May is Whisky Month in the Year of Homecoming, and where better to kick off a fantastic month-long celebration than in Speyside, the spiritual home of Scotland’s malt-whisky industry.
Thousands of visitors and locals will say “cheers” to our national drink at the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, which starts today and runs until Monday, May 5.
With a programme boasting more than 370 events, there are plenty of things to whet the appetite of whisky connoisseurs and novices alike, as the festival toasts the people and the passion behind some of the finest whiskies in the world.
And this year, for the first time, there will be a brand-new event for those who love music as much as whisky – The Spirit of Speyside Sessions.
It’s a music festival within the whisky festival, and one that will bring the very best of traditional and contemporary music to the heart of malt-whisky country.
Festival chairman James Campbell said organisers were looking forward to welcoming back old festival friends, as well as those who will be attending the internationally renowned event for the first time.
He said: “The festival celebrates the passion, tradition and people behind the production of the most recognisable whiskies in the world.
“But of course, it also aims to introduce whisky aficionados and beginners alike to the malts of our region.
“There’s no better way to encapsulate the true Spirit of Speyside and the essence of The Year of Homecoming Scotland than by showing off the vibrant atmosphere as thousands of visitors join in with locals to celebrate all things whisky.”
The Speyside region contains more than half of all Scotland’s malt-whisky distilleries – more than 50 in total – and many of them will be hosting tours, nosings and tastings.
For some venues, it will be the first time that they have taken part in the festival, or even opened to the public, giving visitors a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see behind the scenes of their favourite whisky.
Among the distilleries taking part for the first time this year is Roseisle – Speyside’s newest distillery and the first one built by Diageo in more than 30 years.
Glen Keith, which reopened last year, will also be opening up to festival-goers, as will Tormore, which was one of the first built in Speyside after World War II.
Members of the public can cast their votes in the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Whisky Awards after tasting the six shortlisted finalists.
The judging roadshow takes place all over Speyside. The victorious malts will be unveiled at a ceilidh taking place on Sunday at Glen Grant Distillery in Rothes.
One of the more quirky events is a grown-up treasure hunt – Liquid Treasures.
Festival-goers will be able to follow clues posted on social media, the festival hubs and transport to seek out bottles of exclusive single malt that have been hidden in the hills around Glenlivet.
A group of distilleries known as The Famous Five – Glenfarclas, Tomintoul, Tamnavulin, The Glenlivet and Cragganmore – have teamed up to offer bottles of single malt whisky valued at £600 as the haul for lucky scavengers.
The Spirit of Speyside Sessions is billed as a world-class music event celebrating the area’s rich traditional music heritage. It will run in tandem with the festival at whisky-themed venues across the region, including distilleries, bars and even a vintage train.
This major addition to the programme is aimed at opening the festival up to a whole new audience, with performances from traditional Scottish music bands such as Old Blind Dogs and The Shee to indie favourites Withered Hand and an all-star ceilidh band featuring many of Scotland’s leading folk artists.
It will also feature comedy, with special performances from whisky stand-up Alan Anderson.
James said: “This year’s Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival and Spirit of Speyside Sessions offer something for everyone.
“The event organisers have done a great job creating activities which will ensure that everyone gets to experience the real spirit of Speyside.”
Many events take place in Dufftown, but the programme takes in venues ranging from Aviemore in the south to Forres in the north.
Festival buses will be running throughout the five days and will call at a large number of venues.
Contact: www.spiritofspeyside.com