Now in its 27th year, the annual celebration of Scotland’s national drink has become one of the largest events of its kind anywhere in the world, bringing thousands of visitors to the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival since 1999.
Contributing over £2.2million annually to the local economy, there is a vast array of over 600 events, over six days. Kicking off on Wednesday, 29 April 2026, it takes visitors right through the first May bank holiday weekend.
The festival is renowned for attracting visitors who want to discover more about whisky and can do so in the beautiful area that has the greatest concentration of distilleries in Scotland; 51 in total.
The festival spans Speyside towns such as Elgin, Keith, Aberlour, Dufftown and Rothes and continues to grow its reputation as the biggest whisky festival in Scotland.
This year attendees from over 40 countries who descend on Speyside will find immersive tours and tastings as well as coopering masterclasses and chefs creating whisky-paired dinners.
There is the chance to meet master blenders and get behind the closed doors of dunnage warehouses where festival goers can draw samples from the casks themselves.
Visitors can enjoy fireside drams or sipping whisky on Findhorn beach. Plus, the Dram Tram train returns, where passengers can soak in the scenery in their Gold Carriage from Dufftown to Keith whilst savouring a special whisky enroute.
For those wanting to take a deep dive into whisky making, the four-day Whisky School is back for its 10th year.
Providing an incredible insight into the industry from a doyen of industry experts, it starts just a few days before the festival kicks off. A limited number of spaces are still available on the website.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Scottish whisky celebration without the Friday night ceilidh which will be held at Craigellachie Distillery and is a highlight of the six day calendar.
Speaking of this year’s festival Henry Angus, chairman of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival said: “The festival is the perfect way to launch World Whisky Month and is all about showcasing the very best of what’s in this area.
“Whilst we have an amazing quantity of events, the quality of them is what really shines through. It’s wonderful to see the whole of the Speyside community getting behind it as a highlight on the calendar.
“We’ve seen a great increase in visitor numbers and ticket sales in the last couple of years, which tells us that we are continuing to build on how successful this international festival has become to the area.”
While the festival attracts a lot of visitors, accommodation can still be found in hotels, self-catering accommodation and B&Bs throughout the region. Plus, Stagecoach is extending its local bus service from Aberdeen and Inverness for day trippers.
The festival will launch with almost 80 events on Wednesday 29 April, including an industry dinner, co-hosted for the first time by Craigellachie Distillery, as part of their 135th anniversary celebrations this year.
The reviews for 2026 tickets will be live from 12pm on 18 February with tickets on sale from 12pm on 24 February. Find out more via the Spirit of Speyside website.
