Spirit of Speyside festival readies for launch

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is readying to embark upon its 17th year, offering a packed programme of almost 500 attractions ranging from barrel racing to a whisky ice cream shop.

Pipped as one of the world’s biggest festivals to celebrate Scotland’s national tipple, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival offers a programme of music, crafts, and foodie experiences running alongside a range of distillery tours and tastings.

This year’s instalment kicks off tomorrow, April 28, with the majority of the whisky-centric events – including barrel racing and ceilidh dancing – hosted in “whisky capital” Dufftown, which boasts the highest concentration of distilleries.

Festival manager Pery Zakeri said: “The ingenuity of event providers in Dufftown never ceases to amaze me. Just when you think they’ve done everything possible, they’ll come up with something completely new.

“The really great thing is how the community gets behind the event, and that’s important to us as a festival because it all helps to give visitors such an authentic experience.

“They can come and meet the people who actually produce the whisky they drink, and then visit towns and villages and meet the locals for whom whisky is not just a product – it’s their lifeblood.”

Events schedule

There have been nine different distilleries operating out of Dufftown at various points in its history, including Mortlach, Convalmore and Kininvie. Visitors will be able to visit these distilleries as part of a women’s-only Whisky and Wags walk organised by local tour guide Michelle Myron, and enjoy a number of drams paired with chocolates from Iain Burnett Highland Chocolatiers.

Festival-goers will also have the chance to sample whisky ice cream at the Balvenie Street Ice Cream Shop, enjoy live music and a ceilidh on board the Keith-Dufftown Railway Line, even learn how to blend whisky at Glenfiddich.

On Sunday, May 1 the Dufftown Whisky Street Festival takes place throughout the afternoon, featuring live music, a 10K race between the distilleries, barrel racing and a selection of whisky-based cocktails and cupcakes.

Mike Lord, owner of The Whisky Shop Dufftown and event provider for the festival, said: “Dufftown is the beating heart of the malt whisky industry. Over 10% of the industry’s capacity is in our town – that’s the same amount of alcohol as in over 140 million bottles of whisky.

“Breathing in all that angelic air is probably why each year we come up with so many different events from the norm for The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival. Whether it’s finding the best malt to go with a bacon roll or an in-depth tasting on the influence of different woods on the maturation of whisky, we have it all.

“Some other whisky retailers have told me my shop is in the middle of nowhere but those other shops don’t get a still man from Glenrothes popping in to buy some beer, the head of distilling for Chivas Brothers dropping by in for a chat, Diageo’s key production guy for Speyside wanting an opinion on flanged stills or the visitor centre manager for Glenfarclas dropping off some stock. These are all local people: visitors can meet them in my shop, in our restaurants, in our pubs and our shops.”

New faces

This year the festival has seen two new faces join the board of volunteers behind the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival as directors – industry stalwart Linda Mellis, who spent four decades with Diageo before her retirement, and Speyside Cooperage visitor centre manager Gill Reid.

Of the appointment, James Campbell, chairman of the festival, said: “The festival aims to marry the opportunity to appreciate and learn more about our local whisky industry with a first-class visitor experience. Both Linda and Gill will be instrumental in helping to guide us as we move forward and grow the festival in future years.

“As we prepare to raise a glass in toast to another successful festival, I would like to thank all of our volunteer directors, past and present, for their outstanding commitment to making the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival an event like no other.”

Tickets for all events in the 2016 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival programme are available to buy now at www.spiritofspeyside.com.