Episode 86: Revisiting “Whisky Galore” – A Whisky Tour in Dufftown
Let’s pour a dram and join a walking tour in Dufftown to explore the Malt Whisky Trail.
This is a newly remastered version of a Wild for Scotland classic, but even if you have heard to this story before, it’s worth listening again! The story features newly done soundscapes, and afterwards, you’ll hear brand-new tips for a trip on the Mal Whisky Trail in Scotland. Remastering stories is supported by the members of the Wild for Scotland Social Club đŹ Consider joining!
‘Whisky Galore’ is a story about Scotland’s most productive whisky region – the Speyside.
We follow the Malt Whisky Trail, go on a whisky-infused walking tour around Dufftown and learn what else there is to do in this area – beyond the distilleries.
And of course, we enjoy plenty of uisge-beatha – “water of life”.
After the story, I tell you my top tips for a trip to the Malt Whisky Trail in Speyside.
Tips for a trip to the Malt Whisky Trail
1) Visit a distillery youâve never heard of before
I know itâs tempting to book a tour at a distillery with a big name and thereâs nothing wrong about that in itself. But I think if youâve already come all the way to the Speyside, you should dip your toes into unknown waters, so to say, and visit a distillery that is lesser known. Maybe youâve never even heard about it yourself. That way you can say youâve tasted something really special and you can pick up a bottle of a whisky, youâd never find anywhere else.
2) Book a driver
Itâs a no brainer that drinking whisky and driving a car donât go well together. If you want to tour multiple distilleries and taste the whisky as well, itâs best to hire a driver for the day. There are lots of drivers available in the Speyside, and one of them is Michelle from Speyside Tours, who took me on the walking tour around Dufftown.
Of course, staying in Dufftown and booking the walking tour is also a great alternative to driving to various distilleries.
3) Plan ahead for the Spirit of Speyside Festival
Every year at the start of May, the distilleries of the region host the Spirit of Speyside Festival. There are hundreds of events from exclusive tours and tastings, to storytelling, live music, dancing and more. As you can imagine, itâs a popular affair, so itâs best to book accommodations well in advance and think early about your transport options.
4) Set yourself a budget
If Iâve learnt one thing from attending the whisky festival in Islay, itâs that Iâm much more likely to pull out my credit card after a few drams. We ended up with quite a few more bottles to take home than we really needed, which of course meant we spent more than anticipated.
Whether you attend the festival or visit the Speyside any other time of the year – if you plan to visit multiple distilleries it makes sense to set yourself a budget for how much whisky to buy.
5) Pair your whisky with local foods
The restaurant I mentioned in the first verson of this story is now under new ownership, so I canât speak about it from experience, but there are many other options available too, like the Mash Tun in Aberlour or the Spey Inn in Craigellachie. And then thereâs the Walkerâs shortbread factory shop in AberlourâŚ
Whether you book a table in a restaurant or pack a picnic basket, there really is no need to drink the whisky on its own.
