Dornoch Whisky Festival 2025: Dates, ticket prices and events including whisky and storytelling event at ‘magical’ castle

The Dornoch Whisky Festival is due to kick off near the end of the month, and the team will be celebrating 10 years of the north east whisky event.

What is the Dornoch Whisky Festival?

Started in 2015, a group of businesses came together with the idea to create a ‘centre of excellence for whisky’ in the north highlands. The area has a range of whisky venues, businesses and fans of our national drink and so the Dornoch Whisky Festival was born.

Over the last weekend of October, there are usually about 30 events that celebrate whisky and the area of Dornoch. 

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When is the 2025 Dornoch Whisky Festival?

The 2025 dates are Friday 24-Sunday 26 October.

What’s on at this year’s Dornoch Whisky Festival?

The hot ticket is the Grand Tasting, which is held on the Saturday of the festival (so this year, Saturday and includes around 30 exhibitors from across Scotland and their whiskies as well as some gins and liqueurs.

The Grand Tasting is split into two sessions - 11.30am-2.30pm and 3.30pm to 6.30pm.

Another key event is the night of whisky and storytelling at Links House at Royal Dornoch on Saturday 25 October.

Stephen Rankin, director of prestige at Gordon & MacPhail, will be the host for a night of Whisky and Storytelling at the Dornoch Whisky Festival. 

A fourth-generation member of the Urquhart family and holder of both Keeper of the Quaich and Master of the Quaich honours, Stephen is among the most respected voices in Scotch whisky. 

This event is limited to 28 guests and costs £100 per guest with optional whisky pairing. Wine pairing is  £65 per guest, payable on the night and is limited to 12 guests.

There’s also a Whisky Cellars event on Friday 24; Dinner in MARA on Saturday 25 plus a Whisky Sunday lunch in MARA on 26 October.

Take part in The Big Scotch survey here to be in with a chance of becoming a whisky taster

24 October 2025 events and ticket prices

• 1:00 pm – Whisky Flights & Conversations (Carnegie Whisky Cellars) - £25 per person
• 3:00 pm – From Founding to Finish (Dornoch Station) - £85 per person
• 3:30 pm – Living Souls Tasting (Carnegie Whisky Cellars) - £30 per person
• 4:00 pm – G&M Whisky & Ice Cream Tasting (The Eagle Hotel) - £30 per person
• 5:00 pm – Whisky Stories (The Vault) - £45 per person
• 5:30 pm – GlenWyvis Tasting (Carnegie Whisky Cellars) - £30 per person
• 5:30 pm – Old & Rare (Dornoch Distillery Warehouse Site) — Sold Out - £95 per person
• 5:30 pm – Blind Whisky & Gin Tasting (Royal Dornoch Golf Club) - £35 per person
• 7:00 pm – Paired Whisky Dinner: Adelphi X Ardnamurchan (Dornoch Castle Hotel) - £90 per person
• 9:00 pm – Whisky Comedy Night (The Eagle Hotel) — Sold Out - £30 per person

25 October 2025 events and ticket prices

• 11:00 am – Thompson Indy Tasting – Saturday Morning (Dornoch distillery) — Sold Out -£40 per person
• 11:00 am – Glenmorangie Tasting (The Eagle Hotel) - £35 per person
• From 11.30am – Dornoch Whisky Festival Grand Tasting (Dornoch Castle Hotel) - £40 per person
• 1:00 pm – Whisky Wits – Saturday Afternoon (The Vault) - £30 per person
• 3:00 pm – Thompson Indy Tasting – Saturday Afternoon (Dornoch distillery) - £40 per person
• 5.00 pm – Whisky Wits – Saturday Evening (The Vault) - £30 per person
• 6.30 pm – Whisky Bingo (Royal Dornoch Golf Club) - £15 per person
• 7:00 pm – Whisky Supper Club (Links House, Royal Dornoch) - £200 per person
• 8.00 pm – The Last Dram (Dornoch Castle Vault) - £50 per person

26 October 2025 events and ticket prices

• 10:00 am – David Urquhart Memorial Trophy (Royal Dornoch Golf Club) - £105 for visitors
• 11:00 am – Behind the Doors (Dornoch distillery) - £60 per person
• 12:00 pm – Whisky Sunday lunch (Links House Royal Dornoch) - £45 per person
• 12:00 pm – Indy Bottling (The Eagle Hotel) - £30 per person
• 12.00 pm – Bar Managers Choice (The Vault) — Sold Out -£35 per peron
• 1:30 pm – Glasgow Distillery Tasting (Carnegie Whisky Cellars) - £30 per peron
• 2.30 pm – Kilkerran Tasting (Dornoch Whisky Festival marquee) - £30 per person
• 3:00 pm – Signatory Vintage (The Vault) - £50 per person
• 3:30 pm – Hocus Pocus Local Focus (Carnegie Whisky Cellars) - £40 per person
• 5.30 pm – Vintage Springbank Tasting (Dornoch distillery warehouse) -£60 per person
• 8.00 pm - Closing Dinner (Dornoch Whisky Festival marquee) - £100 per person

The Dornoch Whisky Festival is taking place from 24 – 26th October 2025. The Dornoch Whisky Festival is held annually and is a must for anyone with a passion for our national drink.

You can find out more and buy tickets at the Dornoch Whisky Festival website.