The #Dram26 Programme Preview is now live and with it we’ve revealed the six events shortlisted for the coveted Best New Event award at the 2026 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.
Each year, our Members and Event Partners put forward brand-new ideas, and the Spirit of Speyside team selects six that really stand out. These are events that feel fresh, well thought through and true to the spirit of the Festival.
This year’s judge is Rosalind Erskine.
Rosalind is Food and Drink Editor at The Scotsman and host of the multi-award-winning podcast Scran. She writes regularly about whisky for The Scotsman and the paper’s Whisky Club newsletter. She is also no stranger to Speyside, having attended the Festival with friends and family every year since 2019.
Over the coming months, Rosalind will attend each of the shortlisted events in person, experiencing them exactly as guests do before selecting her overall winner. With such a strong mix of creativity and craftsmanship on this year’s programme, it will not be an easy decision.
Below, you’ll find the six events shortlisted for Best New Event 2026.
Tickets for #Dram26 go on sale at 12 noon GMT on Tuesday 24 February so now is the time to browse, plan and get ready to book.
Tormore Estate - Whisky 'Falcon' Flights - Tormore Distillery
Enjoy an intimate experience deep in the glens of Tormore Estate where we will take you firstly on a hill tour and give an insight to the history and future of the estate. Then you will enjoy a full falconry display with a selection of raptors plus an opportunity to meet the birds and falconers.
One of the Tormore whisky makers will then treat you to the new Tormore Single Malts range and an insight into the history of Tormore Distillery in our private Estate Shoot Room.
Flavour Is a Lie - A Sensory Whisky Experience - CopperCairn
Flavour doesn’t just live in the glass. It lives in your brain. This immersive sensory whisky experience explores how sound, sight, touch, smell and expectation shape the way we taste. Hosted by Mitch Bechard, Keeper of the Quaich and owner of CopperCairn, alongside sensory specialist Kami Newton of The Sensory Advantage and sound healer Joanne Bechard, this is not your typical masterclass. You’ll taste four carefully chosen Scotch whiskies while live crystal singing bowls, changing light, aroma and texture gently shift your perception, showing just how dramatically flavour can change even when the whisky itself stays the same. No slides. No jargon. No prior whisky knowledge needed. Just curiosity and a willingness to have your senses quietly blown.
Dawn Drams in Dufftown - Vantage Creative
Discover three carefully selected drams that highlight the comforting flavours of a great “breakfast whisky” including honey, vanilla, porridge oats and gentle warming spice. Each is paired with artisanal breakfast bites, finishing with a signature breakfast cocktail created especially for the event. Hosted by Speyside-based whisky and sensory consultant Samantha Staniforth of Vantage Creative, this relaxed tasting focuses on personal discovery rather than searching for the “right” tasting notes. Set in the cosy, book-lined surroundings of Beinn Coffee & Books and limited to just eight guests, it offers an intimate, thoughtful and genuinely different way to start your Festival day.
Mystery Drams on the Speyside Way - Larkfire
Step into a day of flavour, folklore and fresh Speyside air on this unforgettable whisky adventure. Along the banks of the River Spey, you’ll wander through stunning scenery while enjoying a series of mystery drams from five distilleries, each adding its own intrigue to the journey. With music from the official Larkfire Piper, special guest hosts sharing stories and insights along the way, and a relaxed riverside BBQ to round things off, this is a celebration of great whisky, great company and the landscape that makes Speyside so special. Expect atmosphere, character and a day you’ll be talking about long after the final dram.
The Glenlivet: Silent Spirit - The Glenlivet
The Glenlivet Silent Spirit is where time, taste and rhythm come together for an unforgettable night. Set in the historic Malt Loft, this immersive silent disco pairs the greatest hits of the 80s, 90s and today with expressions of The Glenlivet 12 Year Old from the same eras, creating a multi-sensory journey through music and malt. With premium wireless headsets letting you choose your soundtrack, expertly paired drams, signature cocktails and an atmosphere that blends heritage with high-energy celebration, this is not just a party, it is a bold fusion of flavour, nostalgia and Speyside style.
From Land to Dram: The Wild Spirit of The Cabrach
At the rugged edge of Speyside, The Cabrach Distillery sits at the heart of a remarkable community regeneration and nature recovery project at Inverharroch Farm. Join Distillery Manager Euan Christie for a hands-on exploration of the land, heritage and ambition behind this Whisky With Purpose mission. From walking the historic farm and discovery trail to sharing a dram in the Riverside Bothy and tasting spirit made from 100% Inverharroch barley, this immersive experience connects landscape, craft and future vision. The journey concludes in the dunnage warehouse, where you’ll take part in filling a cask and sample the evolving spirit that tells The Cabrach story.
