Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Draws To A Close

One of the world’s largest whisky festivals, Scotland’s Spirit of Speyside, made a full return to in-person activity recently after a two-year Covid hiatus.

Thousands of festival-goers celebrated “the water of life,” with visitors coming from more than 29 countries, from North America to Norway to Malaysia, for the six-day celebration.

Now in its 23rd year, more than 550 events took place, finding a little something for everyone that attended, with a mix of new experiences and traditional favorites returning to the line-up.

Celebrating at Spirit of Speyside 2022 (image via Spirit of Speyside)

There was exclusive access to Scottish distilleries usually off-limits to the public, and festival-goers were able to discover Speyside’s rolling mountains and the Moray coastline.

George McNeil, chairman of the festival, said in a prepared statement, “This year, as we returned to an in-person event, I was encouraged to see so many overseas visitors joining local people to share their enthusiasm for all that Speyside offers … the draw to local, national, and international visitors with a taste for Scotland’s national drink is evident.”

Paul Bush, VisitScotland’s director of events, said he was delighted that EventScotland was able to work with Spirit of Speyside, funding such a uniquely Scottish event through the international program.

“This support furthered their efforts to reach audiences both locally and abroad, encouraging visitors to Speyside to enjoy all the region has to offer from its stunning landscapes to, of course, its whisky,” he added.

The variety of activities included Star Wars themed events, with 25 percent of all ticket sales going to Cancer Research in memory of Star Wars and whisky fan Brett Ferencz, whose Scotch Trooper alter ego always made people smile.

The diverse 2022 program also included a clandestine Land Rover safari tour stopping off at several historical whisky smuggling sites, including a secret illicit still location in The Glenlivet hills.

If you’d like to find out more about the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, check out www.spiritofspeyside.com/festivals.