aberlour whisky tour

Welcome to Malt Whisky Distilleries

• The Whisky Trail

Speyside Whisky

A distillery tour is much more than an education in the production of whisky. Many tours give an entertaining and enlightening introduction to the history of the area with tales of the illicit distillers, the excise men, and the local characters, bringing the local architecture and landscape to life. The fields of barley, the amber colour of the peat in the burns and the casks maturing in the bonded warehouses will come to life after a distillery tour.

A tutored tasting, or nosing, will incorporate a selection of whiskies and will help you choose from the hundreds of whiskies available at local whisky bars and shops. A nosing allows you to explore a number of different whiskies, perhaps different expressions (different ages, or matured in different woods etc.) from the same distillery  or comparing whiskies from across Scotland. Your guide will explain how the amount of peat in the water, the specification for malting of the barley, the shape and heating of the still, and the cask have contributed to the flavours and aromas of each whisky.

The nosing may include discussion of which foods are suited to which whisky. A nosing is an enjoyable, relaxed way to try different whiskies and is not in any way a lecture or just for connoisseurs. The only rule is to remember to nominate a driver or book a taxi, and enjoy the experience!

Glenfarclas Distillery was purchased in 1865 by the Grant family. Currently the fifth and six generation of the family own and manage the distillery which is one of only a handful that are truly independent family run businesses. The distillery visitor centre is five minutes drive south of the village on the A95.

Distillery Visitor Centres are also great places to choose a gift to take home, or to treat yourself to a souvenir of your visit to Aberlour. As well as a wide range of whiskies and whisky liqueurs, often including products not widely available in the UK, the shops have beautiful glasses, quaichs and decanters, and clothing embellished with the distillery logo. Many local distilleries offer guided tours and nosings.

The Aberlour Distillery offers an exceptional experience that attracts visitors from across Europe and the world. There are two tours a day, with a restricted number per tour, so booking is strongly recommended. The entertaining tour takes approximately two hours, and includes a light hearted introduction to Scottish history, a guided tour around all aspects of the production of the whisky, and a tutored nosing of new-make spirit and five mature Aberlour Single Malts in a beautiful converted bonded warehouse.

The Macallan Visitor Centre sits high on a hill overlooking the River Spey, with magnificent views across to Ben Rinnes. The regular tour takes in the full production process followed by ‘The Story of Oak’ bringing to life the vital role played by their exceptional oak casks in developing the distinctive character of The Macallan. There is also the ‘Precious Tour’, which is an extended visit including the full production process and ‘The Story of Oak’, ending with a tutored nosing across a range of Macallan whiskies in the Visitor Centre.

The Cardhu Distillery is the only malt distillery pioneered by a woman, Elizabeth Cumming. The malt whisky produced at the Cardhu Distillery has a warmth and cleanliness of taste which experts describe as “silky” and is used in some of the award winning Johnnie Walker Scotch Whiskies. In addition to the standard tours there is a specialised tour once a day called “The Aromas and Flavours Tour”. This comprises a tutored nosing and tasting of selected single malts and Johnny Walker Gold Label blend exploring the relationship between the whisky flavours and those of complimentary foods. It is strongly recommended that you phone ahead before visiting a distillery to enquire about the availability of tours, as it would be frustrating to miss a special tour by a few minutes, and also to check whether younger members of your group are permitted on the tour.

The cask is an essential part of the production of whisky, and has as much influence on the colour and aroma of the final product as the barley and water. Driving from Dufftown into Aberlour you will pass the Speyside Cooperage, with pyramids of casks behind. The Cooperage welcomes visitors Monday to Friday, with a display of cooperage through the ages, and short film telling the story “from acorn to cask” and a gallery where you can see the casks being repaired, including the dramatic firing.

Contact details

In this section.

• Dates for the Diary
• Where to Shop
• Where to Eat
• Where to Stay
• Out and About
• Aberlour Map and Gallery of Photos
• Historical Aberlour
• Clubs and Associations
• Essential Services

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Find Your Tour

Aberlour distillery.

2024 Update -   

• Open Tuesday to Saturday 10am - 4pm   
• Due to on-site construction, there will be no tours of production areas in 2024, but they do offer a Tasting Sessions at 10 am & 2 pm. These tastings need to be pre-booked.

Due to construction activity onsite, all visitors are asked to park cars and bikes in Aberlour village and walk to the visitor centre, which is temporarily located in the Gatehouse. For disability access, please call ahead and appropriate parking will be made available on the day.

P LEASE NOTE: The description of the Distillery Tour that follows is based on the tours that were offered prior to Covid19. Tours of production areas are not currently available..

Aberlour Distillery is located in the Speyside Whisky region and sits close to the A95 at the west end of the small town of Aberlour. The Distillery sits in a wooded hollow near the tributary where the River Lour joins the River Spey.

The name Aberlour is derived from Gaelic. "Aber" is a Gaelic word that means the mouth of a river, or the meeting place of rivers (in this case the meeting of the River Lour and River Spey).

Aberlour is one of the more attractive and traditional looking distilleries on Speyside, but once you step inside the production areas you may be surprised at how modern the equipment is relative to the old-fashioned appearance of the buildings.

The tour starts with a brief (~15 min) history of whisky making in Scotland and some details about the founders of Aberlour distillery. You then start on a 30 - 45 minute walk around the production areas. During the walk round you get a chance to taste the "sweet worts", which is the beer like liquid that is distilled to produce the whisky spirit.

The last hour of the Aberlour tour is spent tasting 5 different "expressions" of the Aberlour Malt in the tasting room. You can also taste some of the pure spirit taken directly from the still, but this might overpower your taste buds for the delicacies to follow.

The attractive tasting room is situated in a corner of a warehouse with glass panels that allow you to view the maturing whisky barrels whilst sampling the finished product.

The " Experience " tour can last from 1.5 to 2 hours (45 mins for the tour and at least 1 hour for the tasting) and can take longer depending on who you get as your guide.

Spaces are limited to ~16 so  book in advance via the website to avoid disappointment.

Alternatively, telephone or email: tel: +44(0)1340 881 249 email:  [email protected]

Aberlour Distillery Features In

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• Aberlour Distillery Tour

Aberlour Distillery Tour by Planet Whiskies | Aberlour Speyside Single Malt Whisky

Read about Planet Whiskies tour of the famous Aberlour Distillery in the Speyside Region of Scotland. Our tour happened in April 2014 and if you are in the Speyside area it is a must visit for all whisky enthusiast. (booking advisable).

The Planet Whiskies team have been to a number of Scottish distilleries, but on this Sunday morning in the middle of April we had an extra special reason to be excited as we were about to visit the famous Aberlour Distillery in the Speyside whisky region of Scotland. As we drove into Aberlour and then through the gates of the Aberlour Distillery all the pictures of the distillery that had been sent to the Planet Whiskies over the years came flooding back.

It was the 10am Sunday whisky tasting tour we were booked on and as always it's good to arrive early at the distillery so you can look around and set the scene for the tour and take any notes about your first thoughts of the distillery. On the other side of the Aberlour Distillery gates and on your right was the lovely building of the Aberlour whisky and gift shop. Just ahead of that was the visitor car park and then the warehouses producing the famous Aberlour malt.

We parked in the car park and walked up to the shop to discover a treasure of Aberlour malts and gifts that would be perfect in any whisky collection. As soon as we walked in I saw lovely whisky tasting glasses and knew then that I was going to add these glasses to my collection as well as treat myself to one of the Aberlour malts on display. As we introduced ourselves from Planet Whiskies we were kindly welcomed by Jonathan Osbaldiston who gave us a very warm Speysider welcome.

Jonathan started to explain some of the history of Aberlour and that it was a pleasure having Planet Whiskies at the distillery. You could tell he was proud to work here and gave us a very good insight into Aberlour Distillery. He then went on to explain that as it was a Sunday morning and the tour was fully booked there was a chance it would start a few minutes late to make sure everyone that was coming had a fair chance to be on the full tour. The shop was beginning to become busy now so we decided that as the tour was 10 minutes away it was a good chance to take some photos of the outside of the shop and the area around the distillery.

As we left the shop by the main door and walked to the road again we looked around at the lovely setting the Aberlour Distillery was in. The surrounding area was the fantastic highland scenery of Ben Rinnes that surrounded the distillery in every direction. There was a village stream running down the left hand side of the distillery grounds and this ran the full length of the distillery. You could feel the history of the place just by glancing down past the warehouse towards where we guessed the whisky stills were located.

A few minutes later we could see a number of whisky enthusiasts gathering outside  the shop and we guessed the tour was about to start. Our tour guide had also arrived and she introduced herself as Emma Reid and gave us a very a brief introduction and explained that there were a few guests still missing. There was a large party of males from the North of England also due on the tasting tour.  We waited a couple of more minutes more and talked more about Aberlour then Jonathan and Emma decided that the tour should start and when the missing people turned up they would have to join the tour.

A tour around the Aberlour Distillery

The tour started by us walking down the hill and past the warehouses. We entered one of the distillery buildings where Emma gave us more details and information about how the Aberlour Distillery was founded in 1879 by James Fleming at this current location. There was distilling going on in Aberlour 60 years before this time and the first license was issued in 1826 to the Grants and Walkers and carried on till 1840 where it all went very quiet until James Fleming founded the Aberlour Distillery nearly 40 years later. The current owners of Aberlour Distillery are Pernod Ricard who bought the distillery in 1975.

Emma then started to explain that the tour we were on was for the whisky connoisseur and would give us a behind-the-scenes access to how the whisky was made at Aberlour and then we would have a tutored nosing and tasting of six of the finest Aberlour malts. There was also a chance to have your very own personalised bottle of cask strength Aberlour whisky. Emma then went on to say the tour and tasting would last about 1.5 hours.

Next Emma started to talk about how the malt barley is processed through the distillery and how the water that is used in the process comes from local springs called Lour Burn. As she was talking the missing guys turned up who were late for the start of the tour. Lucky our whisky tour guide had really just started and decided to start again talking about the barley and the water supply. She then handed out samples of the barley that we could all taste from the different stages the barley would go through.

With the introduction and the barley tasting over Emma now wanted to show us all the process in the making of the famous Aberlour malts. We carried on through the distillery until we were next to the washbacks. Emma explained all the processes up to this point and how the barley was soaked for two days to start the germination process and then is dried. This activates the enzymes and coverts the starch into soluble sugars. The malted barley is milled into grist and the process continues when hot water is mixed with the grist in the mash tun. The process is repeated three times with the water becoming hotter each time. This process makes sure nothing is lost and all the sugars are dissolved. Once this has been completed Emma went on to explain we are left with a sugary liquid called wort. Then the washback and fermentation process take place leaving a liquid called wash with an alcohol volume of around 8%. To everyone’s surprise Emma took out a tasting tool and went over to the washback to bring out a sample. She then went around the whole touring party and gave everyone who wanted to try the "wash" a taste. Hard to explain what it tasted like, but it was like a foamy beer in my mind anyway.

The tour of the distillery was now coming to an end as we walked past the stills and through a door to the outside world. The tour was excellent and you could hear everyone discussing what they had seen over the last 45 minutes. But now it was tasting time and you could tell everyone was looking forward to this even though it was still early on a Sunday morning.

Emma then took us to a different building within the array of buildings that make up the complex at Aberlour. The tasting room was something special with around 20 tables with four chairs to each table set up with a selection of Aberlour malts. The tasting was going to be of five malts from Aberlour and also the New Spirit that was produced straight after the distilling process was finished.

Aberlour Distillery Whisky Tasting

The New Spirit was the first to try and as you would have expected was very strong in taste. Now it was time for the five malts and there was a buzz around the room as Emma introduced each one of them.

The next three malts we were going to try we all knew very well. The first one was the Aberlour 12 Year Old Double Cask which is a deep red-amber colour. When first tasting this malt you could taste the honey and sweet sherry oaky taste. On the nose it was slightly smoky, but you could also smell red apples. On the palate you could taste chocolate, toffee, cinnamon and ginger spiciness and the finish was warming with a hint of ginger, but becoming dry as the malt went down. Just one word could be used to describe the Aberlour 12 Year Old and that would have to be "exceptional".

The next malt on the menu was the Aberlour 16 Year Old Double Cask. This was a malt that was on my mind to buy when in the shop earlier as I had tried it before and loved it. The colour of the 16 Year Old was a warm, golden amber. To the nose it smelt very creamy and you could feel the sweet raisin aromas and spices fill your nose. To the palate it was very smooth with all the floral and spicy flavours coming together with a gentle oakiness taste coming through. The finish was soft and smooth, but lasted a long time with the honeyed spiciness staying with you for a good few seconds. It was as good as I remembered from a few months back and it was definitely on my shopping list now.

It was a very fine selection of malts to have in the tasting, but like all whisky tasting experiences the tasting had to come to an end. There was now a good few questions going around the room about each of the malts we had tried in the tasting and Emma did very well answering all the questions. She then went on to say about having your very own cask strength bottle and she pointed to the casks just behind her. There was a lot of talk about this when our tour guide mentioned this earlier and now when people had the chance of having their own personal bottle of Aberlour cask strength there was no shortage of people in our tour lining up to pour their own bottle and buy it. I decided earlier that I was going to buy the Aberlour 16 Year Old and so decided not to go for this option.

As we walked back up to the whisky shop we all took in the surroundings again. It was lovely to be in this part of the world again and thoughts were already in my mind about when I would be back up in Speyside. We had reached the shop now and it was time to buy my tasting glasses and whisky. Jonathan was there to welcome us back from the tour and take any orders we required. He asked everyone how they enjoyed the tasting and of course the tour and there was not a single person who had a bad word to say. That is all down to the excellent set up at the distillery and the time and money that has gone into making it a very enjoyable experience for everyone. After buying my purchases and saying my goodbyes to Jonathan and Emma it was time to have a walk about the village of Aberlour and go for Sunday brunch while thinking about my time at the Aberlour Distillery.

Planet Whiskies would like to thank everyone at Chivas and the Aberlour Distillery for setting up this distillery tour. It was an excellent experience and that's down to both Jonathan and Emma who both were excellent hosts on the tour to make it a very enjoyable experience. Below you can read more details about the tours that are on offer at Aberlour. The following has been taken directly from the Aberlour Distillery website - www.aberlour.com

<< See the range of Aberlour Single Malts

<< Read more about the Aberlour Distillery

The Aberlour Experience

Following a tutored nosing and tasting of six of the most acclaimed Aberlour expressions, you can experience something only a few people can boast of: a unique opportunity to hand fill and register your very own personalised bottle of cask strength Aberlour whisky (extra charge applies.)

The tour lasts 1.5 hours for up to 16 guests, beginning at 10:00 and 14:00. In peak periods, tours may also be available at 12:00. Please check for availability.

£14 per person (pre-booking is strongly recommended). Book your tour please go to -  www.aberlour.com/distillery/

Founders' tour Experience

An intimate tour for the true whisky enthusiast, personally conducted by an experienced Aberlour Distillery guide.  After sampling an introductory dram in our VIP Fleming Rooms, you’re treated to a comprehensive distillery tour followed by several exclusive experiences:

Tutored tasting of ‘new make’ spirit and three mature Aberlour malts, accompanied by luxury handmade chocolates

An opportunity to hand fill and register your very own personalised bottle of cask strength Aberlour (extra charge applies)

A warehouse visit for an exclusive sampling, straight from the cask

The tour lasts 2.5 hours for no more than 10 guests, at 11am on Wednesdays and Thursdays. £30 per person (pre-payment required). You can book your tour -  www.aberlour.com/distillery/

Casks from the past tasting

For serious whisky aficionados, this is a unique opportunity to sample some very special drams indeed – some vintages that aren’t commercially available at any price. The tutored tasting takes place in the luxurious Fleming Rooms, but does not include a distillery tour.

A limited edition sherry cask bottling created for Aberlour’s bicentenary

A rare cask strength single malt, aged for over 25 years in a bourbon cask

A fine 1978 cask strength whisky drawn from both bourbon and sherry casks

A dram of a very old and very special vintage

A special gift to remember the occasion by

The tasting lasts 45 minutes for up to 8 guests on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. £35 per person (pre-payment required). You can book your tour -  www.aberlour.com/distillery/

Aberlour 10 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Region:  Speyside Type:   Aberlour Malt Whisky Buy Now for £39.95

Aberlour 100 Proof / Old Presentation Speyside Whisky

Region:  Highlands Type:   Aberlour Malt Whisky Buy Now for £275.00

Region:  Speyside Type:   Aberlour Malt Whisky Buy Now for £275.00

Aberlour 12 Year Old / Double Cask Matured Speyside Whisky

Region:  Speyside Type:   Aberlour Malt Whisky Buy Now for £40.45

Aberlour 13 Years old Oloroso Sherry Cask Distillery Exclusive - 70cl 51.3%

Region:  Our Finest Scotch Type:   Aberlour Malt Whisky Buy Now for £169.99

Aberlour 14 Year Old Double Cask Matured Single Malt Whisky Volume: 40 % - Size: 70 cl

Region:  Speyside Type:   Aberlour Malt Whisky Buy Now for £59.94

Aberlour 16 Year Old / Double Cask Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Region:  Highlands Type:   Aberlour Malt Whisky Buy Now for £74.45

Aberlour 16 Year Old Double Cask Matured Single Malt Whisky Volume: 40 % - Size: 70 cl

Region:  Speyside Type:   Aberlour Malt Whisky Buy Now for £105.00

Aberlour 18 Year Old / Half Litre Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Region:  Speyside Type:   Aberlour Malt Whisky Buy Now for £120.00

Distillery of the Month: March/April 2024

Tomintoul distillery tour.

Planet Whiskies had a fantastic trip up to the Speyside Whisky region of Scotland in February 2024 to visit Angus Dundee Distillers Tomintoul Distillery within the Cairngorms National Park. Then, after the distillery tour and tasting, which was hosted by Iain Forteath, the master blender of Tomintoul, our press group travelled and stayed the night at the recently bought country home of Tomintoul House in the Aultmore Estate (previously called Aultmore House). Planet Whiskies has made the Tomintoul Distillery, Distillery of the Month for both March/April 2024. Read more Planet Whiskies Tomintoul Distillery Tour

Read about Distillery and buy whiskies online

Distillery of the Month: February 2024

Bushmills distillery tour.

Planet Whiskies visited the new Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland on the 25th and 26th of September. Read our review of the experience of Bushmills and Northern Ireland at Planet Whiskies tour of Bushmills and Northern Ireland

You can also read the whole section about Bushmills Distillery at Bushmills Distillery Information on Planet Whiskies ... So Bushmills was Planet Whiskies Distillery of the Month title for January/February 2024

Read about Bushmills Distillery and buy whiskies online

Drams Delivered To Your Door

Drams delivered to your door - the world’s biggest whisky club drops new monthly subscription service.

Cask Explorers Whisky Club Membership with Monthly Blind Whisky Tasting Pack - Subscription price - £19.99

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Aberlour Distillery

This distillery has an excellent, detailed tour with a proper tasting session. It’s on the main street in Aberlour. Tours begin at 10am and 2pm daily in summer, by appointment on weekdays only in winter. Booking recommended.

Get In Touch

01340-881249

https://​www​.aberlour​.com​/

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Aberlour Distillery

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Speyside distillery near eponymous town of Aberlour . Tours of the distillery need to br prebooked.

Fax  :01340 810491

Owning Company  : Campbell Distillers Ltd

Production Status  :Operational

Established  :1826 rebuilt 1880

Source  : Private springs on Ben Rinnes

Age when bottled  :10 years

Strength  :40 & 57.1%

No. of Wash Stills  :2

No. of Spirit Stills  :2

Visitors per annum  :10000

Special Bottlings  :1969 1970 vintages

Export Bottlings  :Antique' @ 43%

Tasting Notes  :10 years 40%

Nose  :Rich malty aroma

Taste  :A hint of smoke on the palate with a restrained sweetness

Comments  :Increasingly popular after-dinner dram now in French ownership (Pernod-Ricard). A well-balanced Speyside.

Opening Days & Times

Prebook on +44 (0)1340 881249 or use the website form

Contact Phone

Nearby towns.

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Aberlour Distillery Brand Home

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Aberlour Distillery Brand Home - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Description

The Aberlour distillery is one of the most important producers of whisky in Scotland. Joining a long standing family tradition and the creativity and new flavours from the ages we live now, they receive thousands of visitors every year who enjoy the tours and tastings. This distillery has been internationally acclaimed and their whisky experts tour guides will show you all the secrets of their produce.

• Location / Region Highlands
• Address Aberlour Distillery Aberlour Banffshire, Aberlour AB38 9PJ

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Aberlour Distillery

1000’s of salmon released.

Pronounced:  Aber – LOUR Meaning:  Mouth of the chattering Burn Our interesting fact!  Aberlour Single Malt is the biggest selling Single Malt Scotch Whisky in France.

Eco & Sustainability

100% of Aberlour’s electricity is renewable from wind and Hydro in Scotland. Their Stills use TVR heat recovery. Casks are used as planters and display items on-site and all barley used is grown locally. Their draff goes either directly to farms or to animal feed plants.

Zetol driver packs are given out for free on high end tours or are charged at cost +VAT to other guests. They have a corporate commitment for zero single use plastic in point of sale and are trialling recyclable/compostable bottle wrapping in the shop. There is a company cycle to work scheme and prior to Covid a company car sharing policy.

Each year a Responsib’ALL Day which is dedicated to sustainability and responsibility is held where they collaborate with local partners on a wide variety of community projects.

Environmental projects

Aberlour helped the Spey Fisheries Board release 1,000’s of Salmon Par in the Lour Burn recently.

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• #morayspeyside

Aberlour is nestled on the banks of the River Spey. The town is surrounded by picturesque landscape and stunning architecture.

Aberlour is home to Walker’s Shortbread. The biscuit company is a world-famous, family-owned and operated company. From its humble beginnings, in 1898, Walker’s is now the UK’s largest biscuit exporter, serving over forty countries.

Traditional Victorian buildings, like the Dowans Hotel , Aberlour Distillery , and the Walker’s Shortbread Head Office itself nod to the town’s wonderful history.

Aberlour is a small close-knit community with a population of around 1000 residents. Despite its relatively small size, the town offers a wide range of things to do and places to explore.

Exploring Aberlour

Aberlour is well placed and easily accessed. The A95 road linking Keith with Aviemore runs straight through the town. Located in the heart of Speyside, there are direct routes to both Elgin and Forres.

The town is full of character and green spaces, be it at the spacious Alice Littler Park or cosy woodland walks to Linn Falls and the old packhorse bridge. Enjoy a leisurely walk along the old railway line, the Speyside Way, or try one of the more strenuous climbs to the top of Ben Rinnes. Ben Rinnes – the tallest mountain in the region – has a breathtaking panoramic view. The Ben (as it’s known locally) has a gentle, well-trodden path, perfect for the newest hillwalker.

Aberlour has road and trail walks that connect it to several communities. Craigellachie is less than two miles away and is popular with visitors because of its similar history and association with Whisky. The impressive Craigellachie Bridge (also known as the Telford Bridge after the engineer who built it) was the main crossing over the River Spey for over 150 years. The Copper Dog, Fiddichside Inn, and Highlander Inn are popular pubs.

Accomodation in Aberlour

There is an accommodation option for everyone in Aberlour, from off-the-grid experiences to hotels with fine dining.

Hideaway Under The Stars is a magical and truly unique place to spend your holiday as well as being an eco-friendly option. Speyside Gardens Caravan Park is perfect for those who enjoy camping or caravanning. Fairy Knowe and Conval View are two modern B&Bs with superb Speyside views.

If you are looking for somewhere in the centre of Aberlour, book into one of the local hotels. The Aberlour Hotel across from the town square is not far from the River Spey. The Dowans Hotel is a large heritage property that was once an orphanage. It is perfectly perched on a hill offering its guests beautiful views while they dine out.

There is also luxurious accommodation available at Cardhu Country House and Dalmunach House .

Eating in Aberlour

Locals from near and far travel for the food – be it produce from the Spey Larder , a hearty meal at The Mash Tun , or a fine dining experience at The Dowans Hotel .

The in-house baker at the Dowan’s Hotel uses the finest in local and fresh produce to create a wonderful Afternoon Experience. Remember to book in advance to make sure and not miss out on this popular experience.

Things to do in and around Aberlour

Speyside Visitor Centre (open between April and September) now occupies the old Aberlour station. Volunteers here will recommend local walks, attractions, and adventures for you and your family.

A popular, must-see, event is the annual Aberlour Strathspey Highland Games which bring the close-knit community together and attract visitors from near and far.

If you are a keen fisherman or would like to give it a try, Aberlour is the ideal location for you. The Aberlour Angling Club can facilitate your trip. They offer daily and weekly fishing permit.

A Scotch Whisky Immersion

The Speyside region accounts for almost half of all the distilleries in Scotland; the three top-selling single malts in the world are all made within 13 miles of Aberlour. The soft water from the local springs of the River Spey are perfect for making whisky and the hills and glens were perfect for illegal distillation. They made stills easy to disguise when the excisemen came calling.

Book a tour or tasting session at Aberlour Distillery where you can embrace an unforgettable experience. A special treat for any whisky connoisseur. Nearby is GlenAllachie Distillery which is also open to the public. They offer informative tours and tasting but it is advised that you book ahead of your arrival. This more is a modern distillery, established in 1967 and is a delight to visit. They have a passionate staff who work with around 50,000 casks.

From the very beginning, women had a place in the Scotch whisky story. This history is embodied in Cardhu Distillery , located a mile from Knockando Woolmill . Two generations of women led production in the 1800s – explore this story and the spirit they pioneered.

An immersion into Scotch isn’t complete without understanding the cask. It takes days to make the spirit that sits in these casks for a decade or longer. Local Speyside Cooperage is open to visitors. Here, you can watch skilled coopers build these precious vessels.

Useful Links

• About Aberlour – A great local website with listings, recommendations and an event calendar.

See 35 listings in Aberlour

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Whisky Tours in Speyside : Visit the cooperage

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• Craigellachie

Whisky Tour from Elgin, Aberlour, Craigellachie, Dufftown, Rothes, Forres, Nairn, Keith

Our whisky tours depart from Elgin, Aberlour, Craigellachie, Dufftown, Rothes, Forres, Nairn, Keith and more. Speyside has a number of distilleries open to visitors including the well known names of Glenfiddich, Macallan and Glenlivet.

Take a distillery tour around Speyside. Choose from a number of distilleries for your whisky tour including:

• Glenfiddich
• Strathislas
• Ballindalloch
• Glenfarclas
• Cragganmore
• GlenAllachie

Our bespoke whisky tours depart from Elgin, Aberlour, Craigellachie, Dufftown, Rothes, Forres, Nairn, Keith and more.

Our whisky tours are private and exclusive to you. We carry a maximum of 3 guests.

Highland Spirit Tours is small, local company based in Speyside.

Travel in comfort in a Honda CRV with leather seats and panoramic glass roof.

Tour itineraries vary depending on your preferences and the time of year. Enjoy a one, two or three day whisky tour around Speyside,

Price on Request

Departure days.

• W Wednesday

January — December

Contact details

• +44 (07521) 322491
• View tour details
• [email protected]

Tour information

• Moray Speyside
• Driver guide
• Food and drink

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Tour company information

Highland spirit tours.

We provide Speyside Whisky Tours which are tailor made to your requirements. Discover the area's whiskies & distilleries while touring beautiful Speyside. Tour distilleries from Macallan to Glenlivet. Discover smaller distilleries like Benromach and visit the Cooperage. Departures are from your accommodation and includes Moray, Speyside and Inverness. Tour in comfort in our Honda CRV with leather seats and panoramic glass roof. All our tours are tailor made and exclusive to your group. They include distillery tours and whisky tastings. We look forward to hearing from you.

Visit Highland Spirit Tours

Opening times

0700 to 1900

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• Our Distillery
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Introducing our Distillery Collection

Batch release

Cask Strength

Cask strength

Double cask

Double Cask

American Oak Casks

Oloroso Sherry Casks

Single Cask & 1st Fill Barrel

Single Cask & 2nd Fill Butt

Single Cask & 1st Fill Sherry Butt

Single Cask & 2nd Fill Hogshead

2nd Fill Limousin Oak Cask

Special Gift Collection

At Aberlour, our whisky is born out of craft, passion and knowledge that’s been handed down through generations.

Introducing, our Aberlour Distillery Collection. From our home to yours, you can now enjoy this limited-edition collection previously only available at our distillery. Explore the range of single cask editions, which all hold unique depth of flavour and character.

Please note that these products are sold by Mail Marketing UK Limited, have limited availability and are only available for purchase in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Guernsey, Ireland, Isle Of Man, Jersey, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland and United Kingdom, with free home delivery over £200.

Countries inside the UK & EU will not be charged local customs duties and taxes. Following Brexit, orders to the EU will be subject to additional custom clearance. DHL may contact you for further information on your order prior to delivery which will need to be provided locally. If you need any assistance, please call (+44) 0141-300-4904 or email  aberlourdistillery@mailmarkuk. com .  In countries outside the UK & EU local customs duties and taxes will be applicable upon delivery.