Speyside Whisky Trail

You head north through the Kingdom of Fife, to your first distillery; Lindores Abbey. This is a modern Scottish distillery built on the site of the first-ever recorded distiller in the country in 1494. Visit this site to discover the historic legacy of the area blended with innovation and sustainable practices all captured in their fine whisky.

Continue north towards the UK's largest National Park, Cairngorms National Park. This will be a stunning drive, so keep your cameras ready. You stop in Braemar and have some time for lunch and a little explore.
A bite to eat is a good idea though because your next stop is the Whisky Castle. This whisky emporium has been selling the finest malt whiskies for over 120 years and is stocking over 600 malts. Savour three Speyside whiskies to get familiar with a distinctive taste of this region.

Once you’ve warmed with this dram of “the gentle spirit”, you continue through the Cairngorms National Park before reaching Grantown-on-Spey, your base for two nights.

Overnight Grantown-on-Spey

Time for some fun. Today you spend the whole day exploring Scotland’s most famous whisky region. Your first stop is Cardhu Distillery, which is the first distillery pioneered by a woman, Helen Cumming. Today, Cardhu is the most important whisky in Johnnie Walker Black Label.

After lunch in nearby Aberlour, you travel along the Spey River to Craigellachie for a visit to the Speyside Cooperage*,where you see another aspect of the whisky making process. We take a scenic drive inland to the Cragganmore Distillery for a tour and tasting. Cragganmore takes its name from the mountain in whose shadow the distillery sits, and their whisky boasts complex flavours that you'll simply adore
sampling. On this guided tour, you'll visit one of their warehouses and enjoy a wee taste from their duty paid cask, after which you'll enjoy a tasting of whisky and a cocktail in their Dramming Lounge.

Time permitting, your driver-guide might stop in at Sueno's Stone for a quick photo, where you can admire this incredible Pictish standing stone. From here you travel back to Grantown-on-Spey.

Overnight Grantown-on-Spey

*Speyside Cooperage is visited on Monday and Wednesday departures.
** If your tour leaves after 1st April 2025, you will visit Cragganmore Distillery.

In the morning get ready for a whisky and chocolate tasting at Dalwhinnie Distillery, set in splendid mountain scenery at the heart of the Cairngorm National Park. 

You then leave the Highlands and journey south to Perthshire. Lying in the heart of Scotland, Pitlochry is a beautiful little town with plenty of shops, restaurants, and cafes. The time is yours to explore and have some lunch. 

Next, you stop for a walk among towering Douglas firs in the Hermitage, a lovely forest with a roaring waterfall. From here the route south takes you to the stunning wee village of Dunkeld, where you've got some time to explore before heading to your final whisky experience of the tour. 

You then cross over the Firth of Forth, take in the magnificent South Queensferry bridges, and head back into Edinburgh.  Arrival time is approximately 18:30.

Please note – the itinerary and distillery visits are subject to variation throughout the season and may not be the same described below, However there will always be a minimum of 4 distillery visits during the tour.