A PICTURESQUE Scots distillery will open to the public permanently following the success of its first ever public opening at this year’s Spirit of Speyside Festival.
After 126 years making award-winning single malt whiskies behind closed doors, Speyburn Distillery in Rothes will open permanently to visitors from 1 August.
The new visitor experience will give whisky fans the chance to enjoy an authentic, behind the-scenes experience of Speyside distilling life.
The milestone decision to unlock the Distillery gates follows the success of several special one-off events during the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival earlier this year, during which the Distillery team were delighted when tickets sold out within 12 hours.
In addition to the positive feedback received, Speyburn secured the prestigious Best New Event award at the festival.
Up until now, Speyburn fans have not had the chance to see behind the scenes and discover first-hand how this award-winning single malt is made.
Guests can look forward to an exploratory 1 hour 45 minutes tour around the Distillery, which is tucked away in a beautiful leafy glen on the edge of Forres near Aberlour.
Today, many of the original buildings, features and stonework still exist for guests to
enjoy, from the banks of the Granty Burn which provides the Distillery’s water; through to the filling of casks for maturation in Speyburn’s traditional dunnage warehouses.
Whisky enthusiasts can also get a fascinating peek into Speyburn’s Old Drum Maltings: a traditional maltings building featuring three impressive floors of rarely seen vintage equipment.
The tours will also provide an insight into Speyburn’s environmental credentials, and the measures the Distillery team are taking to protect the surrounding environment and make their whisky one of the most sustainably-produced on the market today.
Speyburn Distillery Manager Euan Henderson explained that opening to visitors has
been a long-held dream for the Distillery team, and that the time is finally right for it
to become a reality.
He said: “There is something very special about the setting and atmosphere at Speyburn, perhaps because it’s quite a hidden distillery and one that has gone about the business of making award-winning drams in a very quiet and modest way.
“But now it’s time to let the world in and we couldn’t be more excited! There’s no artifice about the visitor experience we have created.
“This will be a true taste of Speyside distillery life that will offer an accessible and enjoyable experience for all.
“This is about the people who make our whiskies welcoming guests into our home to share a taste of Speyburn single malts and the stories and secrets of how they are made.
“There’s 126 years of previously unseen distilling history here just waiting to be discovered in the heart of Speyside – so make sure you don’t miss your slot on one of our tours this summer.”
