First whisky Start your Speyside whisky tour beside the River Spey, the river that helped shape the region’s whisky story. This is where we set the tone for your experience: relaxed, scenic, story-led and definitely not a standard production tour. With your first dram in hand, you’ll hear how Speyside became one of the most famous whisky regions in the world, and why this landscape matters so much to the spirit in your glass. Your tour is hosted by Mitch Bechard, a Keeper of the Quaich, whisky author, podcast host and independent bottler with over 20 years in the industry. Throughout the tour, Mitch brings the region to life with insider stories, local knowledge, humour and proper whisky insight, without the snobbery or scripted visitor centre patter.

Second Whisky Travel through classic Speyside whisky country towards Cardhu, one of the region’s most important distillery names. With your second dram in hand, you’ll discover the people behind the whisky, including Helen Cumming, one of the great figures in Speyside’s distilling story. You’ll hear tales of illicit stills, smugglers, farm distilling and how whisky grew from local craft into a global icon. This scenic, story-rich stop connects the dram you’re tasting with the landscape around you, giving you a deeper feel for Speyside.

Third Whisky You head towards Dufftown, often called one of Scotland’s great whisky towns, and stop near Glenfiddich, one of the most famous names in single malt. With your next dram in hand, you’ll explore how family ownership, ambition and bold thinking helped take Speyside whisky around the world. You’ll also get the chance to see nearby Balvenie Castle, a striking ruined stone castle dating back to the second half of the 1200s. Once a fortified stronghold surrounded by a wide ditch, it adds a brilliant sense of history to the landscape. And, if the local Highland cows are feeling sociable, you might even get a hairy hello too.

Balvenie Distillery Stop at The Balvenie, one of Speyside’s most traditional and characterful distilleries. This is a chance to step into a place with deep whisky heritage, from floor maltings and coopering to the old stories and characters that shaped life around the distillery. Mitch spent 10 years working with the company, so this stop comes with proper first-hand tales rather than polished brochure chat. You’ll hear about the tradition of dramming at the distillery, how it became part of daily life for the people who worked there, and why The Balvenie has such a strong sense of craft and place. There may even be time for a ghost story linked to the old maltings, because apparently whisky history wasn’t spirited enough already.

Fourth Whisky Finish your Speyside whisky tour at the iconic Craigellachie Bridge, one of the region’s most striking landmarks and a proper whisky-country finale. Designed by Thomas Telford and opened in 1814, the bridge crosses the River Spey in a dramatic cast-iron arch, surrounded by some of the most famous distilling country in Scotland. This is where we’ll pour your final dram and raise a toast under a stunning Speyside setting, with the river below and whisky history all around you. Mitch will tie together the stories, places and people from the tour, leaving you with a deeper sense of the landscape behind the glass. A final dram, a famous bridge and the River Spey doing its thing.

Final Stop – We return full circle to where the adventure began – the Speyside Whisky Shop in Aberlour. It’s the perfect place to end the day, with shelves lined with rare finds, local favourites, and a few bottles you may have tasted on the tour. Whether you’re picking up a souvenir, asking for a dram recommendation, or just savouring the last few moments of Speyside magic, it’s a fitting finale. We'll drop you off right outside with a head full of stories, a nose full of whisky, and (hopefully) a bottle or two in hand.