Strathspey, Scotland

{{Short description|Region of Scotland}}

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{{Use British English|date=November 2017}}

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File:Speyside Railway and River Spey - geograph.org.uk - 3331313.jpg running through Strathspey]]

Strathspey ({{langx|gd|Srath Spè}}, {{IPA|gd|s̪t̪ɾa ˈs̪peː|}}) is a region of the Scottish Highlands comprising part of the valley of the Spey. It includes the towns of Aviemore, Boat of Garten, Grantown-on-Spey, and Aberlour.

Strathspey, as traditionally defined, stretches from Upper Craigellachie (near Aviemore) to Lower Craigellachie (near the village of the same name).{{cite web|url=https://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurehistory3259.html|title=River Spey (historical perspective)|publisher=Gazetteer for Scotland|accessdate=2024-10-15}} Above it is Badenoch and below it is the low-lying region of Speyside. The region is administratively divided between Moray and the Highland council area.

Speyside is one of the main centres of the Scotch whisky industry, with a high concentration of single malt distilleries in the region, including the Glenfiddich and Balvenie distilleries. Scotland's Malt Whisky Trail is a tourism initiative featuring seven working Speyside distilleries, a historic distillery and the Speyside Cooperage. The concept was created in the early 1980s. The region is a natural for whisky distillers because of three benefits: it is close to barley farms, contains the River Spey and is close to the port of Garmouth.{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20120417-exploring-scotlands-historic-whisky-trail|title=Exploring Scotland's Historic Whisky Trail|author=Celia Shatzman|date=2012-04-30|access-date=2020-01-08|publisher=BBC}} The region also hosts the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.{{cite news |last1=Anderson |first1=Deborah |title=Whisky festival comes of age with virtual festival for second year running |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19256142.whisky-festival-comes-age-virtual-festival-second-year-running/ |access-date=27 April 2021 |work=HeraldScotland |date=24 April 2021 |language=en}}