Speyside

If Islay might be considered the spiritual home of Scotch whisky, Speyside would be the beating heart. It might be more appropriate if we call this area Strathspey – “strath” referring to a “wide, flat valley” (note, a Glen is narrow & deep) since it essentially refers to those distilleries located near the river Spey, and in theory (& advertising) that would be the water source. Based on this, Speyside is a child of the Highland region, but given the sheer number of distilleries it’s earned the right to be a stand-alone region.

The clean, light water (low in minerals), and in olden times a lack of accessibility, led to numerous distillers in the area as the excise men could be assumed a comfortable distance away.

For it’s concentration of distilleries alone (50%+) it’s ideal as a starting point, then add in many of the “big-boys” in the whisky world calling this place home: The Glenlivet, Macallan, Glenfiddich

Why The Glenlivet? Glenlivet became a victim of their own success, in the late 1880s competitors simple sold theirs under the name or added it. In 1884 they received the rights to become the one and only The Glenlivet. You’ll have noticed Macallan have included “The”…

Spey-siders are split personalities, there is no “evil twin” here though. Some are lightly floral and sweet, with varying fruity flavours – opposing those rich, sherry-laden heavier dram, though spice notes are often detected to… spice things up i suppose.