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Speyside the Land of Whisky

Speyside the Land of Whisky

The Land of A visitor guide to one of ’s five whisky regions. Speyside Whisky

The practice of distilling whisky No two are the same; each has has been lovingly perfected its own proud heritage, unique throughout Scotland for centuries setting and its own way of doing and began as a way of turning things that has evolved and been rain-soaked barley into a drinkable refined over time. Paying a visit to spirit, using the fresh water from a distillery lets you discover more Scotland’s crystal-clear springs, about the environment and the streams and burns. people who shape the taste of the you enjoy. So, when To this day, distilleries across the you’re sitting back and relaxing country continue the tradition of with a dram of our most famous using pure spring water from the export at the end of your distillery same sources that have been tour, you’ll be appreciating the used for centuries. essence of Scotland as it swirls in your glass. From the source of the water and the shape of the still to the Home to the greatest wood of the cask used to mature concentration of distilleries in the the spirit, there are many factors world, Scotland is divided into five that make Scotch whisky so distinct whisky regions. These are wonderfully different and varied , Lowland, Speyside, from distillery to distillery. and .

Find out more information about whisky, how it’s made, what foods to pair it with and more: www.visitscotland.com/whisky For more information on travelling in Scotland: www.visitscotland.com/travel Search and book accommodation: www.visitscotland.com/accommodation 05 15 03 06 Speyside 07 04 08 16 01 Speyside is home to some of Speyside you’re never far from a 10 Scotland’s most beautiful scenery distillery or two. From small scale 09 02 11 17 18 and lush landscapes, as well as producers who handcraft whisky roughly half of all the Scottish using traditional methods to some 12 14 whisky distilleries. The region is of the most famous distilleries in 13 19 located in the magical Highlands, the world, Speyside is the perfect 22 21 east of Inverness, and reaches from place to learn all you need to know

23 20 the glittering coastline down about the art of whisky creation. 25 towards the majestic Cairngorms 24 National Park. Why not follow the renowned Malt 26 28 27 Whisky Trail and visit some of the 29 30 The region takes its name from the area’s top whisky attractions? Or

31 sparkling , which runs visit during the famous Spirit of 34 33 32 35 through the area, and you’ll find Speyside Whisky Festival in April/ the majority of its distilleries in the May, and get involved in some of 36 38 37 beautiful glens surrounding this the unique whisky events in the 40 bubbling water source. festival’s packed programme. You 41 39 could even discover the craft that

42 The area’s rich supply of pure goes into making whisky casks at 43 44 water and beautiful inland setting the fantastic Speyside Cooperage. help to produce smooth and complex that provide an Whether you’re already a whisky 45 elegant contrast to the salty and lover or are still to sample your first heavily peated whiskies that are dram, you’re sure to uncover more 46 47 produced by distilleries in other than a few fascinating facts – as regions. Speyside whiskies are well as some delicious drams – 48 characterised by sweet and fruity during your visit to Speyside. 49 notes, ranging from ripe pears to sultanas. Hints of nuts and malt are Read on to discover more about common, while some whiskies also Speyside’s wonderful whisky 01 BENROMACH 21 GLENTAUCHERS 41 CRAGGANMORE 02 DALLAS DHU 22 GLEN GRANT 42 TORMORE possess a refined smokiness. distilleries and plan your trip 03 GLENBURGIE 23 GLEN SPEY 43 ALLT-A-BHAINNE around the area. 04 24 TAMDHU 44 BENRINNES 05 ROSEISLE 25 GLENROTHES 45 GLENLIVET With so many distilleries packed 06 LINKWOOD 26 46 BALMENACH into a relatively small area, in 07 GLEN MORAY 27 CRAIGELLACHIE 47 TAMNAVULIN 08 28 MACALLAN 48 09 GLENLOSSIE 29 CARDHU 49 BRAEVAL 10 BENRIACH 30 KININVIE 50 SPEYSIDE 11 GLEN ELGIN 31 12 MANNOCHMORE 32 BALVENIE 13 SPEYBURN 33 50 14 AUCHROISK 34 DAILUAINE Be sure to check out our guides for the other four whisky regions: 15 INCHGOWER 35 KNOCKANDO 16 36 Campbeltown, Islay, Lowland and Highland. 17 STRATHISLA 37 GLENALLACHIE 18 KNOCKDHU 38 GLENDULLAN 19 39 MORTLACH www.visitscotland.com/distilleries-guides 20 40 GLENFARCLAS Some of these distillery workers Aberlour even remember the days the Allt-a-bhainne brewer would tour the distillery Distillery and distribute three drams of new Distillery whisky a day to each worker – a Tours available tradition long since stopped at LOCATION Scotland’s distilleries. Glenrinnes, near Dufftown, Moray, LOCATION the Highlands. Aberlour, Moray, the Highlands. OPENING TIMES Open all year around, except OVERVIEW HOW TO GET THERE Christmas and New Year’s Day. Opened in 1975, Allt-a-bhainne The distillery is on the right-hand is a relatively new distillery. Its side as you enter the village of SAMPLE main purpose is to create single Aberlour on the A95 heading • Aberlour 12 Year malt whisky to be used in Chivas north to Craigellachie. Old Double Cask Brothers blended whisky. They • Aberlour 12 Year do release rare bottlings of their OVERVIEW Old Cask Matured single malts from time to time, Aberlour was so called from the • Aberlour 15 Year including Allt-a-bhainne 21 Year Gaelic name for the burn that runs Old Double Cask Old, Allt-a-bhainne 1980 Sherry past it, Obar Lobhair – ‘the mouth • Aberlour 16 Year Cask and more. They are available of the chattering burn.’ According Old Double Cask to buy from whisky shops and to legend, ancient Celtic Druid • Aberlour 18 Year online retailers. priests were drawn to the area Old Double Cask because of the noise the Lour • Aberlour A’Bunadh (limited Not open to the public. burn made as it flowed from the batch) mountains. They too made use of OTHER NEARBY the water here to distil alcohol for WHERE TO BUY ATTRACTIONS medicinal purposes. Available at most major retailers • and online. • Cairngorm National Park Although the labels on its whisky • bottles read 1879, the distillery OTHER NEARBY • as we know it today was actually ATTRACTIONS • Glenfiddich Distillery first founded and built in 1826. As • • Speyside Cooperage with many distilleries, tradition is • Cragganmore Distillery often the secret to their success • Dallas Dhu Historic Distillery and part of Aberlour’s appeal is • Glenfarcas Distillery continuity. For instance, the current • Glenfiddich Distillery distillery team were all present • RSPB Osprey Centre, Loch when the present 18 Year Old spirit Garten was first put in casks. • Speyside Cooperage • The beautiful Loch Garten

06 07 If you enjoy a dram from John Located in near the River Auchroisk Aultmore Dewar & Sons’ popular blended Spey in the Cairngorms National Scotch whisky range then you’re Park, the distillery was one of the Distillery Distillery likely to be sipping whisky from first distilleries to be licensed to . For over 100 produce Scotch whisky in 1824. LOCATION LOCATION years very few people knew of the , Dufftown, Moray, Near Keith, Moray, the Highlands. sweet malty taste of Aultmore’s You’re most likely to drink the Highlands. single malts, known locally as ‘a Balmenach whisky in branded HOW TO GET THERE nip of Road’. blends from current owners OVERVIEW Aultmore Distillery is located on International Beverages, such as Built in 1974 to supply single malt the road to Buckie just north of Try this highly regarded and rarely and MacArthur’s. whisky for Justerini & Brooks’ J&B Keith in Moray, the Highlands. available whisky in single malt Some single malts are available Scotch whisky blend, Auchroisk Keith can be reached by train and form as part of the Last Great but are quite rare as the distillery whisky (pronounced ‘Athrusk’) bus as well as car. Malts range, alongside Aberfeldy, only occasionally allows the began to be released as a single Aultmore, Craigellachie, Macduff independent bottling of them. malt whisky in 1986, under the OVERVIEW and Royal Brackla. name Singleton of Auchroisk. In You’ve heard of whisky that If you do try a dram, such as the 18 2001 the Singleton name was benefits from unique waters or OPENING TIMES Year Old Deerstalker, you’ll enjoy a dropped and today bottles of barrels – but Aultmore Distillery Visits to this distillery are by prior strong peppery taste with hints of Auchroisk single malt are released uses fog! The distillery’s location arrangement only. dried banana, leather, tobacco and under the distillery’s own name. was specifically chosen, both for an overall malty sweetness. its nearby rail links but also for its SAMPLE Although the distillery is not open close proximity to Foggie Moss, an • Aultmore 12 Year Old Now the distillery creates a number to the public, you can still try a area often shrouded in mist. • Aultmore 21 Year Old of beverages, including Caorunn taste of J&B Scotch whisky or • Aultmore 25 Year Old . The gin is made with five Celtic Auchroisk single malt. It was all discovered originally by botanic ingredients that grow wild illicit whisky smugglers in the 19th WHERE TO BUY in the forests of Not open to the public. century, who saw the water from Online. and are vaporised using a Copper the mist collect in the moss and Berry Chamber that was made for SAMPLE purify as it trickled down through OTHER NEARBY the distillery in the 1920s. • Auchroisk 10 Year Old – the bracken, gorse and heather. ATTRACTIONS Flora and Fauna The fog also helped to disguise • Strathisla Distillery Not open to the public. • J&B Scotch whisky their illegal work. • Gordon Castle Walled Garden • Speyside Cooperage SAMPLE WHERE TO BUY It’s well worth the atmospheric trip • Keith and Dufftown Railway Limited bottlings include: Bottles of J&B can be found via through the fog to visit Aultmore, • Huntly Castle • The 18 Year Old Deerstalker most major retailers and bottles where you can see if you can taste • Gordon & McPhail Connoisseurs of Auchroisk single malt can be the light, grassy overtones said to Choice: Balmenach 2004 bought online. seep through in their whisky. Balmenach WHERE TO BUY OTHER NEARBY The name of the distillery itself is Whisky shops and online. ATTRACTIONS derived from the Gaelic for ‘big Distillery • Glenfiddich Distillery, Dufftown burn’ after the Auchinderran Burn OTHER NEARBY • The , which flows from the moss and LOCATION ATTRACTIONS Dufftown supplies the distillery. Cromdale, Moray, the Highlands. • Grantown-on-Spey Golf Club • The Whisky Line, Keith and • Grantown Museum Dufftown Railway Uncover Aultmore’s historic OVERVIEW • Ballindalloch Castle • Spirit of Speyside moments, such as when the Using the valleys of the Cromdale • Loch Garton Osprey Centre Whisky Festival distillery developed the now Haughs as its water source, • Macallan Distillery commonplace practice of then creating animal feed from whisky implements traditional methods to by-products in the 1950s. See the create whisky before it is matured steam engine in the reception in oak casks for many years until and spot the train tracks within the the spirit is deemed at its best for Banks of the River Spey near grounds, all that remains following bottling. Balmenach Distilery a complete rebuild in the 1970s.

08 09 or two from the Macpherson- Taste and see if you can identify the heart of Speyside, and nearby Grant’s private cask collection. the rich, smooth and distinctive you can find the famous Glenlivet honeyed character of the sprit, Distillery. In 1994 the decision WHERE TO BUY as well as hints of fruit and vanilla. was made to rename the distillery The distillery’s first single malts are The most mature whisky of the Braeval to avoid any confusion expected to be ready in eight to current range is aged 50 years with The Glenlivet brand. ten years. and was matured in a European It was originally established by oak sherry hogshead, which is the Chivas and Glenlivet Group, OTHER NEARBY rarely used today. primarily created to produce ATTRACTIONS whisky for blending. There is no • The Glenlivet Distillery On an in-depth tour with only eight bottling at the distillery, although • Rothiemurchus Estate other people you can explore you can find Braes of Glenlivet/ • Ballindalloch Castle the main distillery as well as the Braeval malt whisky from malting floor, warehouse and independent bottlers. cooperage, and bottle your own Balvenie Whisky from the cask. In 2002 the distillery closed Balvenie and after renovations and OPENING TIMES refurbishment, it reopened in Distillery Open Monday to Friday for tours 2008. Braeval distillery has a only. classic whitewashed façade, Tours available complete with pagoda, but inside SAMPLE it’s a thoroughly modern operation; LOCATION • The Balvenie DoubleWood the entire distilling process can Dufftown, Moray, the Highlands. 12 Year Old be worked by one person. Along • The Balvenie Caribbean Cask with Dalwhinnie, Braeval is one of HOW TO GET THERE 14 Year Old the highest distilleries in Scotland, Dufftown is served by local buses • The Balvenie DoubleWood standing at around 350m above and the distillery can be reached 17 Year Old sea level. easily on foot or by taxi from here. The nearest train stations are in WHERE TO BUY Not open to the public. Keith and Elgin. Whisky shops and online. SAMPLE OVERVIEW OTHER NEARBY • Braeval 15 Year Old 1997 - Old Visiting Dufftown is a must for any ATTRACTIONS Malt Cask (Hunter Laing) whisky connoisseur, thanks to its • Balvenie Castle • Braes Of Glenlivet 25 Year Old status as the ‘Malt Whisky Capital • Dufftown Golf Club 1989 - Strictly Limited (Càrn Mòr) of the world’. With nine distilleries, • Dufftown Whisky Museum most of which are open to the • Knockando Wool Mill WHERE TO BUY public, how would you decide • The Mash Tun Whisky Bar Both these bottlings and other which one to visit? • Huntly Castle Braes of Glenlivet/Braeval Ballindalloch importance of the land to Scotland, joiners, tillers and distillers coming whiskies are available to purchase the owners of Ballindalloch from within 20 miles of the Selecting Balvenie Distillery is online. Distillery Estate, nestled in the beautiful distillery. a good move for those looking Spey valley, set up Speyside’s for an in-depth tour of the whole Braeval (Braes OTHER NEARBY Tours available latest distillery in 2014. The Construction took place over process of making whisky. ATTRACTIONS establishment of Scotland’s first summer 2014 with production Everything happens on site - from of Glenlivet) • The Glenlivet Distillery LOCATION single estate distillery also saw a starting in September. Visitors to growing the barley to bottling Visitor Centre Ballindalloch, Moray, the return to traditional art of whisky- the micro-distillery are welcome the final product. See the barley Distillery • Rothiemurchus Estate Highlands. making for the Macpherson-Grant by appointment Monday to as it germinates on one of the • Ballindalloch Castle family. Friday where the guides will let last traditional malting floor in the LOCATION HOW TO GET THERE you sample some of the family’s Highlands and watch the coopers Chapeltown of Glenlivet, The distillery is housed on the The estate owners have lived private collection from the cask. hard at work as they prepare Ballindalloch, Moray, the Ballindalloch Castle Estate, which at Ballindalloch Castle and casks for filling. Even the stills are Highlands. is just off the A95 in the direction surrounding lands since 1546. The Tours available on request uniquely designed, with longer of Aberlour. founding principle of the estate necks which are said to help OVERVIEW distillery is to be firmly rooted in SAMPLE concentrate and sweeten the Founded as Braes of Glenlivet OVERVIEW the local heritage with nearly all • Production has only just started flavours of Balvenie whisky. in 1973, this young distillery is Striking Huntly Castle near With a view to emphasising the the tradesmen, stonemasons, but visitors will get to try a dram situated in the lush Livet Glen at Balvenie Distillery

10 11 True whisky enthusiasts will be produces rare whiskies from the Benromach delighted by in-depth guided tours north east of Scotland, between Benrinnes from the Distillery Manager, who the town of Elgin and the village Distillery will divulge fascinating facts about of . With unique whisky Distillery the whisky, its creation, its taste collections including the Classic Tours available and the history of the distillery. Speyside, the Peated BenRiach, LOCATION Wood Finish Expressions and Aberlour, Moray, the Highlands. LOCATION OPENING TIMES many more, there’s a whisky to suit , Moray, the Highlands. Opening times vary – please see every palette. OVERVIEW the website. Benrinnes is produced in the quiet HOW TO GET THERE Since 1898, BenRiach has stood surroundings of Aberlour where The distillery is located on the SAMPLE out with its distilling techniques it makes its eponymous whisky. outskirts of the ancient market • BenRiach 12 Year Old - the distillery’s distinctive pagoda- Today, the distillery’s single malt town of Forres and is tucked away • BenRiach 16 Year Old style chimneys help produce whiskies are a rare treat, with the in the north of the Speyside area. • BenRiach 10 Year Old Peated peated, malted barley, enabling majority of the spirit is used in It’s easy to get here by car or if • BenRiach 15 Year Old Dark a peat reek taste to settle inside blends including you’d rather take the train, you Rum Finish the barrels. These whiskies can and J&B. can travel to Forres railway station, be purchased in many specialist which has connections to and WHERE TO BUY whisky shops in Scotland. In 1835, the distillery moved to from Inverness, and Available at most major retailers its current location, on the site of . and online. Although the distillery is closed Ben Rinnes, a 840m peak which to the public, private tours can be towers over Speyside. OVERVIEW Don’t miss a visit to the distillery’s arranged with the manager and Have you ever wanted to test your Malt Whisky Centre shop which cost £30. This distillery is not open to the distilling skills? At the Benromach also sells gifts and merchandise. public, but watch out for the Distillery, you’ll experience a WHERE TO BUY 15-Year-Old Flora and Fauna range whisky which defines itself as a OTHER NEARBY It is available online and at which has been produced here classic Speyside, and you’ll even ATTRACTIONS specialist whisky shops all over since 1991. get the chance to make your own • Aberlour Distillery the UK. bottle to take home, with top tips • Ballindalloch Distillery Not open to the public. from a . Whiskies • Cardu Distillery SAMPLE in this region are known for their • Cragganmore Distillery • BenRiach 12 Year Old WHERE TO BUY elegance and complexity, with • • BenRiach 16 Year Old Online. hints of fruitiness, and Benromach • Glenfiddich Distillery • BenRiach 10 Year Old Peated is no exception. The distillery uses • Macallan Distillery • BenRiach 15 Year Old Dark BRANDS the finest malted barley and fresh Rum Finish • Benrinnes 15 Year Old – spring water from the Romach Hills Flora and Fauna to produce a high quality spirit OTHER NEARBY • Benrinnes 16 Year Old – from Speyside’s smallest distillery, BenRiach ATTRACTIONS The Maltman where whisky experts ensure that • Elgin • Benrinnes 17 Year Old – the whisky is carefully filled into Distillery • Elgin Cathedral Strictly Limited (Càrn Mòr) sturdy oak casks before being left • Elgin Museum to mature at Benromach for many Tours available • OTHER NEARBY years. • Glen Moray Distillery ATTRACTIONS LOCATION • Mash Tun in Aberlour You can choose from a range of By Elgin, Moray, the Highlands. • Aberlour Distillery tours at the distillery, where you’ll • Macallan Distillery get the chance to try a few drams HOW TO GET THERE • RSPB Osprey Centre, from the Benromach collection. The distillery is located between Fun fact Loch Garten Starting from £6, there is a range Elgin and Rothes, off the A941. Celebrate your love of whisky at the Spirit of • Speyside Cooperage of tours suited for all whisky Speyside Whisky Festival from 30 April – 4 May, drinkers, from short tours to more OVERVIEW where you can sample many of these delicious detailed guided tours of the The BenRiach distillery is situated drams as well as food, music, and much more. distillery with resident experts. deep in the heart of Speyside, and

Benromach Distillery © John Paul

12 It boasts the unusual distinction of using a deliberately slow Cardhu’s extensive range of single Not open to the public. Cardhu being the only malt whisky distillery process that ensures its rarefied malts and blends. Craigellachie to have been pioneered by a taste and quality. SAMPLE Distillery woman. In 1811, Helen Cumming OPENING TIMES Distillery • Dewar’s White Label with the help of her husband John, Matured for up to 12 years in Opening times vary – please see • Craigellachie 13 Year Old Tours available sited their first still at Cardow Farm special oak casks, its silky smooth, website. LOCATION • Craigellachie 14 Year Old on Mannoch Hill overlooking the mellow character has won it Aberlour, Moray, the Highlands. • Craigellachie 23 Year Old LOCATION River Spey. The spring water which legions of fans, and it remains a key SAMPLE Knockando, Moray, the Highlands. bubbled up naturally through the ingredient in Johnnie Walker, the • Cardhu 12 Year Old OVERVIEW WHERE TO BUY peaty earth was used by Helen to most widely distributed of blended • Cardhu 15 Year Old Craigellachie takes its name from Available from most specialist and HOW TO GET THERE distil what was to become Cardhu’s Scotch whisky in the world. • Cardhu 18 Year Old the Gaelic for ‘rocky hill’ and refers online merchants. The distillery is located off the first gallon of spirit. But this was still • Cardhu Amber Rock to cliff overlooking the Spey Valley B9102, accessible from the A95, in the days of illicit stilling, and the Learn more about Cardhu, the • Cardhu Special Cask Reserve upon which much of its village OTHER NEARBY north of the Cairngorms National Cummings had to conceal their spiritual home of this iconic brand, • Cardhu Gold Reserve stands. ATTRACTIONS Park. contraband activities by selling on a tour of the distillery. • Macallan Distillery their popular spirit – then known WHERE TO BUY It was built in 1891 by a group of • Speyside Cooperage OVERVIEW as Cardow – from their kitchen Tours are available Monday to Available at Shop, merchants and blenders led by • Craigellachie Hotel whisky bar Cardhu translates as ‘Black window, even hoisting a flag in the Friday throughout the year and most major retailers and online. Alexander Edwards, owner of the The Quaich Rock’ in Gaelic and is set in the farmyard to warn neighbouring Saturday and Sunday during the . Known locally • Cardhu Distllery heart of Speyside, the location distillers when Customs and Excise summer months. OTHER NEARBY as ‘The White Hart Distillery’, it of over half of Scotland’s malt men were in the area. ATTRACTIONS receives its water from the spring whisky distilleries, many of which Enjoy a guided tour of the facility • Malt Whisky Trail on Conval Hill and produces 3.6 are world-renowned. In spite of Things have changed a lot since accompanied by a short history of • Spirit of Speyside million litres of spirit a year, most of such illustrious company, Cardhu then, but the legacy of Helen – Cardhu before bringing your visit Whisky Festival which ends up in Dewar’s blended continues to stand apart from the who continued to distil whisky well to a close with a complimentary • Knockando Woolmill whiskies (White Label). Only a crowd, due in part to its unique into her 90s – remains alive and tasting. There are tours which also • handful of official bottlings have origins. well. Cardhu spirit continues to offer tutored nosings and tastings, • Ballindalloch Castle been released. be produced in small quantities, as well as tastings touching on • Cragganmore Distillery Cardhu Distillery

14 15 slowly condensed in traditional Cragganmore wooden worm tubs, is what lends Dailuaine Cragganmore its multi-faceted, Distillery faintly smoky character. Distillery Tours available Cragganmore offers a choice LOCATION of two tours. The Cragganmore Carron, Aberlour, Moray, LOCATION Distillery Tour offers a guided the Highlands. Ballindalloch, Moray, tour of the facility along with the Highlands. a complimentary dram of OVERVIEW Cragganmore Single Malt while Founded in 1852, the whisky HOW TO GET THERE the Cragganmore Expression Tour produced at Cragganmore Distillery is set in throws in a short history as well is a key component in the world- rural seclusion near the main as a tutored nosing and tasting famous Johnnie Walker range, Speyside railway line and the session of three single malts. though a small amount of whisky River Spey. It is easily accessible is released as single malts. by car if travelling from , OPENING TIMES Grantown-on-Spey and Aberlour. Cragganmmore Distillery will Although the distillery is not open reopen in April 2015. to the public, you can still try a OVERVIEW taste of Johnnie Walker Scotch Cragganmore is home to perhaps SAMPLE whisky or Dailuaine single malt. the most colourful, complex • Cragganmore 12 Year Old and surprising of the Speyside • Cragganmore Distillers Edition Not open to the public. malts. One of the region’s smaller • Cragganmore 25 Year Old distilleries, its spirit is highly Special Release 2014 SAMPLE prized by blenders and whisky • Cragganmore 14 Year Old • Dailuaine 16 Year-Old – aficionados all over the world, Friends of the Classic Malts Flora and Fauna and as a result is nearly always in • Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky limited supply. WHERE TO BUY Available at Cragganmore WHERE TO BUY Founded in 1869 by John Smith, Distillery and most specialist Bottles of Johnnie Walker can be one of the key players in the online merchants. found via most major retailers and whisky-boom period of the late bottles of Dailuaine single malt can 19th century, Cragganmore draws OTHER NEARBY be bought online. its water from the Craggan Burn ATTRACTIONS which rushes down Craggan • Rothiemurchus Estate OTHER NEARBY More Hill, and is one of the few • Cardhu Distillery ATTRACTIONS distilleries which uses unique • Ballindalloch Castle • Aberlour Distillery flat-topped spirit stills. This • Cardhu Distillery method, coupled with being • Knockando Woolmill • The Spey Larder

Ballindalloch Castle in Moray

16 17 blended whisky Roderick Dhu. The OTHER NEARBY distillery was eventually closed in it is more widely known as the Glendullan Distillery uses Dallas Dhu Dufftown ATTRACTIONS 1983, prompted by a shortage of ‘Whisky Capital of the world.’ European Sherry Oak casks and Historic water following a drought. Distillery • The Dufftown Whisky Musum American Bourbon Oak to craft a Only a small percentage of the • ‘The Whisky Line’ well-rounded smooth, richly fruity Distillery Although the distillery no longer LOCATION spirit produced is used for its own • Strathisla Distillery with a clean produces any whisky, it is now run Dufftown, Moray, the Highlands. single malt bottlings. The rest, as • Balvenie Distillery finish. Pair Glendullan with fresh Tours available as a visitor centre and museum, much as 98 percent, is used in buffalo mozzarella and air-cured giving you an insight into how OVERVIEW blended whisky. It also has the hams for a tasty treat. LOCATION whisky was produced in times Opened by merchant Peter distinction of being the single Forres, Moray, the Highalnds. past. Visit the distillery to discover Mackenzie and several associates largest used Glendullan Not open to the public. more about Dallas Dhu’s past and during the tail end of the whisky in Bell’s blended Scotch whisky. HOW TO GET THERE to see the original equipment, boom of the late 19th century, Distillery SAMPLE The distillery is easily accessible still in place. Tours cost £5.50 for Dufftown-Glenlivet Distillery, as Not open to the public. • The Singleton of Glendullan from the A96 or you could take an adult ticket and include a free it was first christened, started LOCATION 12 Year Old the train from Inverness to Forres dram. production in 1895. It was sold SAMPLE Dufftown, Moray, the Highlands. and walk 15 minutes to the to Arthur Bell & Sons in 1933 • Dufftown 12 Year Old WHERE TO BUY distillery. OPENING TIMES following a surge in demand • Dufftown 15 Year Old OVERVIEW Whisky shops and online. Open all year though opening for Scotch from post-prohibition If you think that you have similar OVERVIEW times vary. America. WHERE TO BUY taste to royalty, then Glendullan OTHER NEARBY Built in 1898, Available online from reputable single malt whisky might be for ATTRACTIONS was originally named Dallasmore OTHER NEARBY The distillery is not far from retailers and specialist whisky you – it was supplied by request • Balvenie Distillery Distillery. Its name was changed ATTRACTIONS its namesake, Dufftown which shops. to King Edward VII in 1902, just • Speyside Cooperage Visitor in 1899, after just one year, when • Benromach Distillery remains at the heart of the Scotch four years after the distillery began Centre its new owners Wright & Greig Ltd • Glen Moray Distillery, Elgin whisky industry. As the local production. • Ballindollach Castle changed the name to Dallas Dhu, • Brodie Castle, Forres saying goes, “Rome was built on • The Croft Inn to demonstrate the link between • Elgin Museum, Elgin seven hills, Dufftown stands on Located in Dufftown, the ‘Malt the distillery and their popular • Elgin Cathedral, Elgin seven stills”. Around the world, Whisky Capital of the World’, The view from the top of Nelson’s Tower, Forres

18 19 One of the only entirely family-run SAMPLE Glenfarclas distilleries remaining in Scotland, • Glenfarclas 10 Year Old it has been in production since • Glenfarclas 12 Year Old Distillery 1836 and was purchased by • Glenfarclas 15 Year Old John Grant for just £511.11. Since • Glenfarclas 30 Year Old Tours available then, the Grant family have been producing WHERE TO BUY LOCATION whisky for generations, and have Some major retailers and online. Ballindalloch, Moray, truly mastered the art of whisky the Highlands. creation. OTHER NEARBY ATTRACTIONS HOW TO GET HERE: It is home to one of Scotland’s • Ballindalloch Castle The Glenfarclas Distillery is located original distillery visitor centres, • Knockando Woolmill near the town of Ballindalloch, just where several tours are available. • Balvenie Castle north of the stunning Cairngorms Go behind the scenes with • Grantown Museum National Park on the A95. It can the Connoisseur Tour, where • Glenlivet Estate be found in between the towns of one of the Glenfarclas Brand • Cragganmore Distillery Aberlour and Grantown-on-Spey. Ambassadors will introduce you to • Glenlivet Distillery a selection of four of their favourite • Glen Moray Distillery OVERVIEW expressions of Glenfarclas. Quietly situated in a picturesque corner of Scotland at the foot OPENING TIMES of the Ben Rinnes peak, the Opening times vary – Glenfarclas name translates to please see website. the ‘valley of the green grass’ Loch Morlich in the Cairngorm and it’s easy to see why, with the National Park distillery’s awe-inspiring backdrop.

Glen Elgin years in the late 1800s, it has SAMPLE seven stills, which is unusual as Glen Elgin 12 Year Old Distillery most scotch distilleries get their stills in pairs. Right up until 1950 WHERE TO BUY LOCATION the distillery was powered entirely Whisky shops and online Longmore, Elgin, Moray, the by a water turbine driven by Highlands. Glen Burn. OTHER NEARBY ATTRACTIONS OVERVIEW Glen Elgin is also known to be an • Glen Moray Distillery Using soft spring water from burns important constituent of the White • Spey Bay that trickle into Millbuies Loch, Horse blended whisky range, • The Loft Bistro produces a which is named after a famous • Elgin Golf Course smooth, fruity Speyside single malt coaching inn, The with mellow honey tones. Cellar Inn in Edinburgh.

The last distillery to be built in Not open to the public. Speyside during whisky’s boom Elgin Cathedral

20 21 OPENING TIMES Glenfiddich Opening times vary – please see Did you know? website. The Glenfiddich Distillery is the only distillery Distillery in Scotland to use a single source of water, the SAMPLE Robbie Dhu Springs. Tours available • Glenfiddich 12 Year Old • Glenfiddich 18 Year Old LOCATION • Glenfiddich 30 Year Old Dufftown, Moray, the Highlands • Glenfiddich 40 Year Old • Glenfiddich Age of Discovery HOW TO GET HERE: Madeira Cask Finish The distillery is just half a mile • Glenfiddich Age of Discovery north of Dufftown in , Bourbon Cask Reserve the place where the founder • Glenfiddich 125th William Grant was born. Dufftown • \Anniversary Edition is served by local buses and the • Glenfiddich Ultimate 38 Year Old distillery can be reached easily on foot or by taxi from here. The WHERE TO BUY nearest train stations are in Keith Major retailers and online. and Elgin. OTHER NEARBY OVERVIEW ATTRACTIONS The world’s most awarded single • Balvenie Distillery malt Scotch whisky distillery, • The Dufftown Whisky Museum Glenfiddich is a whisky with an • ‘The Whisky Line’ - Keith & undeniable reputation for quality. Dufftown Railway

Since the day it was founded in 1886, the distillery has gone from strength to strength, producing one of Scotland’s favourite single malts. Glenfiddich, which translates to the ‘valley of the deer’, was first produced with the founder’s vision for it to be the ‘best dram in the valley’.

Discover the largest pouring collection of Glenfiddich whiskies in the world, at the Malt Barn Bar inside the distillery, where you can stop for a dram or two as you explore. It is also the only place where you can sample the illustrious Malt Barn Collection.

The distillery, one of the largest in Scotland, offers a whisky experience like no other on the Glenfiddich Solera: Deconstructed Tour. Whisky lovers will be fascinated by this insight into the unforgettable dram that is the Glenfiddich Solera. Find out all the Solera secrets, and you’ll even have the chance to fill a bottle by hand to take home. The still room of Glenfiddich Distillery

22 23 Glen Moray has been distilled on that the mild climate around the Glen Moray the banks of the River Lossie since warehouse means the angels take 1897, by a small but dedicated team more of a share of Glen Moray than Distillery of craftsmen. they do from other whiskies. Tours available The ingredients, processes and OPENING TIMES the skills of the craftsmen have Opening times vary. LOCATION remained the same over its 118 Elgin, Moray, the Highlands. year history, as you can learn at this SAMPLE small, friendly and informal distillery. • Glen Moray Classic HOW TO GET THERE Bourbon barrels are sourced • Glen Moray 12 Years Old Glen Moray Distillery is based from North America to give the • Glen Moray 16 Years Old in Elgin, just 35 miles east of single malt whisky rich and spicy • Glen Moray 30 Years Old Inverness. characteristics. WHERE TO BUY OVERVIEW The distillery is part of the Malt Available at most major retailers Take a tour of this distillery, and you Whisky Trail, which features nine of and online. could find yourself learning about the area’s great whisky attractions. Glen Moray from one of its own OTHER NEARBY craftsmen! Glen Moray Distillery Glen Moray likes to think of ATTRACTIONS wants to offer you an authentic themselves as one of the sunniest • Malt Whisky Trail tour, with each guide knowing the distilleries in Speyside. The area • Elgin Cathedral process of whisky making so well, around Elgin is known as the ‘Laich • Spynie Palace they can give you an unforgettable O’ Moray’ and has a mild climate • insight into how they combine – it’s said that this area has 40 • Macallan Distillery water and barley to make their days more summer than any other • Speyside Cooperage delicate well-balanced whisky. part of Scotland! It’s also believed

Glenrothes The Glenrothes is an award- SAMPLE winning Speyside Single Malt • Various Glenrothes Vintages Distillery Whisky of quality – brought • Various Glenrothes Reserves together in a combination of • Various Glenrothes Single Cask LOCATION factors from an unusually slow Rothes, Moray, the Highlands. distillation process, to the tall WHERE TO BUY copper pot stills which create a Available at stores across the UK. HOW TO GET THERE sweet, fruity and elegant spirit. You can reach Rothes from the In fact, the stills today have been OTHER NEARBY A941, north or south. The village designed and fashioned to be ATTRACTIONS sits south of Elgin. exact replicas of the originals, • Malt Whisky Trail made way back in 1879. • Glen Grant Distillery OVERVIEW • Macallan Distillery Glenrothes is a private distillery, Only a small number of vintages of • Speyside Cooperage established by a burn in the the Glenrothes have been release town of Rothes, back in 1879, and each vintage is rare and finite. meaning it has been producing its characteristic Speyside single malt Although the distillery is not open for over 130 years. to the public, it is taking part in the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Breakwater at the River Lossie with a Glenrothes Barbecue on 2 May 2015. Rothes town

24 25 Glen Spey Glentauchers Distillery Distillery LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION Rothes, Moray, the Highlands. Keith, Moray, the Highlands. Close to Aberlour, Moray, the Highlands. OVERVIEW OVERVIEW Glen Spey Distillery is little-known, The is OVERVIEW as most of the 1.3 million litres situated next to the Tauchers Located amidst stunning Speyside a year produced goes in a J&B Forest and it has been producing countryside, Glenallachie Distillery blended whisky. However, there whisky since 1897. Since then, draws its water from the natural is a 12 Year-Old Flora & Fauna the business has gone through a springs on Ben Rinnes. The bottling available to buy online, as few changes, including a brand majority of Glenallachie Distillery’s well as other old and rare bottles. new refurbished still room. The single malt whisky goes into spirit has been largely associated blends, though a few rare bottles The distillery was founded in 1878, with blends and it is an important of Glenallachie single malt are and was sold again in 1887 – component of Ballantines, available. making it the first Scottish distillery Teachers and . ever to be owned by a non- Not open to the public. Scottish company – in this case a Not open to the public. London gin distiller. The distillery WHERE TO BUY also had to be rebuilt in 1920 after SAMPLE Online. a fire. • Glentauchers 6 Year Old • Glentauchers Batch 1 OTHER NEARBY Not open to the public. • Glentauchers 1994 ATTRACTIONS • Speyside Cooperage SAMPLE WHERE TO BUY • Balvenie Castle • Glen Spey 12 Year Old Available online. • Knockando Woolmill • Glen Spey 1988 25 Year Old • Aberlour Distillery single malts of Scotland OTHER NEARBY • Benrinnes Distillery • Glen Moray 16 Years Old ATTRACTIONS • Glen Moray 30 Years Old • Malt Whisky Trail • Huntly Castle WHERE TO BUY

Available online. OTHER NEARBY ATTRACTIONS • Malt Whisky Trail • Glen Grant Distillery • Macallan Distillery • Speyside Cooperage A glass of whisky

26 27 SAMPLE in both parts of the distillation Glenburgie • Chivas Regal blended whisky process to seeing Glen Grant’s famously tall stills, which allow only Distillery WHERE TO BUY the lightest and purest spirit to be Online. distilled into each cask. LOCATION By Alves, near Forres, Moray, OTHER NEARBY On the tour you’ll learn about the the Highlands. ATTRACTIONS entire whisky making process, and • Strathisla Distillery will even be shown around the OVERVIEW • Aultmore Distillery distillery’s own bottling plant. Glen Established in 1810, Glenburgie • Speyside Cooperage Grant is one of the few whisky Distillery was originally named • Gordon Castle distilleries in Scotland to bottle Kinflat Distillery though changed • Huntly Castle on-site so this is an experience not its name in 1878. Today the to be missed. Afterwards sample distillery’s single malts form an a dram of Glen Grant’s smooth important part of Ballantine’s single malt before you take a blended whiskies. Glen Grant wander around the gorgeous Victorian gardens, which were Not open to the public. Distillery created by James Grant after the founding of the distillery. SAMPLE Tours available • Ballantine’s blended whisky OPENING TIMES LOCATION Open 7 days a week though WHERE TO BUY Rothes, Moray, the Highlands. opening times vary. Specialist stockists and online. HOW TO GET THERE SAMPLE OTHER NEARBY Located at the north end of • Glen Grant 10 Year Old ATTRACTIONS Rothes, 10 miles south of Elgin • Glen Grant 16 Year Old • Brodie Castle on the A941, Glen Grant is easily • Glen Grant The Major’s Reserve • Elgin Cathedral accessible by car or bus. Buses • Johnstons of Elgin Cashmere from Elgin stop 100 m from the WHERE TO BUY Centre distillery. Most major retailers and online. • Dallas Dhu Historic Distillery • Benromach Distillery OVERVIEW OTHER NEARBY Famed for their famously fresh ATTRACTIONS and light whiskies, with notes of • Speyside Cooperage orchard fruits, Glen Grant is one • Balvenie Castle Glen Keith of the biggest selling single malts • Knockando Woolmill worldwide. Founded in 1840 by • Cardhu Distillery Distillery the Grant brothers, Glen Grant • Macallan Distillery is the only whisky distillery to be • Craigellachie Hotel whisky bar LOCATION named after its founders. The Quaich Keith, Moray, the Highlands. To this day the distillery still uses OVERVIEW the unique distilling processes Glen Keith Distillery was that were put in place by the established in 1957 by Chivas innovative Grant brothers. Visit Brothers to supply a light single the distillery to discover how they The barman selects Glen Grant malt whisky for the Chivas blends. craft their crisp single malts, from from a selection at the Quaich Bar, learning about the use of purifiers Craigellachie Hotel Not open to the public.

28 29 Glenlossie Inchgower Kininvie Distillery Distillery Distillery LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION Near Elgin, Moray, the Highlands. Buckie, Moray, the Highlands. Dufftown, Moray, the Highlands.

OVERVIEW OVERVIEW OVERVIEW Founded in 1876, Glenlossie The Inchgower Distillery lies in Kininvie Distillery has been a Distillery’s single malts are highly Banffshire, not far from the mouth well-kept secret since it opened in prized by blenders and were used of the River Spey. Inchgower 1990 behind the Glenfiddich and as part of ’s blends. To this Scotch Whisky is a component Balvenie distilleries. First used to day demand is so high amongst of the Bell’s blend and as much produce malts primarily for use blenders that less than 1 percent of as 99% of the whisky made at in William Grant & Sons blended the distillery’s whisky is released the distillery is used in blends. whiskies, Kininvie has now come as single malts. There have been very few official into its own as one of the three releases, though independent malts used in the popular Monkey Not open to the public. bottlings are available. Shoulder blended whisky along with Grant & Sons stable mates SAMPLE Not open to the public. Glenfiddich and Balvenie malts. • Inchgower 13 Year Old In the last decade, Grants have • Inchgower 14 Year Old - SAMPLE released limited edition single Flora and Fauna • Inchgower 13 Year Old malts from the distillery too. • Inchgower 25 Year Old • Inchgower 14 Year Old Flora and Fauna Not open to the public. WHERE TO BUY • Inchgower 25 Year Old Online. SAMPLE WHERE TO BUY • Monkey Shoulder (blend) OTHER NEARBY Online. • Hazlewood 105 ATTRACTIONS • Hazlewood Reserve • Benromach Distillery OTHER NEARBY • Glen Moray Distillery, Elgin ATTRACTIONS WHERE TO BUY • Dallas Dhu Historic Distillery, • Monkey Shoulder is available at Forres • Strathisla Distillery most major retailers and online. • Johnstons of Elgin Cashmere • The Scottish Dolphin Centre The distillery’s single malts are Centre • Gordon Castle Walled Centre rare collector’s items and as such • Elgin Cathedral, Elgin can be expensive to buy. They are available from selected specialist retailers and online.

OTHER NEARBY ATTRACTIONS • Benromach Distillery • Cragganmore Distillery • Dallas Dhu Historic Distillery • Glenfarcas Distillery • Glenfiddich Distillery • RSPB Osprey Centre, Loch Garten • Speyside Cooperage Speyside Cooperage • Strathisla Distillery

30 31 When pure water springs were OPENING TIMES Built in 1898, the distillery bears SAMPLE Knockdhu found, there was only one thing By appointment. Knockando many of the famed hallmarks • Knockando 12 Year Old for it – to build a distillery which of a Scottish distillery. From its • Knockando 15 Year Old Distillery opened its doors in 1894. SAMPLE Distillery tell-tale pagoda roofs to its forest • Knockando 18 Year Old • anCnoc 12 Year old setting on a bend on the River • Knockando 21 Year Old Tours available All the single malt whisky • anCnoc 16 Year old LOCATION Spey, Knockando conjures the produced at the distillery was • anCnoc 18 Year old Knockando, Moray, the Highlands. magic and mystery of the whisky WHERE TO BUY LOCATION rechristened anCnoc in 1993 • anCnoc 22 Year old distillation process. Major online retailers and Knock, near Keith, Moray, (pronounced ‘a-nock’) – the Gaelic • anCnoc 35 Year old OVERVIEW specialist whisky shops. the Highlands. for hill and the name of the village • anCnoc 2000 Bearing the same name of the Given its late establishment date the distillery was built in - to avoid village it rests in, Knockando (from compared to some of Scotland’s OTHER NEARBY HOW TO GET THERE confusion with its distant Speyside WHERE TO BUY the Gaelic ‘Cnoc-an-dhu’ meaning most historic distilleries, it became ATTRACTIONS Knock is a rural community. From cousin, Knockando. Available at most major retailers little black hill) is unlike many something of a pioneer as the • Benromach Distillery Keith, take the A95 to Banff. After and online. Speyside distilleries in terms of the first in Scotland to be built with • Cragganmore Distillery 8 miles, the road to Knock is Although the single malt in the single malts it produces. Like many electric lighting. Long since pulled • Dallas Dhu Historic Distillery signposted where you should turn bottles hasn’t changed since the OTHER NEARBY of the classic Speyside malts, up, it was also once linked directly • Glenfarcas Distillery right. The distillery is less than a first casks were matured back ATTRACTIONS: Knockando’s 12 Year Old single to the Great North of Scotland • Glenfiddich Distillery mile down the road and on the left at the end of the 19th century, • Benromach Distillery malt is delicate and fruity. Unusual railway, making it easy for its • RSPB Osprey Centre, as you enter the hamlet. anCnoc is now perhaps most • Cragganmore Distillery for the region, the distillery also whisky to be transported around Loch Garten easily recognisable thanks to • Dallas Dhu Historic Distillery gently peats some of the malted Scotland, the rest of the UK and • Speyside Cooperage OVERVIEW collaboration with Peter Arkle, • Glenfarcas Distillery barley it uses in its whisky but not the world. • Strathisla Distillery The planets appeared to align a Scots-born illustrator, who • Glenfiddich Distillery so much that it would overpower when came designed the packaging for a • RSPB Osprey Centre, the other notes on the palate. Not open to the public in existence. In 1892, its founder series of limited edition whiskies Loch Garten The pot stills at Knockdhu Distillery John Morrison bought the Knock in 2012. The result was a striking, • Speyside Cooperage estate, land which was full of modern take on the whisky- • Strathisla Distillery peat and arable ground ideal for making process inspired by Arkle’s growing barley. The Great North of visit to the Knockdhu distillery. Scotland railway also ran nearby. 32 33 WHERE TO BUY sell the business during this time. Linkwood Online. The distillery reopened under the new ownership of James Distillery OTHER NEARBY Grant (owner of the Glen Grant ATTRACTIONS distillery) and Longmorn continued LOCATION • Glen Grant Distillery to produce whisky again in the Elgin, Moray, the Highlands. • Glen Moray Distillery early 1970s, as the business was • Benromach Distillery merged together with the Glen OVERVIEW • Macallan Distillery Grant and Glenlivet distilleries. The is located • Elgin Cathedral in the northerly town of Elgin, • Elgin Museum Not open to the public. drawing its water from the springs of Millbuies Loch. Beside the SAMPLE distillery is a reservoir which is • Longmorn 16 Year Old home to a breathtaking variety Longmorn • Longmorn 20 Year Old of local wildlife including swans, • Longmorn 23 Year Old which feature on the label of the Distillery Linkwood 12 Year Old. WHERE TO BUY LOCATION Online There have been quite a number Elgin, Moray, the Highlands. of independent bottlings from OTHER NEARBY Linkwood in recent years, OVERVIEW ATTRACTIONS: including a few special editions. is quietly • Elgin Cathedral Only 2 percent of the malt situated in the town of Elgin in • Johnston’s of Elgin Cashmere produced at Linkwood is sold as Moray, in the heart of the whisky- Visitor Centre single malt, the remainder goes making region of Speyside. It is • Spynie Palace into popular blends such as Bells, surrounded by many other top • Elgin Museum White Horse and Haig. whisky producers, including the • Glen Moray Distillery BenRiach, just down the road. Not open to the public. The Macallan proudly associates SAMPLE The distillery has overcome a few Macallan its distinct taste to the ‘curiously • The Macallan Ruby SAMPLE setbacks, including the whisky small spirit stills’ - the smallest • The Macallan Sienna • Linkwood 12 Year Old Flora industry’s economic troubles at Distillery to be found in Speyside. Their • The Macallan 10 Year and Fauna the end of the 19th century. The unique size and shape gives the Old Sherry Oak • Linkwood 15 Year Old founder, John Duff, was forced to Tours available spirit maximum contact with the • The Macallan Amber copper which in turn helps to • The Macallan Gold LOCATION produce full-bodied flavours. See Near Aberlour., Moray, the if you can taste the difference with WHERE TO BUY Highlands. a dram in the visitor centre. Major retailers and online.

HOW TO GET THERE For those who wish to understand OTHER NEARBY The Macallan Estate is found the creation of the Macallan in ATTRACTIONS just north of Aberlour, in greater depth, there is a Precious • Aberlour Distillery , and it is about Tour which explores the distillation • Glen Grant Distillery one and a half hour’s drive from process more closely and ends • Balvenie Distillery Aberdeen. The River Spey borders with a tutored nosing and tasting • Glenfiddich Distillery the estate to the south and south in the nosing room. • Cardhu Distillery east. • RSPB Osprey Centre, Work is currently underway for Loch Garten OVERVIEW a brand new distillery to open • Speyside Cooperage was in 2017. founded in 1824 by Alexander Reid, a barley farmer and school OPENING TIMES teacher. Since then, the distillery Open all year round, but times has become renowned for vary throughout the year. Spynie Palace producing some of Scotland’s finest single malts, using the barley Bonded warehouse at the from the surrounding farms. Macallan Distillery

34 35 Mannochmore SAMPLE • Chivas Regal blended whisky WHERE TO BUY Distillery LOCATION Most major retailers and online. LOCATION Near Elgin, Moray, the Highlands. Near Elgin, Moray, the Highlands. OTHER NEARBY OVERVIEW ATTRACTIONS OVERVIEW Built in 1971, just behind Glenlossie • Benromach Distillery Built in 2009, Roseisle Distillery is Distillery, the majority of • Glen Moray Distillery, Elgin the largest malt whisky distillery ’s whisky • Dallas Dhu Historic Distillery, in Scotland with a production goes into blends, though a few Forres capacity of 10 million litres of spirit rare bottles of single malt are • Johnstons of Elgin Cashmere per annum. Its single malts are available. Centre used in blends, such as Johnnie • Elgin Cathedral, Elgin Walker and Buchanan. Not open to the public. Not open to the public. SAMPLE • Mannochmore 12 Year Old, Flora Mortlach SAMPLE and Fauna • Johnnie Walker blended whisky • Buchanan blended whisky WHERE TO BUY Distillery Online. LOCATION WHERE TO BUY Dufftown, Moray, the Highlands. Most major retailers and online. OTHER NEARBY ATTRACTIONS OVERVIEW • Benromach Distillery, Forres Founded in 1824, the majority of OTHER NEARBY • Glen Moray Distillery, Elgin ’s whisky goes ATTRACTIONS • Dallas Dhu Historic Distillery, into the Johnnie Walker blend, • Benromach Distillery, Forres Forres though a few rare bottles of single • Dallas Dhu Historic Distillery • Johnstons of Elgin Cashmere malt are available to order online. • Brodie Castle Centre • Elgin Cathedral • Elgin Cathedral, Elgin Not open to the public. • Johnstons of Elgin Cashmere Centre SAMPLE • Johnnie Walker

Miltonduff WHERE TO BUY Distillery Most major retailers and online. LOCATION Elgin, Moray, the Highlands. OTHER NEARBY ATTRACTIONS OVERVIEW • Glenfiddich Distillery, Dufftown Founded in 1824, the majority of • The Balvenie Distillery, Miltonduff Distillery’s single malt Dufftown whisky goes into the Chivas Regal • The Whisky Line, Keith and blends, through a few rare bottles Dufftown Railway of single malt are available to order online.

Not open to the public. Brodie Castle

36 37 Not open to the public. the site of the former Drumguish Distillery which fell in disuse in 1911. Speyburn SAMPLE Distillery • Speyburn 10 Year Old Although founded in the early • Speyburn 25 Year Old 1960s, the Speyside Distillery LOCATION • Speyburn Bradan Orach didn’t actually start producing Rothes, Moray, the Highlands. its first new make spirit until WHERE TO BUY Christmas Day 1990, following OVERVIEW Major retailers and online. a lengthy 25-year period of Speyburn single malt was first conversion. A small-scale distilled on 15 December 1897, the OTHER NEARBY producer with just two stills, the diamond jubilee year of Queen ATTRACTIONS single malts produced by the Victoria. To make sure the whisky • Benromach Distillery distillery’s master craftsmen are was distilled in this momentous • Cragganmore Distillery very light and delicate, making year, men worked through a heavy • Dallas Dhu Historic Distillery them a very approachable snow storm in a windowless still • Glenfarcas Distillery introduction to Speyside whiskies. house. They succeeded but only • Glenfiddich Distillery managed to bond one butt cask of • RSPB Osprey Centre, Not open to the public. 1897 Speyburn. Loch Garten • Speyside Cooperage SAMPLE Hardly changing in appearance • Strathisla Distillery • Spey 12 Year Old over its 100 year existence, the • Spey 18 Year Old distillery has become one of the • Spey Royal Choice most photographed in Scotland. • Spey Chairman’s Choice Built in a compact layout due Speyside • Spey Drumguish to the surrounding geography, architect Charles Doig designed Distillery WHERE TO BUY the distillery with emphasis on Available online from merchants height rather than width. As LOCATION and specialist whisky shops. such, it required using large Dufftown, Moray, the Highlands. ‘drum maltings’ as opposed to OTHER NEARBY the traditional floors found at OVERVIEW ATTRACTIONS distilleries like Laphroaig and Billing itself as a ‘boutique whisky • The Dufftown Whisky Musum Springbank. distillery’, Speyside is one of the • ‘The Whisky Line’ region’s newest distilleries to • Strathisla Distillery Although one of the five main open. The buildings that now • Balvenie Distillery Speyside distilleries in the town house the distillery were once a of Rothes, Speyburn label their barley mill and croft dating back packaging as Highland single malt to the 1700s which was closed in Scotch whisky. It even won Best 1965. There was already a strong Highland Malt Whisky at the 2012 whisky heritage nearby with the World Whiskies Awards. new distillery sitting opposite

Speyburn Distillery

38 39 the mysterious Broomhill Spring. OPENING TIMES Not open to the public. Strathisla According to legend, Kelpies - the Opening times vary – please see Strathmill waterhorse beings from Scottish website. SAMPLE Distillery folklore - haunt these waters at Distillery • Strathmill 12 Year Old night. SAMPLE • Strathmill 1999 Tours available • Strathisla 12 Year Old LOCATION Connoisseur’s Choice Formerly known as the Milton • Chivas Regal 12 Year Old Keith, Moray, the Highlands. • Strathmill 15 Year Old LOCATION Distillery, the Strathisla is known • 21 Year Old Manager’s Dram Keith, Moray, the Highlands. for its distinctive pagodas and OVERVIEW • J&B blended whisky cobbled courtyard. It is now WHERE TO BUY Strathmill Distillery was traditionally HOW TO GET HERE owned by Chivas Brothers, who You can purchase Strathisla online a flour mill, and was converted into WHERE TO BUY Strathisla can be found in the small nurture the single malt as one and at most major retailers and a whisky distillery in 1891. Formerly Online. town of Keith in Moray. It’s about of the key ingredients in their specialist shops. known as the Glenisla-Glenlivet, an hour’s drive from Aberdeen and blended whiskies. the distillery became the Strathisla OTHER NEARBY you can also get here by catching OTHER NEARBY in 1895 when gin producers A & A ATTRACTIONS the train to Keith Railway Station Discover its true character at the ATTRACTIONS Gilbey bought the distillery. • Keith Kilt and Textile Centre from Aberdeen or Inverness. Ultimate Strathisla Experience • Dean’s of Huntly Bistro • Keith Golf Club Tour, where you’ll be treated to a • Huntly Herbs Independent releases of the • Strathisla Distillery OVERVIEW selection of expressions. Or, why • The Whisky Shop, Dufftown Strathmill are fairly rare and it is Step inside the Strathisla Distillery, not enjoy the Straight from the • Teapots Restaurant not particularly known for its single one of the oldest distilleries in Cask experience, where you’ll get • Glenfiddich Distillery malt. It has produced whisky for Scotland, and you’ll find a complex the chance to sip on some Limited • Speyside Cooperage blends and is notable component whisky with many thrilling tales to Edition drams? in Old Master, Dunhill, and most tell. Strathisla draws its waters from significantly, J&B. Strathisla Distillery

40 41 it first opened – by continuing to OVERVIEW Tamdhu use its on-site maltings and the One of Scotland’s newer maintaining tradition of maturation distilleries, Tamnavulin was built Distillery exclusively in sherry casks. in the 1960s and is a modern and efficient distillery, producing LOCATION While continuing to release single plentiful litres of whisky every Knockando, Moray, the Highlands. malt bottlings, some of the spirit year. It takes its name from the produced is used a component in Gaelic for ‘the mill on the hill’, and OVERVIEW Famous Grouse blended Scotch the mill next door is thought to was a late whisky. have been used by shepherds addition to Speyside’s burgeoning for making wool in the past. portfolio of whisky producers, first Not open to the public. The River Livet bubbles away opening its doors in 1897. Coming nearby, in the direction of the from the Gaelic for ‘little dark hill’, SAMPLE Grampian Mountains and Moray. it is one of two distilleries in the • Tamdhu 10 Year Old This distillery blends into a truly small village of Knockando, the • Tamdhu 10 Year Old Limited stunning area of Scotland, on the other bearing the village name. Edition northerly edge of the . Instilling the pioneering spirit of WHERE TO BUY the industrial age, the founders Available from the online distillery The distillery has six stills that have of Tamdhu wanted to reflect the shop and most major online mainly produced malt whisky for innovation of the 19th century. retailers and specialist whisky blends including Mackinlay, Whyte Prolific distillery designer Charles shops. Famous Grouse is widely & Mackay and Crawfords. Doig was employed to draw up available. blueprints, incorporating some Not open to the public. unique and ingenious design OTHER NEARBY features, including specially- ATTRACTIONS SAMPLE designed kilns to prevent heat loss • Benromach Distillery • Tamnavulin 12 Year Old and a water wheel beneath the • Cragganmore Distillery • Tamnavulin 25 Year Old flooring for optimum performance. • Glenfiddich Distillery • Speyside Cooperage WHERE TO BUY Despite much fanfare about • RSPB Osprey Centre, Loch Whisky shops or online. its design, Tamdhu has had a Garten fairly unassuming history after OTHER NEARBY changing hands several times ATTRACTIONS and long bouts of lying dormant. • Wildlife safaris with Glenlivet In 2010, it finally closed its doors. Tamnavulin Wildlife But not for long. In 2011, Ian • Walks and cycle paths at the Macleod Distillers, a family-owned Distillery Glenlivet Estate enterprise, took up ownership • Cragganmore Distillery and put the distillery back into LOCATION • Glenfarclas Distillery operation in 2013 to produce Ballindalloch, Moray, the single malt whisky as it did when Highlands. A glass of whisky

42 43 this day only single malt produced SAMPLE Not open to the public. OVERVIEW The Glenlivet by the distillery can be called ‘The • The Glenlivet 12 Year Old Tomintoul Founded in 1960, Tormore Glenlivet’. • The Glenlivet 15 Year Old SAMPLE Distillery was the first Scottish Distillery • The Glenlivet 18 Year Old Distillery • Tomintoul 10 Year Old distillery to be built from scratch Discover more about the distillery • Tomintoul 12 Year Old in the 20th century. Although the Tours available and the whisky making process WHERE TO BUY LOCATION • Tomintoul 12 Year Old distillery is not open to the public on a FREE Distillery Tour, which Most major retailers and online. Ballindalloch, Moray, Portwood Cask its whisky is used in Ballantine’s LOCATION includes a 45 minute tour of the Highlands. • Tomintoul 14 Year Old blends and some bottles of single Ballindalloch, Moray, the distillery, a visit to one of OTHER NEARBY • Tomintoul 16 Year Old malt are available. the Highlands. the bonded warehouses and ATTRACTIONS OVERVIEW • Tomintoul 21 Year Old a complementary dram of The • Glenfarclas Distillery, Founded next to the Ballantruan • Tomintoul 33 Year Old Not open to the public. HOW TO GET THERE Glenlivet. Ballindalloch spring in 1964, this Tomintoul Travel by car along the A95 before • Cragganmore Distillery, Distillery uses time-honoured WHERE TO BUY SAMPLE turning onto the B9008. For a truly in-depth experience, Ballindalloch techniques to produce malt Available to buy from a number of • Ballantine’s blended whisky book the Spirit of Malt Tour (£30). • Ballindalloch Castle, whisky. The distillery lies within retailers across the UK. • Tormore 14 Year Old OVERVIEW As well as a guided tour, you’ll Ballindalloch the Glenlivet Estate in unspoilt, • Tormore 16 Year Old With a free exhibit, coffee shop, also be given the opportunity to • Knockando Woolmill, picturesque surroundings which is OTHER WHISKY ATTRACTIONS fill your own bottle experience, visit Josie’s Well, the natural spring Knockando also home to some rare flora and • Glenlivet Distillery WHERE TO BUY distillery tours, tastings and a that supplies fresh water for The • Balvenie Castle, Dufftown fauna including golden eagles, • Cragganmore Distillery Specialist retailers and online. well-stocked gift shop, it would be Glenlivet, as well as a traditional mountain hares, wild cats, black • Aberlour Distillery easy to lose track of time at The dunnage warehouse, where you grouse, ptarmigan, pine martens • Ballindalloch Castle OTHER NEARBY Glenlivet Distillery. Tucked away can sample an aged dram drawn and red squirrels. • Rothiemurchus Estate ATTRACTIONS deep in the heart of Speyside, The straight from the cask. Afterwards, • Macallan Distillery, Glenlivet Distillery produces one sit back and relax as your guide The Master Distiller, Robert Craigellachie of the world’s most recognisable takes you on a tutored tasting of Fleming, is Glenlivet Estate born- • Glenfarclas Distillery, single malts. seven expressions. Experience and-bred and hails from a family Tormore Ballindalloch the wide spectrum of The who have been making whisky in • Grantown Museum, Founded in 1824 by George Smith, Glenlivet range and see if you can the region for four generations. Distillery Grantown on Spey Glenlivet Distillery quickly became find a new favourite. Known as ‘the gentle dram’, the • The Speyside Centre, so famous for its high quality spirit produced is distinctly smooth LOCATION Dulnain Bridge whisky that other distilleries began OPENING TIMES and mellow. Grantown on Spey, Moray, the • Loch Garten Osprey Centre, to adopt the Glenlivet name. In the 31 March – 31 October, Highlands. Nethybridge 1880s the Smith family officially tour times vary. won the right to the name and to Craigellachie

44 45 Driving around Scotland is a great way to see more of the country but before you head out exploring by car, there are a few rules and regulations you should be aware of: www.visitscotland.com/travel/information/driving-in-scotland Be sure to check out our guides for the other four regions. Drink responsibly: find useful information about drinking:www.drinksmarter.org

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