Spirit of Speyside 2026: It’s Time to Plan Your Drams!

Feb 18, 2026 | News

The wait is over… the events for the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 2026 have officially been announced — and we could not be more excited.

From 29 April to 4 May 2026, Speyside will once again become the beating heart of Scotch whisky. Diaries at the ready: tickets go live on 24 February — and if previous years are anything to go by, you’ll want to be quick! Check out all of our events here.

At Murray McDavid, we’ve put together one of our most varied, immersive and downright fun programme of events yet. Whether you’re a warehouse wanderer, a cask connoisseur, a beach-loving dram sipper or someone who simply enjoys a good chat over a great whisky — there’s something with your name on it.

Step Into Our World of Maturation

This year, we’re once again throwing open the doors to our atmospheric Victorian warehouses at Coleburn Distillery.

Fancy clocking in for a shift?
Our Work Inside the Whisky Warehouse experience lets you roll up your sleeves and join the team for a hands-on morning among the casks (terrible jokes included). You’ll learn the real craft behind stowing, re-racking and sampling — and finish with a well-earned flight of drams and a certificate to prove you survived the shift.

Prefer to explore without the manual labour?
Our Art of Maturation Tour and Drams from the Cask sessions will take you deep into the dunnage to discover how we nurture whisky from over 90 distilleries under one roof — the widest variety of whisky in Scotland. Expect inspiration and intrigue.

And for those who want to take a piece of the festival home?
Both our Mission Gold and Benchmark experiences give you the chance to bottle your very own whisky straight from the cask. It doesn’t get more personal than that.

A New Era at Dallas Dhu

Over at the historic Dallas Dhu Distillery, the story continues.

From classic heritage tours to our award-winning Drams from the Archives (winner of Spirit of Speyside’s Best New Event 2025), we’ll be celebrating the past, present and future of this Victorian distillery in style.

You can:

And of course… our hugely successful Open Day returns — Introducing Carnival of the Cask, a full celebration of community, whisky and Speyside spirit.

Whisky, Wildlife & Wild Places

We don’t just stay in warehouses.

At our Findhorn Beach Huts overlooking the Moray Firth, you can:

For those who love whisky with wilderness, join Edward Odim, Murray McDavid Managing Director and former BBC Wildlife Producer, for a walk, in search of Ospreys in our Wildlife Walk.

For the more adventurous, we’ll once again head into the hills of Glenrinnes for Barrel-up to The Old Bothy — an unforgettable night of live music, BBQ, cask whisky under the stars and a bottle drawn straight from the firelit cask.

And yes… we’re closing the festival in true Murray McDavid fashion with Meats, Beats and Malts — because there’s no better way to finish Scotland’s biggest whisky festival than with a party.

For the Lovers of Rare & Remarkable

Back in Forres, at The Old Bank Whisky Shop, we’ll be unveiling our exclusive Spirit of Speyside 2026 Festival Bottling — a single cask that challenges convention and proudly reflects the Murray McDavid way of thinking.

You can also:

For those who appreciate truly venerable drams — we’ve got something very special waiting.

Something for Everyone

What we love most about Spirit of Speyside is the variety. It’s not just about tasting whisky — it’s about experiencing it.

From heritage distilleries and rare casks…
To wildlife walks and sea dips…
From elegant dinners to hillside parties…

This is whisky lived properly.

Save the Dates

📅 Festival runs: 29 April – 4 May 2026
🎟 Tickets go live: 24 February 2026

Plan your calendar. Rally your dram-loving friends. Book early.

We cannot wait to welcome you to Speyside and raise a glass with you.