What's On at Stirling SpiritFEST 2026
Picture one bright November afternoon. A branded Glencairn glass in your hand, a room full of Scottish makers pouring the good stuff, and a whole festival built around the simple joy of tasting something brilliant. That is Stirling SpiritFEST 2026, and it lands at the Stirling Highland Hotel on Saturday 14 November. If you love Scottish spirits, this is the afternoon to plan the rest of the month around.
We run it every year, and every year it sells out. Here is exactly what is on, what your ticket gets you, and how to grab a place before they go.
When and where
Stirling SpiritFEST 2026 takes over the Stirling Highland Hotel (FK8 1DU) on Saturday 14 November, from 2:00pm to 5:45pm. It is a strictly over-18s event, so bring photo ID. Just 300 tickets go out for the whole festival, which is part of why it fills up fast and stays that way. The early bird tier has already sold out.
The venue sits right in the heart of historic Stirling, an easy afternoon whether you are local or making a day of it. If you are travelling in, our plan your visit guide has everything you need on getting here and making a proper day of it around the city.
Over 20 Scottish distilleries, one room
This is the heart of it. More than 20 Scottish distilleries under one roof, pouring across gin, rum, vodka, whisky and even pisco. Gin leads the charge, but the spread means you can wander from a foraged-fruit gin to a single-cask whisky to a spiced rum in the space of a few steps, all with the maker right there to talk you through it.
That last part matters. This is not a bar. It is a chance to taste straight from the people who distil, blend and bottle these spirits, to ask the daft questions and the clever ones, and to find your next favourite bottle from someone who can tell you exactly how it came to be.
We are revealing the full line-up maker by maker in the weeks before the festival, so follow along and watch the names drop. Expect a mix of familiar favourites and small-batch makers you have not met yet, from every corner of Scotland. Keep an eye on our events page as the reveals roll out.
What your ticket gets you
There are three ways in, and all of them come loaded.
Standard, £39.50. Your entry, a branded Glencairn tasting glass to keep, and a Stirling tote to carry home whatever you fall for on the day. The glass alone is the right tool for the job and yours to take away, which makes this the easiest yes on the list.
Group of 4, £140. Coming with your people? Book four together and it works out at £35 each, everyone with their own glass and tote. Round up the gin lovers and sort your afternoon in one go.
The Distiller's Table, £54.50. This is the one for the curious. Everything in Standard, plus a reserved seat at a guided tasting that kicks off at 1:00pm, a full hour before the main floor opens. The theme this year is Taste Pisco Like a Maker, hosted by Capel, walking you through a spirit most festivals never touch. Only 30 seats exist, and when they are gone, they are gone.
Why Stirling SpiritFEST is worth the ticket
Plenty of tastings hand you a dram and move you along. Stirling SpiritFEST is built to slow you down. You get the makers, the stories, the provenance and the craft, all in one warm, boutique afternoon with a glass that is genuinely yours. It is the kind of day out that turns a curiosity about Scottish spirits into a proper passion, and it happens once a year.
It is also a brilliant way to plan your Christmas shopping. Taste widely, find the bottles that actually land for you, and buy them from the people who made them. Far better than guessing in a supermarket aisle in December.
How to book
With only 300 tickets and the early bird already sold out, the smart move is to book now rather than hope later. Full details on tiers, timings and the Distiller's Table live on our Stirling SpiritFEST page, where you can secure your place in a couple of clicks.
Grab your ticket, pour into that Glencairn glass on 14 November, and spend an afternoon tasting the best of Scotland with the makers themselves. We will see you there.