Speyside whiskies

Speyside is the Scottish region with the most distilleries: they cluster around the River Spey and its tributaries, in the north-east of the country, between Elgin, Dufftown and Rothes. Here are some of the world’s best-selling single malts, such as Glenfiddich, The Glenlivet and The Macallan. Its fame rests on elegant, fruity whiskies, often matured in sherry casks, although the region holds more variety than it seems.

In the catalogue
92 whiskies
Distilleries and brands
28
Most common type
Single malt
Peated
7 of 92

History, style and where to startIts distilleries on the world map

92 whiskies

Guide to Speyside

History

The region had everything needed to distil: barley from the plains of Moray, peat, clean water and remote glens where illegal stills could be hidden. After the 1823 act, The Glenlivet was one of the first licensed distilleries, and its name became so famous that others added it to their own. The arrival of the railway in the second half of the 19th century and the rise of blends multiplied the distilleries, many of them built to supply malt for blending. Dufftown even boasted of being the whisky capital of the world.

What the law says

Speyside is one of the five regions protected by the 2009 Scotch Whisky Regulations, alongside the Highlands, the Lowlands, Islay and Campbeltown. A whisky may only state it on the label if it has been distilled entirely there. Before that law it was considered part of the Highlands, and some distilleries in the area still use that name.

Style and flavour

The classic Speyside style is clean and fruity: apple, pear, honey and flowers, with a medium body. A large share of its distilleries mature in sherry casks, which add raisins, walnut and spice, such as Macallan, Glenfarclas and Aberlour. There is almost no peat, although some houses, like BenRiach and Benromach, make smoky versions. It is a very rewarding region for discovering how the same spirit changes depending on the cask.

Average flavour profile of the 92 Speyside whiskies in the catalogue

Sweet
3.0
Fresh fruit
2.4
Ripe and dried fruit
1.9
Floral and herbal
1.2
Cereal and malt
1.6
Vanilla and creamy
1.9
Oak
1.8
Spicy
1.8
Toasted
1.6
Smoky
0.3
Maritime
0.0
Body and intensity
2.4

Where to start

Glenfiddich 12 Year Old and The Glenlivet 12 Double Oak are simple, fresh and fruity ways in. If sherry appeals to you, Aberlour 12 Double Cask or Glenfarclas 12 Year Old show the region’s richer side. To compare casks, The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 is a good exercise: American oak first and sherry afterwards.

This text was generated and translated by AI and may contain errors.

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