A quarter of a century ago, whisky tourism was in its infancy, even in its spiritual home of Scotland. Knocking on a distillery door to request a look around and a chat with whoever was on shift that day was generally the province of the serious enthusiast, and few distilleries were set up to cater to visitors formally.
Into this landscape steps the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival. First held in 1999, it was a chance for Scotch fans to get inside the distilleries producing their favourite malts and enjoy face time with the people that made them.
The festival has flourished in tandem with the region’s whisky producers over the past 25 years. More than half of the 51 distilleries now operating in Speyside are set to participate in the 2024 festival, which takes place from 1–6 May and will include more than 700 events from distillery
