][1]The latest Spirit of Speyside festival gets underway today with dozens of events dedicated to Scotland’s national drink.
From trying your hand at filling a cask to watching dolphins while enjoying a dram, the organisers have left few whisky-related stones unturned.
Naturally, there is only so far that you can go by simply appreciating the aesthetics of whisky or admiring the craft that has gone into each bottle. At some point, it will become necessary to sample the stuff and the festival offers plenty of opportunities for a snifter or two.
From blind tastings at Gordon and MacPhail in Elgin (best left to the whisky boffins) via a survey to see which whisky goes best with bacon rolls, there are tastings to suit all levels of expertise.
There are also whisky-fuelled steam train rides, whisky and wildlife walks plus, of course, many a whisky dinner along with ceilidhs, capering and assorted stramashes.
If distillery tours float your boat then you will be in a spiritual Nirvana with several distilleries which don’t often open to the public showing people around their mash tuns and stills.
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