Spirit of Speyside festival May 2008

[Spirit of Islay]

If your at an event (e.g. whisky live) where there are many many drams on offer surely you can't drink it all!

Nevertheless I always feel it is my duty to try.

[Newbie]

If your at an event (e.g. whisky live) where there are many many drams on offer surely you can't drink it all!

Nevertheless I always feel it is my duty to try.

Never has the use of a smiley been more appropriate!

[Wave]

I just realized I was travelling to Speyside right at the height of the festival so with that in mind I booked the Rothes - The Five Distilleries for Saturday, that ought to be interesting!


Cheers!

[BruceCrichton]

I just realized I was travelling to Speyside right at the height of the festival so with that in mind I booked the Rothes - The Five Distilleries for Saturday, that ought to be interesting!


Cheers!

How long are you there for?

Are you passing through Dufftown?

[Wave]

I just realized I was travelling to Speyside right at the height of the festival so with that in mind I booked the Rothes - The Five Distilleries for Saturday, that ought to be interesting!


Cheers!

How long are you there for?

Are you passing through Dufftown?

I'll be getting into Elgin Friday afternoon and staying at a B&B there for 3 nights and then to Dufftown for another 4 nights. I'm spending a full week in Speyside so I can catch the distillery tours I've missed from the last times I've been through Speyside mainly Balvenie, Macallan, Glen Moray and Glenfarclas.


Cheers!

[Wave]

How do people get to the morning and afternoon events? Public transport?

Har! Public transport! Very funny

Actually I've found that the public transportation in and around Speyside not too bad, of course that is in perspective of what I'm used to here which is almost non-exsistent!


Cheeers!

[BruceCrichton]

I'll be getting into Elgin Friday afternoon and staying at a B&B there for 3 nights and then to Dufftown for another 4 nights. I'm spending a full week in Speyside so I can catch the distillery tours I've missed from the last times I've been through Speyside mainly Balvenie, Macallan, Glen Moray and Glenfarclas.


Cheers!

The best Dufftown events on the Monday are booked solid. These being Adelphi, DTC and the dregs party.

There is a Benromach Vertical and an event at Glenfiddich (I think) with Robin Laing which is worth checking out.

Or you could see if anyone drops out of the last 3 events.

[Deactivated Member]

The website shows a few tickets left for the dregs party - but perhaps the site isn't quite up to date. There are places on the minibus tour to Glenallachie and Glenfarclas on Monday from Dufftown - Glenallachie would be a nice feather in the cap - it's very difficult to visit - and Glenfarclas knows how to put on a splendid tasting (a good starting point is to distill some very good whisky...)

[BruceCrichton]

The website shows a few tickets left for the dregs party - but perhaps the site isn't quite up to date. There are places on the minibus tour to Glenallachie and Glenfarclas on Monday from Dufftown - Glenallachie would be a nice feather in the cap - it's very difficult to visit - and Glenfarclas knows how to put on a splendid tasting (a good starting point is to distill some very good whisky...)

If the website shows it, it will be up to date.

Some people must have dropped out.

[Wave]

The website shows a few tickets left for the dregs party - but perhaps the site isn't quite up to date. There are places on the minibus tour to Glenallachie and Glenfarclas on Monday from Dufftown - Glenallachie would be a nice feather in the cap - it's very difficult to visit - and Glenfarclas knows how to put on a splendid tasting (a good starting point is to distill some very good whisky...)

I've been eye-ballin' that Glenallachie and Glenfarclas minibus tour for a few days and finally booked it today. There looks to be a very nice list of drams to taste from both distilleries, not to mention getting to see Glenallachie (pictures forthcoming!). 3 places left.

Btw, do any of the Speyside distilleries release a festival bottling like the distilleries that do during Islay's Feis Ila?


Cheers!

[BruceCrichton]

I've been eye-ballin' that Glenallachie and Glenfarclas minibus tour for a few days and finally booked it today. There looks to be a very nice list of drams to taste from both distilleries, not to mention getting to see Glenallachie (pictures forthcoming!). 3 places left.

Btw, do any of the Speyside distilleries release a festival bottling like the distilleries that do during Islay's Feis Ila?


Cheers!

Glenfiddich and Aberlour do a distillery exclusive bottling.

[Deactivated Member]

As well as the distillery bottlings (which are not specific to the Festival) there have been miniatures of Spirit of Speyside blended malt in the past. All the participating distilleries give some whisky and it is all stirred together - and the result is in the lap of the Gods. I haven't tried last year's offering yet but the 2006 was quite good. It is only sold in miniatures - at the Dufftown whisky shop and perhaps a few other outlets.

I'm not on the Glenallachie tour - I'm going to a Glenfiddich tasting later that day.

[jmrl]

A bit more detail of the PROPOSED drams for the Cadenhead tasing at the whisky Museum in Dufftown on Sunda 5pm:-

Allt-a-Bhainne 1992 - 05/07 14yo bourbon barrel 216 bottles 56.2%

Ardbeg 1993 - 02/08 14yo Bourbon barrel 252 bottles 46%

Auchentoshan 1990 - 09/07 17yo Bourbon barrel 252 bottles 59.2%

Ben Nevis 1990 - 05/07 16yo butt 720 bottles 46%

and hopefully something from a closed distillery or something old (25yo+)

[BruceCrichton]

All sounds rather cool.

A treat coming up.

Do you know if Cadenhead's have entered the Independent bottler's challenge?

[jmrl]

No I don't think we have.

too scared?

too mean?

too right.

Only joking, its just too busy to sort it out. Honest

[Dram fine idea]

I'm heading up to the Festival on Friday evening (2 May). I'm staying in Aberdeen - free accommodation with my parents. I'm going to the Ronnie's undiscovered Huntly tour and tasting on Saturday - sounds good and easy to commute from Aberdeen to Huntly. Is anyone booked on Ronnie's tasting?

After a rest on Sunday I was thinking about booking a tasting on the Monday. The easiest commuting option may be Strathisla distillery for the Cask Strength editions (Aberdeen to Keith). Is anyone going for that? I am also tempted by the Glenfarclas tastings but it seems a bit of a job getting there. Is anyone interested in either? Anyone able to convince me it's easy getting from Aberdeen to the Glenfarclas distillery, when you're not driving?

[BruceCrichton]

No I don't think we have.

too scared?

too mean?

too right.

Only joking, its just too busy to sort it out. Honest

Will I see you there?

[Wave]

Glenfiddich and Aberlour do a distillery exclusive bottling.

I know about the Aberlour, I've got a couple from visits in '02 & '04.


I'll be getting a Balvenie from Tuesday's tour (May 6th) and I've read that Benromach also has a fill-your-own bottling so I think that's where I'll be Sunday for their open house.


Cheers!

[jmrl]

Bruce- I'll be there with bells on (whatever that means) Could do with a hand finding accomadation....

[Deactivated Member]

In the beginning of May I will be present on several events of the Festival, and take the risk with public transport and some of the Festival Busses. It was a tricky part to select the events and combine it with transport, but I think I will manage. As I will be staying in the Elgin region, I do in general the events there, but will pop over several times to Dufftown.

Hope to bump into you again, then, C_I.

[BruceCrichton]

Bruce- I'll be there with bells on (whatever that means) Could do with a hand finding accomadation....

Will you have a stall at the whisky fair?

[jmrl]

Aye, Cadenheads and maybe Springbank too.

Accomodation?????????????????

[Speyside]

Hi all,

I'm off to the opening dinner on the 1st and the Aberlour dinner on the 2nd. Look forward to seeing you all there.

PS booked accommodation via the http://www.greaterspeyside.com web site. Great free service!

Rene

[Speyside]

If you haven't found your accommodation yet try http://www.greaterspeyside.com they helped me with finding accommodation!

Rene

Aye, Cadenheads and maybe Springbank too.

Accomodation?????????????????

[jmrl]

Thanks for help with accomodation. I've secured a room at the Mason Arms (tremble)

[Deactivated Member]

Thanks for help with accomodation. I've secured a room at the Mason Arms (tremble)

I stayed there the first year I went to the festival. The room was basic but clean, comfortable and quiet. I don't think it was over the bar - or if it was, the soundproofing was excellent. There was a shared bathroom, but this caused no difficulty for me - but YMMV. The location is excellent and you will feel like royalty as you watch others (like me) hiking off to our guest houses.

[Deactivated Member]

I'm doing Speymalt on Sunday

[Deactivated Member]

Excellent - looking forward to it!

[Speyside]

Hope you've had a great time at this year's Spirit of Speyside Whisky festival. I certainly enjoyed it!

As I'm working on improving the Tourism offering in Speyside/Moray I'm curious to hear your feedback.

What did you like?
What could be improved?
What would you like to see for next year?
Did you found it easy to book events/accommodation?

Anything that can help us doing it even better would be much appreciated.

Hope you can help.

Kind regards,

Rene

http://www.GreaterSpeyside.com

[Wave]

I definitely enjoyed the festival, in fact I still am...well at least the post-festival festivities! LoL! If Speyside is who I think it is we've already chatted at the Glen Moray Saturday night & the Whisky Fair in Dufftown, Sunday.

From an Aussie capped Yank
Cheers!

[Deactivated Member]

I saw you. Next time, say hello, Wave. Goodbye.

[les taylor]

I saw you. Next time, say hello, Wave. Goodbye.

Nick it dosen't get much worse than that.

[Deactivated Member]

I have loaded up my photos onto Flickr - feel free to have a browse:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackwych/ ... 918331743/

I'm allowed to enter 5 of them in the competition - happy to take suggestions of which ones to go for.

[Speyside]

Hi Nick,

I'll have a look at the pictures on Flickr.

And Wave, I have to disapoint you. I wasn't at the Glen Moray do or in Dufftown. Sorry...
I was however at the openings dinner on Thursday and the Aberlour dinner on Friday.

Maybe next time. Glad to hear your still enjoying the festival!

Rene

[Speyside]

Great pictures Nick! I can see you've had a good time!

I noticed you did the Smugglers trail with David Newland of Glenlivet. Great guy! I know him well. You were in good hands!

Rene
http://www.GreaterSpeyside.com