WhiskyDC Celebrating the Spirits of Scotland

Each single malt distillery produces a whisky with a distinctive "personality" -- a combination of color, nose, body, palate, and finish. However, whisky distilleries in similar geographic areas generally produce single malts with some common-alties due to similar micro-climate (in-land verses ocean-side, for example), wild yeasts, source of water and grain, and malting processes.

The major whisky-producing regions are Highland, Lowland, Islay, and Campbeltown (which now has just two distilleries.) The Highland region is further divided into the districts of Speyside, Northern Highland, Eastern Highland, Perthshire and Island.

Lowland

The Lowlands of Scotland include the areas surrounding Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the River Clyde. The area has few peat bogs, little granite, and minimal impact of the salty sea breezes. This produces an easy supply of fine barley and pure spring water. Lowland malts tend to be drier, sweeter, and lighter than the whiskies of other regions. Some examples include Auchentoshan, Bladnoch, and Glenkinche

Islay

The island of Islay lies off the south-western coast of Scotland in the lower Hebrides. The single malt whiskies are the most distinctive and pungent, heavily influenced by the vast peat banks and strong sea air. The region produces a generally peaty and smoky, often with a touch of iodine. Examples include Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Caol Ila, and Bunnahabhain.

Campbeltown

Campbeltown is situated on the shore of the Mull of Kintyre, the long peninsula just south of the islands of Islay and Jura. While Alfred Barbard's Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom listed twenty-one distilleries here in 1886, only two exist today: Springback and Glen Scotia. These single malts are somewhat peaty and smoky, with a touch of salt from the sea.

Speyside

The Speyside Region generally centers around the Spey River and Dufftown, from Grantown-on-Spey in the south to Elgin and Lossiemouth in the north and from Forres and Elgin in the west to Keith and Huntly in the east. About forty distilleries are clustered in this region -- roughly half of all Scottish distilleries -- and produce some whiskies that tend to be sweeter, fruitier, and more finely balanced. Many distilleries use pure underground springs, which flow over and through granite hills. With less peat available to dry the malt, distillers used the more abundant coal. Here, the air is heavy with heather, rather than the tang of the briny sea. Some of the more well-known single malts include The Balvenie, Glenfiddich, and The Macallan.

Northern Highlands

The Northern Highlands stretch from Inverness-shire north to Wick in Caithness, on the northeast corner of Scotland. This mountainous region depends on streams flowing over granite hills, cooled by the breezes laden with the aroma of heather. These single malts tend to be more mellow and flavorful. Here Dalwhinnie, Royal Brackla, and Glenmorangie are distilled.

Eastern Highlands

The Eastern Highland region is centered around Aberdeenshire, from Banff (Banffshire) in the north to Montrose (Angus) in the south. These whiskies are generally dry and fruity, such as the Glen Garioch and Old Fettercairn. Close to Balmoral castle is distilled Queen Victoria's favorite dram, Royal Lochnagar.

Perthshire Malt Bordering the Lowlands, the Perthshire malts naturally tend to fall between the characteristics of the lighter Lowland whiskies and those of the more complex malts of the Speyside. Examples include Deanston, The Edradour, and Glengoyne

The Islands

The Islands of Skye, Jura, and Mull to the west and Orkney in the north are far more similar in their terrain than in the whiskies they distill. Generally, these islands produce somewhat peaty and smoky malts -- some similar to Islay whiskies and some more closely resembling the complex Northern Highland whiskies. The more notable malts are Scapa (Orkney), Highland Park (Orkney), and Talisker (Skye).