Best Tours? Speyside Distilleries

[Knackered]

Hi folks I could do with your help.

I'm off to Royal Deeside Aberdeenshire for a week in February and hope to take in a few distillery tours whilst I'm there. Royal Lochnagar is within walking distance but I was hoping to visit one or two further up the road in Speyside.

Trouble is there's so many in the area I want to make my time count. Can anyone recommend the best tours and warn me off the worst? I figured Macallan, Cardhu and Tamdhu would be worth a gander.

If you recommend a round trip of Speyside destinations within a day or if there are any others outside Speyside worth the extra mile, please let me know.

Thanks for your help!

[Crane]

It is always good to visit a distillery that produces a whisky you particularly enjoy. For a detailed whisky experience i would say Aberlour and Balvenie are the best tours. The Speyside Cooperage is also worth a visit to see how the barrels are made.

[newwhiskyworld]

I went round The Balvenie earlier this year. Its not big or fancy but they ahve their own floor maltings which adds an extra dimension as well as a full cooperage on site. Was an excellent tourand I wuold reccomend it to anyone.
_________________
Jonny
http://distillerytasting.co.uk
www.newwhiskyworld.blogspot.com

[Creed]

I agree if you are just going to visit a couple of distilleries Balvenie with its floor maltings and Aberlour are great. I did the "New Founder"s Tour" at Aberlour which i think only takes place on Wednesdays & Thursday but well worth it, a very in-depth tour created specially for connoisseurs. My highlight of the Aberlour tour was getting the chance to hand-fill, and purchase your own personalised bottle.

[r900p]

Four keys ones I'd look at are The Macallan, Glenfiddih, Aberlour and Balvenie. Glenrothes I'd love to do but don't think they are open to the public yet.

The macallan and Balvenie aren't open on the weekend I don't think so watch that one, but I'd book in all tours.

All the above I think have distillery only bottlings, Aberlour you can fill your own as Creed says.

Just thinking Glen Grant and Craigallechie may be worth a look but will let someone else post about them as I'm not sure if and when they are open.

Dallas Dhu I think is some form of whisky museum, you may want to google Speyside Cooperage also.

Sorry all the above is a bit here, there and everywhere but all off the top of my head it's what I can remember.

Rob

[D Hillman]

I think Macallan is opened on Saturdays Easter to August, Mon to Fri the rest of the year but best to check that hasnt changed. They do a basic tour plus a extended tour which lasts 2.5 hours which includes the full production process, a warehouse visit where you learn about Macallans use of sherry casks, ending with a tutored nosing and tasting.

Dallas Dhu was acquired by Historic Scotland back in 1988, today it is part of Speyside's Whisky trail., it lets visitors experience a largely unchanged victorian whisky distillery.

Glen Grant is part of the Malt Whisky Trail, well known for its large 22 acre restored Victorian garden which was created by Major Grant the founder of Glen Grant.

[Drover]

Both the Balvenie and Aberlour tours are excellent, they both run at set times twice a day i think. It should be possible to do both on the same day, i would think all the details of their tours including times should be on there website but i would pre book any tour to save being disappointed.

[Knackered]

Cheers folks, much appreciated. I'll probably try those mentioned.

Can anyone recommend a purchase or two? The personalised/bespoke ones sound great but I've checked a few websites already and they seem quite pricey. My budget will be around £40-50 per bottle and I'd rather buy examples you won't get easily elsewhere.

Thanks for your help again.

[Big Mac]

I am sure you will get distillery only bottlings at both Balvenie and Aberlour for £40-50 per bottle, you should contact them via there websites or phone them to ask exactly what they have available and for how much. I would think they would be very helpful.

[Charlie]

The distillery only bottlings can change because they are often single cask bottlings, as Mac says they will be happy to tell you what they have if you give them a call.

[Knackered]

Cheers Mac and Charlie.