Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival
Speyside’s answer to Fèis Île, across all the major distilleries. More accessible by car than Islay and slightly easier to book.
Full Speyside food & drink guide — distilleries, restaurants, where to stay, when to go.
Scotland's biggest annual whisky festival, and the most rewarding for serious drinkers. Five days, dozens of distilleries, hundreds of events — from £25 standard tours to £100 masterclasses with master distillers. Tickets go live in January and the best events sell out within hours. The week is genuinely transformative if you plan it well: pick three or four events, base yourself in Aberlour or Craigellachie, and accept that you'll walk between distilleries because the roads will be busy. The downside: it's chaotic, prices spike, and accommodation needs booking months ahead.
Speyside in early May can be anything from t-shirt warm to snow. Layers and waterproofs essential.
Programme highlights
| Event | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Glenfarclas Family Cask Tasting | Various | The Grant family open the warehouses for their own family-cask vintages. £80-120, sells out instantly. |
| Glenfiddich Piping Championship | Saturday | World's most prestigious solo piping competition. Held during festival week. Free entry. |
| Master Class with the Aberlour distiller | Various | Tutored tasting with bottle-your-own A'bunadh. |
Tickets & pricing
Tour + tasting at participating distillery
In-depth warehouse + cask sampling + rare drams
Tutored tasting with master distiller or blender
Multi-event pass for the full week (limited release)
Visitor tips
- Set a calendar reminder for early January — that's when ticket releases drop
- Aberlour or Craigellachie are the best base towns — central, walkable, and host to multiple distilleries
- Don't try to drive between distilleries on tour days — designated drivers or local taxis only
- The Mash Tun in Aberlour and Quaich Bar at Craigellachie Hotel are the festival's unofficial HQs
- Pace yourself — five days of cask-strength tastings will end you
Getting there
- Drive from edinburgh
- 3 hours130 milesA9 to Aviemore, A95 east to Speyside
- Drive from glasgow
- 3 hours140 milesM80, A9, A95
- Drive from inverness
- 1 hour50 milesA95 east
- Drive from aberdeen
- 1.5 hours60 milesA96 west, A95
- Public transport
- Train to Aviemore or Keith. Festival shuttle buses run between major distilleries during the week.
- Parking
- Free at most distilleries but volume causes congestion. Use the shuttle buses where available.
Where to stay
Festival HQ. Premium pricing during festival week.
Limited rooms — book months ahead.
Multiple sites in the area. Solid budget option.
Where to stay near Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival
Hotels, B&Bs, and self-catering within easy reach of Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.
Booking links are affiliate links — we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Where to eat nearby
- The Mash TunPubAberlour
Festival meeting point. Solid food and serious whisky list.
- Craigellachie Hotel — Quaich BarWhisky barCraigellachie
900+ whiskies. The Speyside benchmark.
- Spey LarderCafé & deliAberlour
Excellent local-produce deli.
If you've ever wanted to do a Speyside week, do it during the festival — but only if you can plan ahead. The events you can normally only do once a year (warehouse tastings at Glenfarclas, masterclasses with the Aberlour distiller, the Glenfiddich piping evening) are the genuine reason to go. The standard distillery tours run year-round at the same price; the festival is about access to the things that don't.
Frequently asked questions
+When is Spirit of Speyside Festival?
Last week of April / first week of May. 2026 dates: 29 April–3 May. Five days of events across Speyside.
+How do you get tickets?
Tickets go live in early January via spiritofspeyside.com. Premium events sell out within hours — set a calendar reminder.
+How much does it cost?
Individual events from £25 (standard distillery tours) to £150+ (premium warehouse tastings). Budget £400-600 for a serious week including accommodation.
+Where should I stay?
Aberlour or Craigellachie are the best base towns. Book accommodation by February — premium pricing applies during the week.
+Can children attend?
Distillery shops and grounds welcome all ages. Most ticketed events are adult-only.
+Is it worth doing as a first-timer?
Yes if you can plan ahead. Pick 3-4 events, base in Aberlour, use shuttle buses. The festival-only access is the point — the year-round tours run anyway.
Compare with other festivals
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