Photo by SPÈ Candle
You must have landed here because you’re a lover of whisky or, at the very least, whisky-curious. We’ve scoured our homeland of Speyside to create our extensive guide of the wonderful distilleries in the area, diving into their histories and tales of creation - so pour yourself a wee dram (heck - bring the bottle) and get stuck in.
1. Aberlour Distillery
Meaning “the mouth of the chattering stream”
Aberlour is an enchanting town with attractive flower gardens and charming stores to pique your interest like The Spey Larder. If you’ve visited before, your memory may linger on the aromatic scents of Aberlour whisky distillery, the sweet biscuity fumes of the shortbread factory and the heady florals from the gardens. The distillery was established in 1826 by James Gordon and Peter Weir and demolished in 1878 due to a fire and the need for a site to build a school. The current site was built in 1879 by James Fleming and was entirely run by water power. The distillery switched from water wheel to electricity in the 1960s; however, they still use the natural spring water for whisky production.
Visitor centre: Yes
2. Aultmore Distillery
Tucked away along the road that runs north from Keith to Buckie, lies Aultmore distillery, supplied by The Foggie Moss river, characterised by boggy, peat moss terrain. Alexander Edward commenced production in 1897 in the late Victorian whisky boom, after a market crash, a world war and several owners later it brings us to the current day owners of John Dewar & Sons.
Visitor centre: No
3. Ballindalloch Distillery
The home of the MacPherson-Grant family since 1546 and started production of single malt whisky in 2014, opened in 2015 by the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall. The first single malt release was in 2022 and the production is fully manual which is a rarity these days. The whole process from milling to distillation can be viewed in sequence in one building using old fashioned methods to produce their unique spirit. In addition to the distillery, the estate is a hive of activity with a golf course, residential and holiday lets, farming, forestry, fly fishing and shooting.
Visitor centre: Yes
4. Balvenie Distillery
Nestled in Dufftown, Speyside, framed by rolling hills and meandering rivers. Balvenie Distillery was built in 1892 by William Grant, adjacent to Glenfiddich with production starting in 1893. It continued to expand over the 20th century, pioneering cask finishing in the 1980s. Production is still overseen by David Stewart, a veteran of the Scotch Whisky industry for almost 60 years.
Visitor centre: Yes
5. Benriach Distillery
Meaning “speckled mountain” or “hill of the red deer”.
Ruggedly beautiful, Benriach stands on the site of the old Riach farm, drawing water from the mineral rich aquifer, deep beneath the distillery. This distillery was commissioned by John Duff who also built the nearby Longmourn distillery and began production in 1898. It closed down in 1900 - you may be sensing a theme here, the crash of the whisky market, which was catastrophic to many distilleries. It was reopened in 1965 and later sold to Benriach Distillery Company Ltd in 2004, headed by Billy Walker who revived the distillery and its single malt expressions. The distillery and company was acquired by Brown-Forman, one of the largest US wine and spirits producers in 2016, who own it today.
Visitor centre: Yes
6. Benromach Distillery
Benromach is set in the town of Forres, which sits on the river Findhorn, the winner of multiple RHS Britain in Bloom titles. Founded in the whisky booms of the turn of the century by Duncan MacCallum and F.W Brickmann. It was later closed in 1983 until it was acquired by Gordon and MacPhail in 1993 and opened by then Prince of Wales, now King Charles in 1998. Benromach is family owned and focused on the use of their senses and experience to make their award winning handmade whisky, known for its gentle peaty flavour.
Visitor centre: Yes
7.Cardhu Distillery
Meaning “black rock”
You’ll find Cardhu in the parish of Knockando, looking out across the valley of the Spey, with breathtaking views of Ben Rinnes. The water for distillation comes from springs in the Mannoch hills. Cardhu is rumoured to have been distilling since 1811, before it was legal, by convicted smuggler John Cumming. In 1824 he took out a license and later died in 1846. His son Lewis took over until his death in 1872, when his wife Elizabeth stepped in. This made her the first woman on record to own and run a distillery. Helen opened a second distillery in 1885 to accommodate demand and is affectionately known as the queen of the whisky trade. Did you know there’s a little bit of Cardhu in every bottle of Johnny Walker?
Visitor centre: Yes
8. Cragganmore Distillery
Meaning “the big rock”
Cragganmore lies on the banks of the river Spey, sitting in the shadow of the mountain it takes its name from. Founded in 1869 by Big John Smith who is known to be the most experienced distiller of his time. He spent time managing The Glenlivet, Dailuaine, Macallan, Wishaw and briefly, as leaseholder at the neighbouring Glenfarclas. John Smith chose the location precisely because of the plentiful supply of spring water and the connection to the Great Highland railway line, allowing for easy transportation of materials and distribution of their single malt whisky.
Visitor centre: Yes
9. Dallas Dhu
Meaning “ valley of the black water”
Newly reopened Spring 2025 after ceasing production in 1983, only operating as a museum before closing entirely.
The last distillery to be opened in the 19th century (1899), born into the worst whisky recession in history. Dallas Dhu has had more than its fair share of struggles, including a fire in the still house. Some thought this distillery would lay dormant forever but new owners Aceo Limited aspire to rebirth Dallas Dhu as a vibrant hub of community life, hosting exhibitions, workshops, concerts, and ceilidhs in addition to a state of the art visitor centre, cafe and restaurant.
Visitor centre: Coming soon
10. Dunphail Distillery
Constructed from a former farm steading, the refurbishment of Dunphail has been constructed using Douglas fir wood and original stonework. The distillery’s electricity is entirely run off solar power and they focus on preserving the craft of traditional malting. A new kid on the block, Dunphail Distillery was founded by Dariusz Plazewski in 2023, who is also the founder of Bimber Distillery in London. Dariusz has brought his traditional distillation methods to Scotland.
Visitor centre: Yes
11. Glenfiddich Distillery
Meaning “the valley of the deer”
In the summer of 1886, William Grant set out with his seven sons and two daughters to build the Glenfiddich distillery by hand in only one year. The distillery is still owned by the Grant family to this day. In 1963 it became the first company to market a single malt whisky outside of Scotland, laying the foundations for Glenfiddich to be the number one best-selling single malt in the world and the only one to be awarded “Superbrand” status. You can discover this distillery on the northern edge of Dufftown, close by to the ruins of Balvenie Castle, with water sourced from the Robbie Dhu spring in the Conval Hills. Glenfiddich was also the first distillery to open a visitors centre, which welcomes approximately 125,000 visitors annually.
Visitor centre: Yes
12. Inchgower
Meaning “Isle of goats”
Built in 1871 by Alexander Wilson and lies in Buckie, a town right on the coast. Inchgower was formed using equipment from Tochineal, a Scotch whisky now lost in time. Buckie council once owned Inchgower, making it the only council in Scotland to have ever owned a distillery; they stepped in when the Wilson family went bankrupt in 1936. It was sold two years later to Arthur Bell. Though not typically open to the public, during the Spirit of Speyside festival, you often get the rare opportunity for a tour.
Visitor Centre: No
13. Strathisla Distillery
Meaning “the valley of the Isla”
Stathisla is considered by many to be the most picturesque of the Speyside distilleries and it’s also the oldest in Speyside too, dating back to 1786. In the 12th and 13th centuries, Dominican monks used the water from the Fons Bulliens well to brew beer, which is the first part of the whisky making process. The water is still used for processing today, being supplied to the well from Broomhill Spring. Strathisla Distillery was established in 1786 by George Taylor and Alexander Milne, exchanging hands a few times including to Jay Pomeroy who was convicted of tax evasion in 1950. The distillery is currently owned by Chivas Brothers who purchased it in 1995. If you decide to visit, you’ll have the opportunity to create your own blended whisky.
Visitor centre: Yes
14. Tamdhu Distillery
Meaning “little dark hill”
To find Tamdhu from the East, you’ll cross the River Spey at Blacksboat and follow the winding road towards the distillery. Take in the views of the enormous Ben Rinnes and the peculiarly named Hill of Phones. Tamdhu was another distillery to open just before the turn of the century, by a group of businessmen, including William Grant and Robertson & Baxter- a firm of blenders hailing from Glasgow. The year following, it was incorporated into Highland Distilleries Co Ltd who owned it until 2011, when Ian McLeod Distillers purchased and reopened the distillery in 2012. The building is a point of interest, a design by Charles Doig, known as the greatest Scottish distillery architect who introduced the pagoda roof design, which created a more efficient way to draw off peat smoke from the fires that dried the malted barley below.
Visitor centre: Yes
15. Tomintoul Distillery
Meaning “little hill of the barn”
The village of Tomintoul is the highest in the Scottish Highlands. Following the defeat of the Stuart cause at Culloden in 1746, the government introduced military roads to allow access to this rugged and remote land, and so a road was built linking Cogarff Castle and Fort George. On this road, you’ll find Tomintoul distillery between Glenlivet Forest and the Hills of Cromdale, nestled in the valley of the River Avon. Established in 1965 by two Whisky retail companies W. & S. Strong & Co. and Hay & MacLeod & Co from Glasgow but is now currently owned by Angus Dundee distillers. Tomintoul has been overseen by master distiller, Robert Fleming, who is a fourth generation Speyside distiller and has been the custodian for over 30 years, handcrafting every drop of their single malt with his team of experts.
Visitor centre: No - but you can book a tour by appointment
So now you’re an expert on some of the local distilleries of Speyside, you might be plotting your next trip, a quest of sorts if you will, to discover which whisky calls to you the most. We would recommend visiting in late April into early May when the Speyside whisky festival takes place. There’s hundreds of events to choose from including tasting tours, canoe rides, ceilidhs, wool weaving workshops and book signings. Head to the Spirit of Speyside website and explore whisky centred events that take your fancy. During this festival, there are even some distilleries who open their doors to visitors who wouldn’t normally, so it’s a fabulous time to take that exclusive peek!
Fancy taking that feeling home with you? Explore the SPÈ Candle Whisky + Smoke collection which encapsulates the story of the ruggedly wild Speyside and that delicious warm, spicy aroma that wafts up the glen from the local distilleries.