Speyside Cooperage

Overview

For tour bookings email: [email protected]  Or call: 01340 871108

Speyside Cooperage is an excellent family-owned visitor centre, awarded 5* by the Scottish Tourist Board. The Taylors have been making oak barrels since 1947, using the finest oaks from Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee in the USA, renowned to be the best ones for coopering.

The opening hours are restrained to when the factory is in action so that all visitors can observe the skilled coopers at work.

Speyside Cooperage makes barrels for distilleries in Speyside, and also beer casks for the Marstons Brewery.

The basic tour package is the "Classic Tour" which starts with a very good 15-minute video (complete with special effects)that explains the history of Cooper's art, the different types of wood used, and the skills required to keep a barrel in serviceable condition for up to 60 years. A tour guide then takes you to a viewing gallery that overlooks the production area where you can see the workforce toiling away at their different crafts. Nobody seems to be slacking off so maybe the idea of having a spectator gallery is a management plan to maintain the productivity levels. You'll be impressed by how hard these guys work.

Located just south of Craigellachie on the A941 to Dufftown.