Tickets on sale for dram-packed virtual Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival

TICKETS for what is set to be one of the world’s biggest online celebrations of whisky go on sale today.

Now in its 21st year, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival – enjoyed by whisky novices, budding master blenders and everyone in between – returns this April with an online programme of more than 60 events.

This year, for the first time, people are being invited to take part virtually. Festival-goers will be able to speed network with other whisky lovers, get up close and personal with their favourite brands in the exhibition centre and catch up with friends in the social lounge on the virtual platform.

With behind-the-scenes access to distilleries not usually open to the public, tastings with some of the region's best-known whisky brands, and opportunities to chat all things Scotch with some of the biggest names in the industry, attendees will have plenty to choose from during the four-day festival, from April 29 to May 2.

One highlight is expected to be "Would I Lie to You?", hosted by Gordon & MacPhail’s director of prestige, Stephen Rankin, in which some of the industry’s top names – Glen Grant’s Dennis Malcolm, Glenfarclas Distillery’s George Grant, Kirsten Grant Meikle of the William Grant family, The Balvenie’s Gemma Paterson and whisky writer Blair Bowman – will battle it out to become the best storytellers in Speyside.

The programme also includes The Glenlivet Scotch Whisky School, where festival-goers can meet master distiller Allan Winchester, get a whirlwind virtual tour of the distillery and complete The Glenlivet's Whisky School in just one hour.

Benriach’s World of Flavour will go live from Benriach’s new visitor centre, which is opening soon, in which virtual visitors can join global brand ambassador Stewart Buchanan for a few drams and conversation.

And in Musical Drams, Ann Miller, "the Dram Queen", will challenge special guests, including world-renowned whisky writers and experts such as Charles MacLean, Dave Broom, Becky Paskin, and festival ambassadors, to bring their chosen whisky to life by matching a dram from Speyside to a piece of music with the option to taste along at home.

James Campbell, festival chairman, said: "We were determined to capture the spirit of the world’s largest whisky festival and I think we have done just that. With over 60 events in conjunction with distilleries across the Speyside region, there is something for everyone to enjoy at this year’s virtual Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.

"Although we can’t get together to celebrate in person this April, we’ve come up with as many opportunities as possible for people to get together to celebrate the fine spirits of Speyside using a new interactive online platform."

Tickets are on sale from 10am today on the Spirit of Speyside website.

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.