Speyside Whisky Trail Tour: Five Distilleries & Cooperage

Walk through working distilleries and watch coopers shape oak casks by hand

A private Speyside Whisky Trail tour guides small groups through five distilleries and the Speyside Cooperage, the only working cooperage in the UK open to visitors. You taste whisky at each distillery, watch skilled coopers at work using traditional methods, and travel in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle with a local guide. The route takes seven to eight hours and includes stops at Glenfarclas, Glen Grant, Benromach and other working sites across the region.

Step-by-step itinerary

Speyside Whisky Trail Distillery Visits

• Visit Carrbridge packhorse bridge
• Tour Glenfarclas distillery
• Taste Glenfarclas whisky
• Explore Speyside Cooperage visitor centre
• Watch coopers at work
• Tour Glen Grant distillery
• Walk Glen Grant garden trail
• Visit Benromach distillery
• Taste Benromach whisky and gin

The experience

The tour starts with a stop at Carrbridge, where the 1717 packhorse bridge (the oldest stone bridge in the Highlands) sits at the entrance to the village. From there, you move through the heart of Speyside, visiting distilleries that have been producing malt whisky for over a century. Glenfarclas, licensed in 1836, holds approximately 68,000 casks maturing on site in traditional dunnage warehouses, with stock dating back to 1953. Glen Grant, founded in 1840 by two former smugglers, introduced innovations like electric light and tall slender stills that define its fresh, malty character. Benromach, reopened in 1998 after restoration, now produces both whisky and gin.

The Speyside Cooperage is the centrepiece of the day. It's the only working cooperage in Britain with a visitor centre, and it produces 150,000 oak casks annually for distilleries across Scotland and beyond. You can watch highly skilled coopers at work using traditional methods and tools, or try your hand at the craft with mini casks. The cooperage also has a gift shop and coffee shop if you want to pause between stops. At each distillery, you taste their signature whiskies: Glenfarclas is known for its heavy sherry influence, while Glen Grant offers a lighter, fresher profile. Benromach offers tastings of both whisky and gin.

The vehicle is air-conditioned and equipped with bottled water and a fridge. Your local guide can swap out a distillery on the day if there's a specific one you'd prefer to visit instead. The tour is private to your party, so the pace and stops can be adjusted. Tastings are available for guests aged 18 and over. The route includes all travel time within the seven to eight hour total.

What’s included

• Private comfortable air-conditioned vehicle.
• local guide in English.
• bottled water and fridge on board.
• umbrellas.
• pickup included.

Options for this experience

3 options

Private vehicle tour for groups of 1 to 4Up to 4 per booking · Guide in English · 09:00Car or minibus, pickup is included

Private vehicle for 1 to 4 people, second carUp to 4 per booking · Guide in English · 09:00Private vehicle for 1 to 4 passengers, pickup is included

Private group vehicle tour for 5 to 7 peopleUp to 7 per booking · Guide in English · 09:00Minibus, includes pickup

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 47 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Highland Guided Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the smaller private vehicle if your group wants to swap distilleries on the day. Pick the larger one if you prefer a fixed five-stop itinerary with more people.

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Top questions

What is the Speyside Cooperage and what can you do there?

The Speyside Cooperage is the only working cooperage in Britain with a visitor centre, located in the heart of the Speyside Whisky Trail. You watch skilled coopers craft oak casks using traditional methods and tools, follow the lifecycle of a cask through the visitor centre, try your hand at coopering with mini casks, and browse the gift shop or grab coffee.

Which distilleries do you visit on the Speyside Whisky Trail tour?

The tour visits Glenfarclas, Glen Grant, and Benromach, each with its own distillery tour and whisky tasting. Glenfarclas holds stock dating back to 1953 in traditional warehouses; Glen Grant was the first distillery in the Highlands to have electric light and pioneered tall slender stills; Benromach reopened in 1998 and now produces gin alongside whisky. Your guide can swap a distillery on the day if you prefer a different one.

What does the tour include and what do you need to pay for separately?

The tour includes private vehicle transport, a local guide, bottled water, umbrellas, and air-conditioned travel. Whisky tastings at the distilleries are not included in the tour price. You pay for tastings at each stop. Lunch is also not included, though the Cooperage has a coffee shop and gift shop on site.

How long is the Speyside Whisky Trail tour and what is the age requirement for tastings?

The tour runs seven to eight hours, with all travel time included in that total. Whisky tastings are available to guests aged 18 and over. Younger visitors can still tour the distilleries and the Cooperage but cannot participate in tastings.