AVB
Jesus of Cool, I'm bad, I'm nationwide
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2003
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Lowland
The Lowland region lies South of an imaginary line that runs from Dundee to Greenock. The whiskies tend to be light, dry whiskies and can taste a little spirity, on account of larger stills. Glenkinchie and Auchentoshan still produces reasonable volumes, while others such as St.Magdalene in Linlithgow and Rosebank in Falkirk have sadly been mothballed. On a positive note, Bladnoch, Scotland's most Southerly distillery is now producing again after several years of rest, thanks to Raymond Armstrong’s efforts. He has been also been producing a heavily peated spirit that has yet to be released...very un-Lowlandlike, but we look forward to trying it.
Speyside
The whiskies from Speyside are typically the sweetest of the malts, with a variety of strength from light, floral flavours to heavy, rich, sherried flavours. Speyside has always been at the centre of whisky distilling in Scotland. Lying between Inverness and Aberdeen in the Grampian mountains, there are no less than 84 distilleries producing whisky (and 12 currently not producing). The Scotch whisky industry has been built on the illicit distillers from Speyside who turned legal after the Excise act of 1823. The list of Speyside malts is pretty overwhelming, but some of the better known names include The Macallan, Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, The Balvenie, Glenfarclas, Mortlach, Glen Moray and Aberlour.
Highland
The largest of the regions and the one that has the greatest of diversity of style. From Glengoyne just North of Glasgow and Oban in the West to Glengarioch in Aberdeen shire and Old Pulteney in Wick, not far from John O’ Groats there are coastal peaty style whiskies, unpeated whiskies, and smooth gentle whiskies. Some of the better know distilleries in addition to the ones mentioned above are Oban, Clynelish, Glen Ord, Royal Lochnagar, Dalwhinnie, Old Fettercairn and Brora. These malts range from medium to light bodied with heather and some peatiness in Northern Highland whiskies and a sweeter floral flavour in the whiskies further South.
Campbeltown
Campbeltown whiskies are medium to full bodied, with some of the peat found in the neighbouring Islay whiskies together with some saltiness.
Towards the end of the Kintyre peninsula on the West Coast of Scotland lies Campbeltown. Once home to 32 whisky distilleries at its peak, and technically part of the Highland region, it is really a region in its own right. Campbeltown is the famous home of the mighty Springbank and the lesser known Glen Scotia.
Springbank also produce the heavily peated Longrow and triple distilled Hazelburn as well as producing Kilkerran malt in the ancient buildings of Glengyle Distillery, which was the first new whisky distillery of the 21st Century.
Island
The whiskies in this category vary considerably, but some say they are influenced by their seaside locations, being often salty. They is a tendency towards peaty, smoky character as many peat their barley although not to the extent of their Islay cousins. The island group does not include Islay, which is treated as a region in its own right.
The newest Island distillery is Arran which was built in the mid 1990’s. There is then is Jura, neighbour to the Islay malts. Moving North there is Tobermory on Mull which also distills the more heavily peated Ledaig. On Skye there is the well known Talisker, then on Orkney the two Northerly distilleries of Scapa and Highland Park.
Islay
Islay is a mecca for whisky lovers. There are 8 distilleries squeezed onto the island from the recently re-opened Bruichladdich and Ardbeg to Bowmore, Lagavulin, Bunnahabhain and Laphroaig. Caol Ila's malts were re-launched by owners Diageo in summer 2002, giving a welcome boost to the distillery. Taking their smoky flavour from the peat fuel used for malting the barley used in producing their whiskies, Islay malts are often described as being smoky and medicinal, salty and 'seaweedy'. Port Ellen distillery sadly ceased production in 1983, although some bottles of its wonderful malt are still available through independent bottlers such as Signatory, Douglas Laing & Co and a series of Annual Releases by the company that closed it.
Thanks to Royal Mile Whiskies for the cut & paste.
The Lowland region lies South of an imaginary line that runs from Dundee to Greenock. The whiskies tend to be light, dry whiskies and can taste a little spirity, on account of larger stills. Glenkinchie and Auchentoshan still produces reasonable volumes, while others such as St.Magdalene in Linlithgow and Rosebank in Falkirk have sadly been mothballed. On a positive note, Bladnoch, Scotland's most Southerly distillery is now producing again after several years of rest, thanks to Raymond Armstrong’s efforts. He has been also been producing a heavily peated spirit that has yet to be released...very un-Lowlandlike, but we look forward to trying it.
Speyside
The whiskies from Speyside are typically the sweetest of the malts, with a variety of strength from light, floral flavours to heavy, rich, sherried flavours. Speyside has always been at the centre of whisky distilling in Scotland. Lying between Inverness and Aberdeen in the Grampian mountains, there are no less than 84 distilleries producing whisky (and 12 currently not producing). The Scotch whisky industry has been built on the illicit distillers from Speyside who turned legal after the Excise act of 1823. The list of Speyside malts is pretty overwhelming, but some of the better known names include The Macallan, Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, The Balvenie, Glenfarclas, Mortlach, Glen Moray and Aberlour.
Highland
The largest of the regions and the one that has the greatest of diversity of style. From Glengoyne just North of Glasgow and Oban in the West to Glengarioch in Aberdeen shire and Old Pulteney in Wick, not far from John O’ Groats there are coastal peaty style whiskies, unpeated whiskies, and smooth gentle whiskies. Some of the better know distilleries in addition to the ones mentioned above are Oban, Clynelish, Glen Ord, Royal Lochnagar, Dalwhinnie, Old Fettercairn and Brora. These malts range from medium to light bodied with heather and some peatiness in Northern Highland whiskies and a sweeter floral flavour in the whiskies further South.
Campbeltown
Campbeltown whiskies are medium to full bodied, with some of the peat found in the neighbouring Islay whiskies together with some saltiness.
Towards the end of the Kintyre peninsula on the West Coast of Scotland lies Campbeltown. Once home to 32 whisky distilleries at its peak, and technically part of the Highland region, it is really a region in its own right. Campbeltown is the famous home of the mighty Springbank and the lesser known Glen Scotia.
Springbank also produce the heavily peated Longrow and triple distilled Hazelburn as well as producing Kilkerran malt in the ancient buildings of Glengyle Distillery, which was the first new whisky distillery of the 21st Century.
Island
The whiskies in this category vary considerably, but some say they are influenced by their seaside locations, being often salty. They is a tendency towards peaty, smoky character as many peat their barley although not to the extent of their Islay cousins. The island group does not include Islay, which is treated as a region in its own right.
The newest Island distillery is Arran which was built in the mid 1990’s. There is then is Jura, neighbour to the Islay malts. Moving North there is Tobermory on Mull which also distills the more heavily peated Ledaig. On Skye there is the well known Talisker, then on Orkney the two Northerly distilleries of Scapa and Highland Park.
Islay
Islay is a mecca for whisky lovers. There are 8 distilleries squeezed onto the island from the recently re-opened Bruichladdich and Ardbeg to Bowmore, Lagavulin, Bunnahabhain and Laphroaig. Caol Ila's malts were re-launched by owners Diageo in summer 2002, giving a welcome boost to the distillery. Taking their smoky flavour from the peat fuel used for malting the barley used in producing their whiskies, Islay malts are often described as being smoky and medicinal, salty and 'seaweedy'. Port Ellen distillery sadly ceased production in 1983, although some bottles of its wonderful malt are still available through independent bottlers such as Signatory, Douglas Laing & Co and a series of Annual Releases by the company that closed it.
Thanks to Royal Mile Whiskies for the cut & paste.