Speyside Whiskey Tour To the Famous Speyside Malt Whisky Trail

On our way to our first distillery Carrbridge’s most famous landmark is the old Carrbridge packhorse bridge, from which the village is named. The bridge, built in 1717, is the oldest stone bridge in the Highlands. It was severely damaged in the “muckle spate” of 1829 which left it in the condition seen today. As seen in the picture can be a slow calming stream of water and can jump to fast flowing river jumping 6-7 feet higher in heavy rain downfall.

There is evidence that the distillery first started operations sometime before 1791. The distillery was first granted a licence in 1836. The distillery has approximately 68,000 casks maturing on site, in traditional dunnage warehouses, with stock from every year from 1953 to the current year. Glenfarclas produce a traditional Highland malt with a heavy sherry influence. The company was named Distiller of the Year by Whisky Magazine in 2006, 2020 and 2023. Enjoy a tour around their distillery followed with a tasting of their best-known whisky’s.

The Speyside Cooperage lies in the heart of the Speyside Malt Whisky Trail, it is the only working cooperage in the UK where you can experience the ancient art of coopering. Since 1947, Speyside Cooperage has produced the finest casks from American Oak. Today the cooperage continues to produce the age-old product, using traditional methods and tools. Each year, it produces and maintains 150,000 oak casks used by the surrounding Speyside Whisky distilleries, as well as distilleries throughout Scotland and the rest of the world. The Cooperage is the only cooperage in Britain with a visitor centre, enjoy a journey through the lifecycle of the cask, see the highly skilled coopers at work or try it for yourself with the mini casks or enjoy their gift or coffee shop.

Glen Grant was founded in 1840, by brothers John and James Grant, two former illegal distillers and smugglers who decided to take out a license. With the sea and port of Garmouth nearby, the River Spey at its feet and barley-growing plains nearby, all the basic ingredients of malt whisky were close at hand. At this time the distillery became legal. Stories about ‘The Major’ abound. A legendary innovator, socialiser and traveller, he lived by his own rules and set his own standards. New ideas fascinated him, and he wasn’t afraid to explore them. He was the first man in the Highlands to own a car. Glen Grant was the first distillery to have electric light, and he introduced the tall slender stills and purifiers which created the fresh malty flavour and clear colour that defines Glen Grant whisky to this day. They have whiskies at the ready for visitors to try and have a lush garden for visitors to experience a small trail walk.