Spirit of Speyside whisky festival – Tickets going on sale
Tickets for Spirit of Speyside will be on sale from noon on Monday.
The six-day whisky festival, now in its 26th year, has established itself as one of the world’s largest, with almost 500 events across 89 venues from April 30 onwards.
Henry Angus is taking over from George McNeil as chairman for this year’s festival. A well-respected figure in Speyside with a long-standing relationship with the festival, he is looking forward to helping to further elevate its stature.
Henry said: “Speyside is the most populous whisky region with the greatest array of distilleries of any festival globally. The festival brings together whisky fans, distillers and visitors who love this beautiful part of the world.
“From masterclasses to music, from quizzes to fireside gatherings, from culture to history, the calendar is full of opportunities to share the water of life with fellow whisky lovers, aficionados and people who just enjoy a dram.”
Last year’s festival was a record-breaker with visitors from 39 different countries and ticket sales rising by with nearly a quarter to 8400.
An economic impact assessment stated that all this generated more than £2.2 million to the local economy and supported around 20 full-time jobs.
This time around, many of the region’s 51 distilleries will throw open their doors again, including a number usually closed to the public.
The festival will kick off with an industry dinner on Wednesday, April 30, co-hosted by Speyside Distillers Ltd at the Macdonald Highlands Hotel in Aviemore.
A ceilidh will also be held at the same venue on Friday, May 2.
A selection of the festival’s many events includes:
• The Spirit of Speyside Whisky School – a three-and-a-half-day programme where visitors can explore the history, science, and craftsmanship behind Scotch whisky.
• Whisky & Waves – join Murray McDavid at their beach huts in Findhorn where you can paint the scenery and sip on drams.
• The Cabrach Land of The Wild Spirit – An intimate tour of Speyside’s newest distillery.
• The Malt Master Tour hosted by Brian Kinsman - A tour of the Glenfiddich Distillery plus a tutored masterclass.
• The Mastery of the Macallan – A six-course tasting menu served in the new TimeSpirit restaurant and a guided tour through the distillery with a tutored tasting.
• Cask Confidential – An exclusive Glen Moray & Whisky Talks Experience, hosted by Fraser Campbell plus a panel of special guest speakers.
Tickets plus more information at spiritofspeyside.com