discover more about our wetlands.

WATCH HERE

Congratulations to our Head of Global Advocacy, Rob Patchett, who has been highly commended for Brand Ambassador – World Whisky of the Year award. Since joining the Cotswolds Distillery in 2022, Rob has been a passionate ambassador for our spirits, sharing his knowledge and unmistakable enthusiasm with whisky lovers across the globe. This recognition celebrates the way he brings our story to life, one conversation, tasting and perfectly poured dram at a time.

READ MORE

Icons Of Whisky 2026

Distillery Manager Award

Our Production Director, Alice Pearson, has been awarded Distillery Manager of the Year in the Icons of Whisky category of the World Drinks Awards. Having been with the Cotswolds Distillery for nearly eight years, this award recognises Alice’s outstanding leadership, vision and dedication over that time. At 25, she is also one of the youngest distillers in the UK. Under her guidance, the distillery continues to push boundaries while staying true to our Cotswolds roots – championing quality and innovation in every drop that we make.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ALICE

World Whiskies Awards 2026

We’ve got some rather lovely news to share.  The Cotswolds Distillery has been recognised at the World Whiskies Awards 2026, celebrating not only our carefully crafted spirits, but the people behind them too. Each award is a quiet nod to the care, patience and passion that goes into every bottle we make – from the first cut of spirit to the final pour. We hope you’ll raise a glass with us this evening to celebrate!

SHOP HERE