Location and contact details
Location: Dufftown Road, Craigellachie, Banffshire, Scotland AB38 9RS
Visit Type: Vistor Centre
Co-ordinates: 57.482440, -3.181151
Telephone: +44 (0) 1340) 871108
Email: enquiries@speysidecooperage.co.uk
Web: https://www.speysidecooperage.co.uk 
Twitter: Speyside Cooperage (@SpeyCooperage)Facts and figures
| Location | Banffshire |
| Founded | 1947 |
| Founder | Taylor Family |
| Owner | Tonnellerie Francois Freres Group |
Opening Hours
Monday to Friday
Tours every half an hour starting 9.00am
Last tour 15.30pm
Coffee Shop closes 16.00pm
Gift Shop closes 16.45pm
Closed over Christmas and New Year for two weeks
Tours
Classic Tour
£4
The knowledgeable guides will accompany you through the exhibition which includes an informative 4-D cinematic presentationaudio visual presentation followed by a visit to the viewing gallery where you can watch first hand the Coopers at work accompanied by one of the knowledgeable guides.
Booking is advisable particularly in Summer months.
Duration: 45 minutes (approx)
VIP Tour
£30
An experienced former Cooper will guide you through the visitor centre giving a tour beginning with the 4D sensory cinematic video presentation where you will experience the sights, sounds and aromas of the working cooperage.
You will then visit the viewing gallery where you can watch first hand the Coopers at work and even try your hand at building the on-site miniature barrels! After this, you will be escorted down on to the shop floor to see the Coopers and their Apprentices up close as they repair casks at lightning speed. Witness the firing/charring of the casks and get some amazing photo opportunities.
Go on to a reserved area in our coffee shop to enjoy a dram of our own label 10 year old single malt whisky served to enjoy with locally shortbreads and biscuits and your choice from our speciality teas and coffees.
A Speyside Cooperage Glencairn tasting glass in a gift box is yours to keep along with a Cooperage Golf/Bar Towel.
The VIP tour is available to over 18’s only and must be booked in advance. Maximum of 8 persons and subject to availability.
Lasting appx 90 minutes. Runs at either 10.00am or 14.00pm.
Review: VIP Tour (10:00 on 25/09/2019)
Price: £35
I've been coming to Scotland to tour distilleries since 2012, but have somehow avoided visiting the Speyside Cooperage. I've always meant to visit, but it somehow never made it onto the final itinerary. This year I decided to remedy this, and made it one of the first visits to be booked. Standard tours run every 30 minutes, but for a VIP Tour you do need to book in advance; I opted for the VIP tour.
The guide on this tour is a former cooper so you're being given a tour by someone who is very experienced and can give you accurate information. Our tour guide had multiple members of his family who had been coopers, including his father and brother.
The tour starts with a short video on the history of the cooperage and overview of the processes. The tour then moves to a viewing platform looking into the cooperage before you get to go down into the cooperage. We got a walk around outside in the storage area where the guide tells you about what is done and why. We then went back into the cooperage which we got to stand near all of the areas; we saw barrels being fired, barrels being assembled and tested.
The guide is very knowledgeable and you get to see all of the processes close up. The guide will make sure you stay safe and out of the way of the coopers.
After you leave the production area, you go to the cafe where they have tea/coffee/hot chocolate and shortbread and biscuits (cookies) for you to try. You also get a sample of the 10 Year old Speyside Cooperage branded whisky (it was very nice).
You also get a Speyside Cooperage Glencairn glass and bar towel.
The tour was very good and definitely worth doing; I wish I had done it a few years ago.
