Sample the best drams of Scotland’s premier whisky region on this tour of the Speyside Whisky Trail.
Speyside Cooperage* - Find out how casks are made at this essential attraction of the Speyside Whisky Trail.
Cardhu Distillery* - The first distillery pioneered by a woman, Helen Cumming, is home to whisky warm with an elegant and smooth taste.
Cairngorms National Park - Gaze in awe at Scotland’s most beautifully rounded peaks.
Speyside - With 50 whisky distilleries, this region is the heartland of Scotch whisky production. It also enchants with tranquil rivers, rolling hillsides and wee villages where hospitality is as warm as a dram by the hearth.
Whether you're a whisky lover or a whisky learner, you're bound to get a taste for it in the beautiful region of Speyside.
Home to around 50% of all Scottish whisky distilleries, there's almost too much to see and drink. So on this whisky tour, we help you get the most out of the region by taking you to a distinct distillery. It’s a chance to learn about the incredible history, process, and flavours of Scotland’s national drink.
Students and seniors over 60
You leave Aberdeen in the morning and travel through the vast hills of Cairngorms National Park to Corgarff. Here, you go for a little walk towards the Corgarff Castle, once a noble residence that in the 18th century was turned into a military base.
Invigorated by the walk, you head deeper into the national park, as you travel past Cockbridge and Tomintoul. This legendary stretch of road regularly sees the first of the snowy winter weather and crosses the mountain pass known locally as the Lecht. You’ll have plenty of time for photo opportunities on this unforgettable route.
Then you delve into the home of whisky, the Speyside region. Here, you stop at the Whisky Castle for an optional tutor whisky tasting and lunch. This whisky emporium has been selling the finest malt whiskies for over 120 years and is stocking over 600 malts, so it’s a real treasure trove for whisky lovers.
Next, you travel to the Speyside Cooperage where you get to know the history of Scotland’s oak casks. Then you head to Cardhu Distillery**, the first distillery pioneered by a woman, Helen Cumming. Today, Cardhu is the most important whisky in Johnnie Walker’s Black Label.
You leave Cardhu full of appreciation for whisky and arrive in Aberdeen in the early evening. It’s now up to you whether you continue the whisky tasting into the night.
*Itinerary and distillery visits are subject to change.
**Please note that Cardhu Distillery will be observing their Silent Season from 23rd September 2024 until 27th October 2024. During this time, guests will be treated to a tasting session but no tour of the facility will be available. We apologise for the inconvenience.
Tour Attractions
You are able to pre-purchase entrance tickets to the following attractions at the time of booking:
Other attractions may be booked and paid locally during the tour.
The UK and Ireland's historic city centres are full of narrow streets and winding roads. So, to speed up your departure, we only pick up from our central meeting points. What's more is leaving the city using the most direct route also reduces the carbon footprint of our tours.
We don't recommend bringing your car into the centre of our departure cities. It can be hard to find parking, and there are excellent public transportation services.
Arrive 15 minutes before your departure time. Due to waiting restrictions, we can't wait for you if you're late.
If you're late for your tour, our cancellation policy applies. 100% charges are applicable, and you will not be entitled to a refund or alternative.
Your cancellation terms depend on which tour you've booked.
For one-day tours: You'll receive a full refund if you cancel 24 hours or more before the tour departure
For tours of between two and nine days: You'll receive a 90% refund if you cancel 15 or more days before the tour departure
For tours of 10 or more days: You'll receive a 90% refund if you cancel 21 or more days before the tour departure
For all European packaged tours: You'll receive a 90% refund if you cancel 42 days before the tour departure.
If you cancel inside these notice periods, full charges will apply and no refunds will be issued.
To cancel your booking, email tours@rabbies.com as soon as possible. The effective date of cancellation will be the date we receive written confirmation from you.
Click here to view terms and conditions
Your tour will always follow the itinerary as closely as possible. Your driver-guide will keep you up to date on the road, and we'll try to get in touch about any large changes prior to your departure.
Due to logistical reasons, we're unable to let you pre-book a seat on the bus. But our comfortable 16-seat mini-coaches have huge windows. So, you'll always get a good view.
Unfortunately, we have no on-board toilet facilities, but you'll have regular comfort breaks.
We aim to accommodate everyone. To read more information on how we do this, click here to go to our accessibility guide.
We regret we don't carry children under the age of five on our scheduled tours.
You can ask us about the tours we recommend for younger children. And if your child is less than 1.35m tall, you should let us know, so we can provide them with a suitable booster seat.
We want you to enjoy Britain and Ireland. And we believe the best way to do this is to get you off the mini-coach and out exploring. So, we give you plenty of time to take photos, go walking, and explore ancient ruins.
We exclude visitor attractions in your tour price because it lets you travel your way. It means you can pamper yourself with a luxury lunch or skip an attraction whenever you feel like it.
You don't need to. We stop in small towns, villages, and rural eateries where you can choose whatever meal pleases both your taste buds and your budget.
Let's be honest, our driver-guides would never refuse a cheeky bonus. But it's up to you, and the amount is entirely at your discretion.
We advise you take out travel insurance.
You're protected by ABTOT when you chose to let us reserve your accommodation on a multi-day tour. This means you can claim back anything you've paid us if we become bankrupt. Read our terms and conditions for more information.
If you have any more questions, call us on +44(0)131 226 3133, email tours@rabbies.com , or check out our full FAQs .