Travelling through Speyside for the first time, there are swathes of the famous Scotch whisky region’s 51 distilleries that will be on many visitors’ hit lists, ranging from big names such as the Macallan, The Glenlivet, and Glenfiddich through to sites that lie off the beaten track, like Benromach, Speyburn, and Tamdhu. But what about the distilleries that don’t have elaborate visitor centres or don’t host tours? How can connoisseurs get a peek behind the curtain to find out how some of their favourite whiskies are made?
The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, which begins on 29 April and runs for six days, gives visitors access to many sites that would otherwise remain mysterious. Twelve distilleries that seldom throw open their gates to the public — Aultmore, Benrinnes, Craigellachie, Dailuaine, Dalmunach, Glendullan, Kininvie, Longmorn, Mortlach, Tamdhu, Tamnavulin, and Tormore — will welcome guests during the festival.
“Some distilleries in the region only open their doors to visitors for the festival,” explains Henry Angus, the festival’s chairman. “What makes Spirit of Speyside special is the diversity of the events. There are free events and then there are very high-profile events, where there are very rare and aged whiskies available to be tasted.” The festival began in 1999, with this year’s programme having grown to include more than 600 events. Almost 60 of them are competing for the Best New Event prize. “Our partners are always looking at ways to do things just that little bit differently,” Angus adds. Those innovative events appear to have gone down well, with a record opening week for ticket sales back in February.
Highlights of this year’s programme include: Tormore Estate pairing its whisky with a hill tour and a falconry display; a picnic at whisky bottler Murray McDavid’s huts on Findhorn beach; and a canoe trip down the River Spey from Knockando to famed civil engineer Thomas Telford’s bridge at Craigellachie.
The Glenlivet is holding a silent disco in its malt loft, which was once used to store barley but is now an exclusive venue that’s rarely open to the public. The silent disco “harmonises the greatest hits from the 80s, 90s, and ‘Now’ with expressions of The Glenlivet 12-year-old single malt from the same eras”.
Meanwhile, Dallas Dhu in Forres is hosting a “snap and sip” tour for photographers. The distillery was turned into a museum when it closed in 1983 but is now being brought back into production by cask specialist Aceo. History buffs are in for a further treat, when archivists from three Speyside distilleries will share a stage for the first time to tell stories from their whiskies’ past. Craigellachie will welcome Alia Campbell from Diageo, Jacqui Seargeant of Dewar’s, and Cheryl Traversa from the Macallan, with whisky educator Siobhan Sellers acting as compere. Craigellachie will also host the festival’s opening industry dinner for the first time, as part of the celebrations to mark the distillery’s 135th anniversary. Many guests will then return to the distillery for the festival’s Friday night ceilidh, which organisers hail as one of Spirit of Speyside’s regular highlights. Other notable events for foodies include Pawel Sowa welcoming two Michelin-starred chefs to his Geamair restaurant at the Craigellachie Hotel. Over the course of two nights, Sowa will be joined by first Robby Jenks, executive chef at the Samling Hotel at Windermere in England, and then by Antonio Arcieri, who runs Arco by Paco Pérez at Gdańsk in Poland.
The crafts that support distilling will also be on show during the festival. Visitors will have the chance to build their own casks with Caledonian Cooper in Keith and back at Dallas Dhu in Forres. Boortmalt is also running a tour of its maltings in Buckie to reveal the secrets behind how barley is malted. Even before the festival kicks off, visitors can study Scotland’s national drink at a four-day whisky school. “I took part last year in the whisky school for the first time,” says Angus. “It’s a good chance for people to learn about the whisky craft and get expert lectures and guided tastings from veterans of the industry. You wouldn’t get that opportunity anywhere else.”
As well as guiding visitors to the distilleries themselves, the festival also shines a spotlight on other parts of Speyside. The historic Keith & Dufftown Railway, which celebrated its 25th anniversary last year (2025) as a heritage line, will run its famed “drams on the tram” gold carriage service during the festival, with whiskies to accompany each journey.
“The festival is a great opportunity to show the world what Speyside has to offer,” says Iain Allan, visitor centre manager at Glen Moray Distillery. “The Malt Whisky Trail has been doing that since the 1960s and it’s great that the festival is now expanding the idea throughout our region.
“For anyone who loves Scotch and Scotland, the festival is not to be missed. It’s an opportunity to explore Speyside’s wider attractions, as well as the distilleries that are hosting events as part of the festival.”
As well as welcoming visitors from more than 40 countries, Angus explains that the festival aims to remain accessible for local people too. He wants locals to enjoy the distilleries that sit on their doorsteps, in addition to benefiting from the £2.2-million boost that the festival brings to the local economy’s hotels, restaurants, and other businesses.
“The festival holds a special place in people’s hearts and has become part of the Moray annual calendar,” notes Sarah Medcraf, chief executive at Moray Chamber of Commerce. “The mix of locals and national and international visitors who enjoy the festival is growing year on year, as is the variety of events.
“A huge benefit of the festival is its ability to attract whisky enthusiasts to the region, and they then go on to explore all the other great things Moray has to offer. From golden sand beaches to castles and outdoor adventure, everyone benefits from a busy festival. We then, of course, hope the visitors come back again.”
