Scotch Whisky, only from Scotland
Scotch Whisky -We do not set out to give you all 100 or so distilleries
in Scotland. Instead we offer a more manageable selection of some of the better
known names that are open to the public
Click on a yellow button for further details of that distillery
Whisky Areas
The different areas have their own characteristics
- Highland , north of Pitlochrie, but excluding
the separate areas of Speyside and Islay
- Northern Highland malts are sweeter and have more body and
character than Lowland malts. They can be distinctive, , subtle, rich,
mellow, full, peaty or delicate. Or perhaps a balance of all of these characteristics
- Lowland Malts
Lowland malts are drier than Highland malts, and tend to be lighter whiskies
with fewer individual differences than those of other regions.
- Speyside Malts
The Speyside malts are the sweetest whiskies. Although they do not have as
much body as some Highland malts, their flavours are richer and more complex
and have a subtle delicate aroma which can be easy to identify.
- Perthshire Malt
The Perthshire malts, although Highland by definition, come from the area
bordering the Lowland region. They tend to somewhere in character between
that of Lowland and Speyside whiskies.
- Islay Malts
Islay malts are the easiest malts s to recognise. They are the most pungent
and most heavily peaty These malts take their characteristics both from
the peat used to dry the barley and their closeness to the sea. These factors
give them what is often described as a seaweedy, medicinal taste and a distinct
peaty flavour.
Whisky
- Scotch can only have this name if it has been distilled and
matured in Scotland. It is protected under international law in the same way
that Champagne and other regional specialities are protected.
- Scotch comes in two varieties, grain and
malt.
- Single Grain whiskies are blended with single
Malt whiskies to make a blended product
- the branded products you buy in the shops. The characteristics of single
Grains are as individual as those of Single Malt whiskies.
- Single Malt whiskies are sold under the name of their particular
distillery, and are the aristocrats for drinkers
- If you want to know more about the history of Scotch
follow this link
- And if you want to brew some yourself, this is Whisky,
how to make it
Scotch distilleries