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Whisky Trail

Aberdeen and Grampian

Savour the Highland scenery, beautiful coastlines and attractive towns and villages as your journey takes you on a memorable trip around Speyside. Visit a cooperage and seven distilleries around the trail and sample Scotland's national heritage.

Starting from Forres, where the Benromach Distillery  can be found, travel southwards on the B9010 towards Rafford, where a right turn will take you to the Dallas Dhu Historic Distillery . Back at Rafford, head in the direction of Archiestown taking a right turn towards Dallas. At Upper Knockando, turn left onto the B9102 and Cardhu Distillery is found on the right hand side. Turn back along the B9012 and join the A95 into Grantown-on-Spey. Take a trip on the nearby Strathspey steam railway, visit Grantown Museum, and Speyside Heather Centre at Dulnain Bridge.

Continue south on the A939 and turn left along the B9008 at Tomintoul, passing the Glenlivet Distillery  en route. Continue north along the B9008, then on to the A95 to Craigallachie, turn right on the A941 for the Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown. Return to Craigellachie on the A941 passing Speyside Cooperage and further north the Glen Grant Distillery at Rothes.

Turn right onto the B9105 then the B9103. Take a right, onto the A95 to Keith for Strathisla Distillery . Return to Forres on the A96.

 
A Tour with a Taste of Whisky
 

Duration: 3 nights

Distance: 395 miles (632 km)

If you're interested in finding out more about Scotland's national drink you can visit malt whisky distilleries in many parts of the Highlands as well as some places in the Lowlands and islands.

The route described here goes from Edinburgh north towards Inverness, then returns south via Strathspey, the heartland of the malt whisky industry. However, the distilleries in the far north are also well worth a visit.

Start your whisky tour at Glenkinchie which sits nestled in the barley fields around Pencaitland. From here head north on the M90 to Perth and then continue on the A9 / A827 to Aberfeldy Distillery and the new exhibition, Dewar's World of Whisky. Rejoin the A9 and head north to Pitlochry and Blair Athol Distillery (which is actually 12 miles from the village after which it is named).

Overnight in Pitlochry (1).

Take the A9 north to visit Dalwhinnie Distillery. Standing at more than 1000 feet up in the Drumochter Pass, this is one of the highest in Scotland. Continue northwards via Aviemore and Inverness to visit some of the distilleries in northern and eastern Ross, such as Glemorangie on the outskirts of Tain or Glen Ord Distillery near Muir of Ord (on the A832).

Overnight (2) in Inverness.

Take the coastal A96 east from Inverness to Elgin then head south on the A941 into the heart of Speyside whisky-making. The Speyside Cooperage, at Craigellachie, is well worth a visit. This working cask- and barrel-making operation is a vital part of whisky production. Craigellachie is also the home to Macallan Distillery. Continue south for a typical flavour of a Speyside malt at Dufftown's Glenfiddich Distillery, the world's best-selling malt and one of only two malt whiskies actually to be bottled at the producing distillery.

Overnight (3) in the Dufftown area.

From Dufftown, join the A95 at Craigellachie and travel south west where you will be able to take in the delights of the distilleries of Glenfarclas (at Ballindalloch) and Cardhu (at Knockando). Continue south-west following the B9009/B9008 to visit the distillery of the world-famous brand, The Glenlivet, before joining the A939 for Royal Deeside. Continue east through Deeside on the A93 before heading south over the wide horizons of the Cairn o'Mount road (B974) where you will reach the village of Fettercairn and its distillery which dates from 1824, making it one of the oldest in Scotland. Join the A90/M90 for a fast return south.


 
 
 
 
 
 
Glenury Whiskeys 		 
 
 

 

Don't mention the war:

Anecdotes at the time of the second world war, when German bomb's dropped near the distillery, on the Stonehaven golf course  was that the Germans really had their sights on the distillery, since bottling the Glenury whisky was the last thing anyone would want to do.

 

 
 
Facts     William Wallace attacked the nearby Dunnottar Castle, killing nearly all inside.