A new Scottish whisky festival designed to create a ‘walkable city-wide distillery tour’ will launch in Aberdeen this autumn.

The inaugural Whisky Week will run from September 5 to 15, putting the Granite City’s vibrant bar scene and distilleries into the spotlight while celebrating Scotland’s national drink.

The event is being organised by Charlie Bain of whisky merchandising firm Slanjj and Gregor Sey of Cocktail Events UK and Aberdeen Cocktail Week who share a combined wealth of experience in the drinks and festival sectors.

Pictured: Gregor Sey and Charlie Bain, Whisky Week organisersPictured: Gregor Sey and Charlie Bain, Whisky Week organisers (Image: Mark Messer)

Bain said: “I’ve been fortunate to attend dozens of whisky festivals, but none I’ve visited have this format that encourages attendees to explore a city.

“I think Aberdeen really punches above its weight when it comes to the range of bars and pubs on offer, and I hope that Whisky Week can showcase that to locals and tourists alike.”


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More than 20 venues including The Firepit by Smoke and Soul, St Machar Bar and CASC have already signed up to help offer an immersive experience for festival goers.

Julie Marples, general manager of The Grill on Union Street, said: “Aberdeen Whisky Week is a welcome addition to the city’s events calendar. 

“Whisky lovers adore The Grill and we are equally excited to showcase some new additions to our 500-plus-strong whisky collection.

"We've got a few things up our sleeve and Whisky Week will be an ideal opportunity to reveal some exciting plans.”

Whisky Week will “cater to everyone” from seasoned whisky aficionados looking to expand their palates, to curious locals and tourists eager to take their first sips and learn about Scotland’s rich whisky heritage.

To take part in the event, attendees are asked to purchase a wristband that grants access to exclusive events and special whisky menus at participating venues.

Each venue will be teamed with a distillery, offering at least one dram for £3, along with the option to include up to three additional drams, whisky flights, cocktails, or signature serves crafted with whiskies from their partner distillery.

Participating distilleries are to be announced in the weeks leading up to Whisky Week.

Organisers say the aim is to offer drinks “not typically available to the public”, providing a truly exclusive experience.

Whisky Week wristbands will be priced from £9.50 per person and can be used throughout the 11-day event.

 For more information or to purchase tickets visit whiskyweek.co.uk.