Suggestions for Speyside Distillery Visit

[The Malt Marauder]

Hello one and all

My wife and I have a day in Speyside next week, and are looking for recommendations for a couple of distilleries to visit. Don't mind if these are large, small or medium - just that they will be interesting and friendly...

Just to be difficult , recommendations south of Craigellachie best as we're coming from the Pitlochry direction and ending up in Arbroath.

Any and all recommendations VERY MUCH appreciated.

Hamish

[MacDeffe]

Aberlour

They got a range of visitour tours, don't know the time and if they are available every day thou

Possibility to bottle something straight from a cask as well

Macdeffe

[Peat Sampras]

I agree with MacDeffe. Aberlour is a great place to visit: Scenery is stunning, folks are very welcoming and the drams they sell by the cask is overwhelming. Go there and you'll have Speyside in a nutshell.

[Mr Tattie Heid]

I agree absolutely with Aberlour. Here's the thing: whoever is driving is not going to be able to enjoy hospitality at the end, and in fact is going to be more frustrated at Aberlour than almost anywhere else. But if you fill yourself a bottle each from the bourbon and sherry casks at the end of the tour, your driver will in the long run think the trip well worthwhile. You can also get Chivas Brothers Cask Strength Editions in the shop--Glenburgie, Glenlivet, Scapa, Longmorn (have I forgotten any?). You will be very, very happy with any of these. And you'll be very happy with the tour at Aberlour, as well. And if you have time for lunch at the Mash Tun and a walk down by the Spey, you'll have had a hell of a good day.

[Iain M]

Take some empty mini sample bottles with you for the driver to pour his drams into.

Aberlour is a good tour, but like depends who gives you the tour really - also costly compared to some say Benriach who don't do public tours - only upon request where it is free, its also a great chance to try alot of things (for free - emphasis!). Others to consider depending on where you are, Glendronach (basically speyside) and knock dhu (Book ahead for knock dhu similiarly with Benriach)

[The Malt Marauder]

Thanks SO much guys and gals: Aberlour it is. To be honest, I've got used to being the "nominated driver" over the last 20 years - so nosing and buying for later is par for the course "Casa Malt Marauder".

I have an unopened bottle of a'bunadh (Batch 28, I think) in the Whisky cupboard, so having this visit will provide even more context and (hopefully) some memories of a lovely day.

Love, too, the idea of lunch at the Mash Tun and a post-prandial walk by the river.

You lot are the best

Hamish

[The Malt Marauder]

Thanks so much to all who suggested Aberlour. We had a wonderful time, and I have a bottle of single-cask Bourbon barrel-aged 16-yr-old to look forward to on my 50th!

Cheers.

TMM

[Willie JJ]

Glad you enjoyed it TMM. The Aberlour tour is definitely great fun.

You can also get Chivas Brothers Cask Strength Editions in the shop--Glenburgie, Glenlivet, Scapa, Longmorn (have I forgotten any?).

Strathisla and Glenallachie, but whose counting?