Walking the Speyside Way
from Craigellachie to Ballindalloch
The Spey River became mythical to me, not only because of the crystal clear water flowing from the mountains to the sea, but everything around it. It was a fresh June morning in 2019, when the lads and I were guests at Tamdhu Distillery, and we were escorted to the little Dalbeallie Train Station for early morning drams. Starting the day with a 60 % abv sherried Tamdhu is a kick to the teeth, a delicious one!. While I stood there, on the decommissioned platform, I observed the track that had no more rails in it, but thousands of footsteps from people walking the Speyside Way. Then and there, the root was planted: I would one day walk at least this stretch of the famous walk between Buckie and Newtonmore.
Then the lockdown happened. And basically life happened. In that period I got married, changed jobs, got two strokes and picked up the pieces. I started this blog. All of a sudden I found myself with time, opportunity and good reason to finally do it! I booked my trip for June 2026 and started training. I had my mind set on the stretch between Craigellachie and Cragganmore. I would pass the Aberlour, Dailuaine, Dalmunach, Knockando, Tamdhu and Cragganmore distilleries. The dream that seemed mythical in my head, became reality. The walk is easy, mostly striding on excellent pathways, with no steep climbs or big hurdles. It is just a distance of around 20 kilometres. But there is rain and shine, and bearing the insecurity of that question: is my body still up for this after the medical setbacks?
Craiggelachie
I did not enter the Speyside Way straight away downstairs at the Highlander Inn, but first took a closer look at Thomas Telford’s Craigellachie Bridge. An absolute landmark for Speyside, and a beautiful piece of engineering and construction. It was built around 1812-1814. The River Spey splashes past you with that characteristic sound of speed, stream, stones being ruffled. In front of you rises a wall of rock and trees, not far behind you could find The Macallan Distillery. It is a marvel. While the rain was coming down in waves, I had an espresso at a charming little truck, from which the owner also sold all kinds of snacks. She services the local community but I am sure the walkers of the Way enjoy her offerings too. Now then, the route between Craigellachie and Aberlour knows a mesmerising highlight in the shape of the Craigellachie Tunnel, where the train would have cut into the rocky side. All of a sudden you are walking in the pitch black, and the echoes around you seem to come from another world. I really enjoyed this part of the Speyside Way. In this stretch you walk mostly on a path through the trees, but then it opens up. The Spey creeps closer to you, and for the biggest part of the stretch you walk alongside it until you reach Aberlour.
Aberlour
Aberlour is a beautiful little town, famous for the Walker’s Shortbread and of course the distillery with the same name. Here you can find anything you need, from a good drink to nice food and supermarkets and accommodations. I walked around the little Aberlour Train Station, which is now the headquarters for the Speyside Way as a tourist attraction. I headed to the Mash Tun, a well-known whiskybar, not far from the banks of the Spey and the park, where children play happily, no matter how hard the rain comes down. I must say, the atmosphere in the Mash Tun left something to be desired. Maybe the entire staff had an off-day, but the willingness to help me choose a dram was at a minimum. It did not let it ruin my mood, and when in Aberlour I ordered, naturally, an Aberlour single malt whisky. While thinking of standing on the Victoria Bridge, the Spey water underneath me, I sipped away.
Aberlour 16 years old, Small Batch Edition, bottled at 59,4 % abv
First things first: An Aberlour Distillery Exclusive of which 1560 bottles were available. Matured in second fill sherry butts, and still handsomely dark. Bottled on 6 March 2025.
Upon Sipping: Tasted in the Mash Tun, Aberlour. Very inviting sherry nose, a bit woody perhaps, with some sawdust, but good woodland smells too. On the tongue it is quite hot, not unlike recent A’Bunadh batches, but with more chocolate and spices. Gradually diluting it, more hints of petrichor present themselves. As I taste this on my walk over the Speyside Way, it is not difficult to connect this to the wild flowing river, the rocks in the riverbed constantly wet, always smelling like a summer rainshower.
Word to the Wise: Maybe a bit too brutal, but a rewarding dram.
Score: 86 points.
Carron / Dalmunach
Another spectacular bridge spans the Spey at Carron, not far from the Dailuaine Distillery. When the train was still on track, both road and rail crossed the river here, which was quite unique for its day. Nowadays I paused for a moment exactly in the middle, and watched the Spey come from the right around the bend upstream, and after flowing underneath me, turn another bend to the left downstream. The landscape changes here, from rolling fields to more steep mountainsides. No giants, but a little more rise out of them. I continued my stride into Carron, where the eye was caught by the enormous Dalmunach Distillery. Over 10 years ago, this ultra modern facility started producing, with a capacity of 10 million litres per year. Walkers of the Speyside Way used to pass the Imperial Distillery on this location, but that site was decommissioned around 1998 and never produced again. I have to say, Dalmunach is impressive to see, and not one of these ugly concrete monstrosities. While walking alongside the distillery grounds, you cannot not be in awe of the massive scale.
Dalmunach 2016, 9 years old, bottled at 56,3 % abv by Maltbarn
First things first: Matured in a bourbon cask that produced 98 bottles in the Planets series.
Upon Sipping: Still 9 years old but very close to being a teenager, this Dalmunach shows great potential with a lot of vanilla and yellow apples, mingled with a grassy note and some wet pebbles. Beautiful hints of soft banana skin. On the palate, a very sweet and luscious impression, with the vanilla very present. The wood spices are very strong towards the finish, leaving a good glowing warmth when you swallow. With a drop of water more of the nature surrounding the distillery, including some wildflowers. Hints of tropical fruits too. I am quite impressed here. The palate is not elevated by some water though, so we keep it in the middle of the road.
Word to the Wise: That Dalmunach has great potential, comparable to Ballindalloch and Roseisle, is evident from this expression. Good Speyside whisky with some edgy sides to elevate it above average.
Score: 86 points.
Knockando / Tamdhu
Leaving Dalmunach behind me, I noticed the route becoming more tranquil. Less and less habitation, more and more nature. When my timing was off and nature actually called, I walked into the bushes, only to see something quite remarkable. Overgrown by branches and leaves, crushed between rocks, I see a minty green car. Some kind of pickup I suppose, judging by the visible steering wheel it was an older model from the 1960s or 1970s. If anyone recognises this description and knows more about what happened, I would love to hear it. Reach out! On we went, the path following the river closely. On the right hand side I passed by some houses, the laundry flowing in the wind, and then I came to the Knockando Distillery. Not open to visitors, sadly, as I would love to peek inside. A sign tells me that is impossible, so maybe there will be a chance in the future. I shot my pictures and walked on, remembering the delicious Knockando single malts I enjoyed. But there is not much time to ponder, because in the distance looms the next distillery: Tamdhu. The circle seemed full, as I approached Dalbeallie Station and stood exactly where I stood in 2019. I whipped out my mini Tamdhu 15 years old and took a sip. Later I would descend to the bank of the river and finish the bottle off. Right at the Spey, the sun came out, the whisky was smooth as silk. For this entry in Tom’s Dram Diary, we found some other appropriate samples to taste!
Knockando 15 years old, bottled at 43 % abv
First things first: An expression of Knockando that does not mention the vintage year. Matured in Sherry and refill Bourbon casks.
Upon Sipping: This is how “whisky” smells to me. Probably from my first memory of sniffing from a glass of Ballentine’s in the 1990s, when my brother still drank it, this seems to be a definition of “whisky smell” to me. This is the side of Speyside single malt that I also like very much, a strong nuttiness and abundant oak aroma. Beautiful woodland impressions and delicate spices, something Japanese even. More leaning towards barley than to fruity notes, but maybe you could detect some plums in there. On the tongue, it is indeed rich and mature, with beautiful wooded influences, some mint, overripe pears, pumpernickel and tea leaves at the bottom of your cup that you accidentally get on your lips. Very layered. The sherried content of this composition brings darker elements, maybe even some sweetened ashes and the tip of the cigar on your lips. After repeated sipping, I do pick up some apricot, but it remains closer to the cigar than the fruitbowl. If there ever was a Knockando that would fit the profile of Flora & Fauna bottlings, this would be it. Very fragrant and talkative, but also delivering on the palate.
Word to the Wise: Do not tell anyone until you stocked up, but these bottles go for under 30 euros on a certain auction I visit from time to time. This is a secret Speyside gem that can easily compete with Glenfarclas 15, and even crush Glenfiddich 15 and The Glenlivet 15. A very classy single malt.
Score: 85 points.
Tamdhu 10 years old, vintage 2013, bottled at 57,9 % abv by Alistair Walker
First things first: A bottling in the Infrequent Flyers series. PX Puncheon # 800069 produced 698 bottles. The whisky was distilled on 30 November 2013 and bottled in June 2024.
Upon Sipping: Very classical Tamdhu, although I believe most official expressions come from oloroso sherry. This PX makes for a fruity and fragrant delivery on the nose, lots of red berries but also a hint of freshly polished furniture. For further examination we are going to need water, as the high abv makes it sharp. The taste is a mix between bitter cherry liquor and dark chocolate, with a rather sharp and wooded finish. This is not for the faint of heart! With water, we finally pick up some nuances, with mostly praline and milk chocolate. The distillery character is absolutely there, but it is struggling the way more heavy cask influence. More prunes after some breathing, this Tamdhu needs time. The mouth is now filled with a creamy strawberry mousse feeling, very creamy, but on the finish there are hints of coriander, ginger and soybeans. If you are sensitive to these sensations, this might not be for you.
Word to the Wise: Not without its flaws, but on the nose and the palate this is classic Tamdhu. I was put off a little by too many soapy tasting elements on the finish.
Score: 84 points.
Cragganmore
From Tamdhu onwards it is another 4 miles to Cragganmore and the former Ballindalloch Station. Let us first compliment the facilities at Tamdhu, as there are toilets halfway to the shore of the river, which gives you an opportunity to take a break before you wander on. On the left, you pass by the impressive big warehouses of Tamdhu and then the landscape opens up into wide views at luscious green fields, the everflowing river in the distance, while you cross tunnels and bridges over little burns rolling off hillsides. This part of the walk truly brought me in a tranquil kind of state, just one foot after the other, onwards in a straight line, soaking up the beautiful natural surroundings. We reached another former train station, this time in Blacksboat. The clock still works. Crossing a very wobbly bridge and onwards, I finally arrived at what would almost be the end of my line. The Ballindalloch Viaduct or also known as the Ballindalloch Railway Bridge was built in 1863. It is a wrought iron lattice girder bridge, with a single-span of 195 feet (59 metres). It seems narrow, unbelievable to imagine this bridge carrying trains from one bank of the Spey to the other. As I stood still in the middle, I marvelled at the views of the river below me, the intense green of the landscape, a cool breeze in my face. A few steps further you gaze upon a sign of what was also a stop on the line, the Cragganmore Granary Halt. A standing stone the size of a large baseball bat carries the saying “Today’s rain is tomorrow’s whisky”. We are in whisky country after all. I had made it to the end. At the former Ballindalloch Station I made it to the road, only to discover I had not thoroughly thought out my return. Luckily, my hosts at Brylach Steading where I was staying were more than prepared to give me a lift. Forever grateful for that! I fulfilled my dream of walking this part of the Speyside Way!
The Cragganmore Distillery
One day later, I would start my series of interviews that I had planned in the Speyside region. After an interesting visit to the Tormore Distillery, I had some spare time to visit the Glenlivet Distillery Shop for some whiskies that I could review. I also returned to the end of my walk the day before. I never saw the Cragganmore Distillery and decided to drop by, only to find it is currently closed to the public. It broke my heart, but I also happened to meet an angel. An employee was sweeping the yard when I got out of the car for some pictures. Aiming with a long shot, I asked if I could see the famous stills of Cragganmore. Much to my surprise, she agreed to show me around. In the silent season, this was not a problem at all, and I basked in Scottish hospitality (even though my hostess for these 10 minutes was Eastern European, and equally welcoming!). I saw the stills with the flat tops, so unique in the Scotch whisky industry, and quickly walked by the washbacks, mashtun and mill. Cragganmore is a classic jewel in the crown of Scottish distilling heritage, rightly one of the Classic Malts, and it should be open to the public. Let’s hope this is in the near future again for tourists and fans alike. Let us round up this entry in Tom’s Dram Diary with an appropriate last single malt whisky.
Cragganmore Distillery Exclusive Bottling, batch 02, bottled at 48 % abv
First things first: A batch selected by the Cragganmore Distillery Team, that resulted in 3.000 bottles of this “Best of Speyside” matured on refill, charred and rejuvenated red wine casks.
Upon Sipping: I actually stumbled onto this bottle in the Royal Lochnagar Distillery Shop, where the tour guide told me this would be the last ever Cragganmore Distillery Exclusive, as the tours had stopped. If there is one thing I have learned in Scotch whisky, it is that “ever” is never “forever”. For now, we savour this expression. It is a fierce one, and I double-checked if this was not cask strength, but it really is not. The nose is very fruity, but not the usual suspects, no, this Cragganmore is very ripe and mature, reading for the picking. Luscious apples, very deep and red, peaches, plums, and redcurrants. When the glass opens up, there are hints of ozone and always a layer of wood smoke, dry oak and some chimney fumes. The arrival on the palate is sweet and pleasant, but there are some rough edges of dry dark chocolate, but then the finish comes with strawberry freshness. Somehow, the red wine element of this batch has been put to great use, as it serves the spirit rather than it dominates this Cragganmore. With water we pick up more herbal influences, almost like you are nosing a good gin. The palate became a little too woody for me now, but the finish is where I fall back in love. Such scrumptious sweetness there, beautiful red fruit. Very nice!
Word to the Wise: This is red wine maturation I can get used to. In fact, my mind stayed on the beautiful Speyside notes that you want to find in a Cragganmore, and the cask make-up stays in service of that. A very singular expression, worth hunting down!
Score: 88 points.
