13
votes

I will be in the Speyside region for a couple of days mainly exploring whisky distilleries, I will have a car and a sober driver, I'm just looking for a nice town to stay in for a couple of days.

Ideally a smaller town with budget accommodation and some picturesque scenery.

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  • 1
    I went to replace your "picaresque" with "picturesque" and wondered why spell check didn't complain. Who knew it's a real word? But still changed it, as I presume you didn't mean scenery from satirical fiction. ;)
    – Mark Mayo
    Mar 12, 2012 at 18:55
  • Visiting distilleries in a car with a sober driver. Oy! :)
    – Karlson
    Mar 12, 2012 at 18:56
  • 2
    @MarkMayo probably shouldn't write a question on stack while raging at the bank to unlock my credit card for the second time in one day ;)
    – Stuart
    Mar 13, 2012 at 10:03
  • Could a question like this be turned into a Community Wiki question and be allowed? This could be really good information for someone wanting to visit that part of Scotland, and still be opinionated.
    – CGCampbell
    Aug 20, 2014 at 18:18
  • 1
    "answers to this question will tend to be almost entirely based on opinions, rather than facts, references, or specific expertise" each answer here is factual (to do with distances, positions of distilleries / other attractions), has references, and is based on the most specific possible expertise (e.g. "I lived there").
    – Fattie
    Aug 20, 2014 at 18:59

4 Answers 4

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7
votes

I would suggest Dufftown, Aberlour or Rothes for your stay. You can start your tour from the north - Glen Moray in Elgin or Strathisla in Keith and follow the river south. Most of the distilleries are around these three towns.

In case if you are planning your tour in May - keep an eye on the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 3rd to 7th May 2012

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  • I just noticed the Whisky festival sadly I'll be arriving on the 11th or 12 of the May.
    – Stuart
    Mar 13, 2012 at 14:43
  • 3
    I love that there's a place called Dufftown...
    – Mark Mayo
    Mar 13, 2012 at 23:18
  • 1
    I actually stayed in Dufftown.
    – Stuart
    May 22, 2012 at 15:27
5
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Having just spent a wee bit of time there this weekend on my way back from a highland wedding I can recommend Grantown on Spey as a central location to visit distilleries as well as being close to Tomintoul, Glenshee and the Lecht if you want scenic views. Boat of Garten is close as well - a huge RSPB osprey reserve.

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3
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I think that you should rethink the duration of your trip and a sober driver.

Found the Greater Speyside website which has some excellent suggestions on what to see and some accommodations. I think you should start at the list of distilleries you would like to visit and then look at the road maps to see what would be the best place to stay. As there are a lot of possible things to see.

2
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Abelour - Craigellachie is kind of the heart of the matter as you'll likely want to go to the "major" items like Macallan.

For another view, don't forget Scotland is both bonnie and pretty compact ... you could very much just stay in Aberdeen. It's only an hour or two drive. (Stunningly beautiful, of course.)

It's perfectly commonplace to go to Speyside for the day, if you live in or around Aberdeen. (In my case it was "very commonplace!" :) )

Don't forget too, that "Speyside" is kind of spread out...for example my favorite really is Glenfarclas (photos - lovely isn't it?), which is a bit of a drive aways anyway.

I envy you and hope you have a good time. You've made the right choice with Speyside - peaty whisky is for naifs :)

(Also, don't forget, given that Macallan is the best whisky, their other property, Highland Park, is really the best whisky! So I suggest, forget about Speyside and go to the Orkneys :) )

Inexpensive accomodations would be a B&B ...

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g667103-Dufftown_Moray_Scotland-Hotels.html

just go to tripadvisor, select Dufftown, B&B, within 25 miles, and there is a big selection. Any number of examples...

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again it's a lot easier simply staying in Aberdeen and enjoying all the driving (if drunkenness is not an issue) (note that you have to drive home anyway even if you're staying in a local village; it's all spread-out.)

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