Building a cask, famous chef dinner and creative cocktails - events you can book at Spirit of Speyside 2025

Warmer, brighter weather can only mean one thing - it’s almost time for the start of whisky festival season in Scotland. Kicking it off is the biggest of them all, the Spirit of Speyside Festival which, this year, runs from 30 April to 5 May. This 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 Speyside each year since its creation in 1999.

With around 500 events planned for the six day event, knowing what to book can be overwhelming, especially if you’ve never been before or are quite new to whisky. But there’s so much variety in the events, and prices, there’s something for everyone. Plus drivers or those not drinking are also well catered for. From distilleries to local whisky bars, historic castles and the great outdoors, a range of events will take place throughout the scenic region of Speyside – the biggest whisky producing region in Scotland – located in the Moray area in the north-east of the country. With this in mind, here are some of the most varied events that you can still book for Spirit of Speyside 2025.

Cocktail Making Masterclass at Strathisla Distillery with Freya Collie

Creating Cocktails Class with Freya Collie is one to book for this year's Spirit of Speyside | contributed

A lot of people who never used to like whisky have got into it via really well crafted cocktails, including Freya Collie who is now the senior brand home host at Strathisla Distillery, having worked previously in uber cool Elgin bar and restaurant the Drouthy Cobbler.

Taking place on Friday 2 and Saturday 3 May from 2pm, this class includes a welcome drink before heading to the beautiful blending lab where Freya will talk you through how to make two other cocktails using Strathisla whisky. If all the shaking and stirring has you feeling peckish, sharing boards of local cheeses, meats and condiments are provided by Platter, an Aberdeenshire business. They also provide pretty floral garnishes for each drink.

Tickets are £51.75 each and available now.

Caledonian Cooper – whisky barrel building

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For something totally different, head to Keith for a morning learning the ancient craft of coopering. Starting from 9am every day of the festival, cooper Nick Webster will show the group how to dismantle and reassemble casks, as well as providing knowledge and a lot of laughs along the way.

Using some of the traditional tools still used in coopering, each group - kitted out in overalls and gloves - will work together to understand more about this important part of the whisky industry and how skilled it really is. Nick makes the job look easy, but is also on hand to help each group complete their cask building.

Included in the ticket is a dram from Nick’s small casks (a bit like a professional infinity bottle which may include some seriously sought-after liquid) and some homemade cider. Driver's drams or a soft drink will be available for those not drinking.

Tickets are £103.50 and available now.

Speyburn Manager’s Cask Experience

Speyburn are hosting a number of events during this year's Spirit of Speyside | contributed

Speyburn distillery opened its doors for the first time to visitors during the 2023 Spirit of Speyside Festival, and won best new event for its drum maltings tour. They’ve since stayed open and, this year - among other events - are offering a wonderful chance for whisky lovers to try drams straight from the cask in their atmospheric dunnage warehouse.

Taking place at 10am and 2pm from 30 April until 4 May, distillery manager Euan Henderson and senior global brand ambassador Stuart Baxter will lead guests through a special tasting of whiskies drawn straight from casks, with each offering personal insights into the story behind each dram. As well as some exceptional whiskies, guests will also be able to be among the first to sample drams from the new Global Travel Retail range.

Tickets are priced at £103.50 and available now.

Cardhu Cask Experience

On every day of the festival at 2pm, this event offers guests the chance to sample six whiskies - including Linkwood, Benrinnes and Cragganmore -straight from the cask within one of the dunnage warehouses on the site of this historic distillery.

The event begins with an introduction to Cardhu and women behind it, Helen and Elizabeth Cumming before heading off to the warehouse where samples will be drawn from the casks. You’ll then go to the stylish tasting kitchen to try each whisky. Driver’s drams are available for those not drinking.

Tickets are £60 and available now.

Duncan Taylor: Drams in the dark

This unique event - located in Huntly - does exactly what it says on the tin, a whisky tasting in the dark. By removing the sense of sight, your senses of taste and smell are heightened, meaning you’ll experience whisky tasting in a different way.

Taking place on Thursday 1 May from 6:30pm, the evening begins with a welcome whisky cocktail before heading to the Bank Restaurant for blindfolded whisky tasting and dinner.

Tickets are £77.62 each and available now.

The Crystal Dram

If you remember the Crystal Maze, you’ll love this immersive event which takes place in and around the Craigellachie Hotel. Available on Friday 2 - Sunday 4 May from 4‐ 6:30pm, only eight guests per day will join 'Professor Deacon Mandrake PhD' for a series of challenges in order to win a ‘crystal dram’.

The afternoon finishes at the Quaich bar in the hotel for a mystery tasting, with whiskies reflecting the success of the team. A fun way to spend a couple of hours and learn more about whisky.

The Craigellachie pub is also an ideal spot for dinner, with a cracking menu and new chef who has joined from Macallan.

Tickets are £46.58 each and available now.

Linn House Supper Series

Jack Stein will be cooking at Linn House for Spirit of Speyside | Milly Fletcher

At any whisky festival you’re going to want to book some dinners and Linn House, the picturesque home of Chivas in Speyside, is a place to check out. It’s set to reopen its doors for the second edition of its food and whisky experience, The Supper Series, coinciding with the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival - and it’s one for seafood lovers.

Linn House will welcome celebrated chef Jack Stein, chef director at Rick Stein Restaurants, who will cook a seafood-forward menu, highlighting the fresh flavours from his Cornish home and the local Moray Coast, paired with a selection of Scotch whiskies.

Starting at £95 per person, the “From Cornwall to Moray Coast” Linn House Supper Series will be available for dinner from Wednesday 30 April to Sunday 4 May inclusive. Each event can be booked individually for dinner, or for those seeking a full Scottish escape, double rooms at Linn House are available for an additional £279. This rate includes bed and breakfast for guests wishing to extend their stay overnight and fully immerse themselves in the Speyside experience.

The Dowans Hotel

This family-owned and run hotel in Aberlour is hosting a huge number of events, as is now usual. It’s also a great spot for dinner and lunch in between events. Many are sold out, including the hugely popular prime cuts whisky pairing dinner, but you can still get tickets to A Blend of Myth & Magic with Hans Offringa (£30); Whisky Afternoon Tea with BenRiach (£25) and Our Whisky Foundation House Party (£51.75).