The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival — which celebrates the whiskies, distilleries, and heritage of Scotland's Speyside whisky region — has concluded its 27th edition. On Thursday, the second day of the five-day event, the festival revealed that it had hit more than £500,000 in sales for the first time.

The event attracts whisky lovers from all around the world: attendees came from Brazil and Australia, the Netherlands and Canada, and many more, illustrating the event's global nature. According to the festival, international customers represented more than 60 per cent of all ticket sales for the 2026 edition.

A key attraction of the festival is the open doors at distilleries usually closed to the public, such as Tormore, Dalmunach, and Craigellachie — the latter of which hosted the festival's annual opening dinner. The diversity of events was also highlighted by the festival: a falconry display, canoe trip, and silent disco were among the whisky-themed lineup.

Festival chairman Henry Angus said: “There has never been a more important year for us to support the whisky sector. With whisky sales declining, but festival sales increasing, our ability to draw thousands of visitors to Speyside is vital to the local economy.

“We’re extremely proud to have broken all records again this year and to prove that we are creating a world-class calendar of events with wide appeal. The festival has become an old friend to so many year after year. There are some incredible opportunities, some of which are unique, leaving visitors to feel like they’ve been part of something truly magical. There’s nothing quite like it.”