The Speyside region of Scotland is home to around 50 distilleries. About 10% of them can be crossed off your list with this enjoyably easy-going hike, perfect for a day off from Munro-ing. The five are some of the best known single malt whisky brands in the world.
- Aberlour (starting point)
- GlenAllachie
- Glenfiddich
- Balvenie
- Craigellachie
The hike could theoretically be extended to reach MacAllan, but due to their requirement for a reservation, I decided to limit the route to the already lengthy 23km. Instead, I chose a bonus distillery, Glenfarcas, on the ride back to my homebase in Aviemore after the hike.
June seems to be a good time of year for this hike as the yellow aromatic gorse is out in full bloom bathing the air in a persistent tropical vanilla. Most of the hike is along well-defined forest roads or paths which keep you immersed in nature, but offer only the occasional vista. It is not the most cinematic hike, but the scenery will not disappoint.
| Hike Starting Point | Aberlour. Parking along the street in Aberlour is quite easy and free. I parked next to the cemetery across from the distillery |
| Distance | 23.3km |
| Hike Duration | 6hr 20min |
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It’s Not Just a Whisky, It’s a Journey
The Aberlour distillery is hidden in the trees along the initial path. It was early morning and the welcome center was not yet open. I would save it for the end.
The welcome center for GlenAllachie was a friendly early diversion from the hike. Only three of the distilleries would offer a tasting room and/or gift shop, and this was perhaps my favorite. I grabbed a dram-sized bottle of the 12-year old and headed back into the forest towards Dufftown.
This part of the hike was a long isolated stroll through a forest. I didn’t pass a single soul until I reached the Glenfiddich distillery.
As I got closer to Dufftown, the amount of gorse was growing more intense. There is no better way to describe the experience than to imagine walking through a store selling scented candles.
Home to the world’s best-selling single malt, Glenfiddich is a tourist pilgrim site. Tours, tastings and shops give plenty of opportunity to get the most out of a visit. I picked up two small bottles of the 15-year and 18-year old.
“On Wednesdays and Saturdays the excursion train from Aberdeen carries its hundreds of contented sightseers westward, some to Dufftown and Craigellachie, others to Aberlour and Ballindalloch…”
Rambles Through Scotland Among the Bens and Glens by W. Cowan (1933)
The Balvenie distillery is just a short walk from Glenfiddich. Both distilleries belong to the same international drink conglomerate. Balvenie therefore chooses not to offer a welcome center, directing potential visitors over to Glenfiddich instead.
After Balvenie, it is a long straight stretch along a multi-purpose trail towards Craigellachie.
The Craigellachie distillery also does not have a welcome center. So the best option is to taste the whisky at the very nice pub, Highlander Inn.
After finally doing some whisky tasting, I headed back towards Aberlour along the River Spey, here getting a small peek at the prestigious MacAllan distillery across the river.
Back in Aberlour, The Mash Tun is a classy spot to take a break and enjoy a Scottish ale.
The final stop was the Aberlour welcome center. Here it is only possible to do a tasting with a tour, but the host was kind enough to give me a courtesy 2ml taste of the Aberlour 18.
On the way back to Aviemore, the Glenfarcas distillery provided a final bottle to enjoy later in the evening.
Final Thoughts
As I look back on this hike, which occurred five months ago as I write, I find it remarkably satisfying. It sprung out of simply connecting five dots on a map and hoping there was some continuity. The result was a hike that felt like it was meant to be. I am sure that I am not the only one to have the idea, but I am happy to recommend it. In the meantime, this was day three of my June 2025 holiday in the Cairngorms and my planned Whisky & Hikes were now complete. It was time to turn my attention to some Munros and take my chances with the weather after a gloomy hike to the blustery top of Ben Macdui just two days earlier.
itsabrewtifulworld 
Single-malt scotches were one of my favorite libations back in the day. They say the Japanese student has surpassed the master; perhaps you can travel there someday and let us know if that’s true. Thanks for sharing this wonderful hike with us.
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