Each year, hundreds of whisky shows and events are held around the UK, featuring new releases, beloved classics, tastings, masterclasses, and opportunities to meet the people behind the famous whisky brands.
Since it’s impossible to attend them all, Golden Dram have curated a list of the must-see whisky shows, festivals and year-round distillery tours perfect for the coming year, along with tips to help you make the most of your experience.
Location: Moray area, Scotland
When: 30th April – 5th May 2025
Located in the heart of Scotland’s largest whisky-producing region, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is a six-day celebration of Speyside’s whisky-making heritage with more than 500 whisky-inspired events to attend. The festival features distillery open days – including some that are not usually open to the public, exclusive tasting events, and seminars that highlight the craftsmanship behind each bottle.
Top tip: Tickets for some key events have been known to sell out within hours, so you may want to purchase as soon as they go on sale.
Location: Islay, Scotland
When: 23rd – 31st May 2025
Located on Islay, one of the most picturesque islands in the Hebrides, The Islay Festival runs for seven days. This festival is filled with whisky, music, food and entertainment, and is immensely popular amongst whisky lovers who flock to this small island year after year to enjoy the range of peated whiskies on offer. Here you will find most of the Islay distilleries open their doors to welcome attendees on different days of the week.
Top tip: Book accommodation and your ferry/flight well in advance to avoid disappointment.
Location: Campbeltown, Scotland
When: 19th – 24th May 2025
The Campbeltown Malts Festival is an annual two-day celebration of whisky, showcasing the rich heritage of Campbeltown and the distinctive whisky styles of its three distilleries, including Glen Scotia, Springbank and Glengyle (Kilkerran). The festival features distillery tours, exclusive whisky tastings, masterclasses, and events, providing enthusiasts with a chance to experience rare bottlings and engage with the local whisky community.
Top tip: Due to the small size of the Campbeltown region, there are fewer tickets released than for other well-known whisky shows, so best to buy tickets as soon as they are released.
Location: Cupar, Scotland
When: 28th February – 2nd March 2025
Fife Whisky Festival is a relatively new addition to the whisky festival scene but has quickly become a favourite among whisky lovers from far and wide. It not only features a selection of whiskies from the Fife area, but it also offers whiskies from distilleries and independent bottlers across Scotland’s five whisky-producing regions. Thankfully, it remains pleasantly uncrowded, offering a diverse range of drams to sample, along with dedicated tasting events and masterclasses.
Top tip: Take advantage of the free water stations.
Location: Dornoch, Scotland
When: 24-26 October 2025
The Dornoch Whisky Festival, an annual event held in the historic town of Dornoch, is a celebration of Highland whisky and differs slightly from other festivals in that it centres largely around whisky education. Additionally, visitors can enjoy a wide range of whisky-related activities, including tastings of rare and exclusive whiskies, dinners, events, masterclasses, distillery tours, and food pairings.
Top tip: Don’t miss the highlight of the event, the Grand Tasting on the Saturday of the festival, which takes place over two sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
Location: Old Billingsgate, London
When: 3rd – 5th October 2025
If you’re seeking a great all-round whisky experience, The Whisky Show in London is one of the best. Held annually, this event showcases over 1000 whiskies that span an entire spectrum of flavour profiles from all over the world. With masterclasses led by industry experts and rare limited-edition releases available for tasting, it’s a haven for whisky lovers looking to meet the teams responsible for their best-loved drams.
Top tip: Arrive early and take advantage of the complimentary two-course meal before you start sampling the drams.
If you’re thinking of attending any of these festivals, why not fit a Scotch whisky distillery tour in too?
A distillery tour offers a unique glimpse into the art and history behind Scotland’s iconic spirit. Visitors not only get to see the traditional methods of malting, mashing, fermenting, and distilling but also learn how each step shapes a whisky’s flavour.
Touring distilleries allows you to savour regional differences, taste distillery-exclusive drams and meet the craftsmen responsible for them, adding depth to your appreciation of Scotch whisky and offering insights and flavours you simply can’t find anywhere else.
Scottish distilleries are often built in locations that are remote or hard-to-reach, so close to visitors during the winter months. However, many remain open all year-round including the Glenfiddich, Glenturret, Laphroaig, Cardhu, Dalwhinnie and Springbank distilleries.
Don’t miss these whisky shows, festivals and tours as they offer enthusiasts the chance to gather, meet, taste, explore, and learn while connecting with fellow whisky lovers from around the world.
