Whiskies from Speyside
If you’ve ever looked to buy whisky from a shop or an online whisky exchange, you’ll find that whiskies are classified by area. So, what distinguishes Speyside whisky from Highland whisky? This is the third article about the Scotch whisky manufacturing regions. I investigated the Lowlands and the Highlands. Speyside is a region of the Highlands. Understanding the various areas allows you to appreciate the distinctiveness of Scotch whisky. Obtain the Best information about Karuizawa 31 Year Old – Sapphire Geisha.
Speyside is a region of the Scottish Highlands in northeastern Scotland, centered on the Spey River. Because of the region’s high concentration of distilleries is classified as its whisky-producing region, while some whiskies from this region are marketed as Highland. There are certain parallels between Speyside and Highland malts, however. There are over 60 distilleries in the area, and two of the most well-known single malts, Glenfiddich and Glenlivet, are produced here.
Speyside Whisky Production History
The history of Speyside whiskey production parallels that of the Highland region. The Glenlivet received the first legal permission to distill whisky in Scotland in 1824. Probably because of the plentiful arable land that was easy to manage. (as opposed to the mountains to the west). As a result, Speyside now features some of Scotland’s best and largest whisky distilleries.
Whiskies from Speyside
The majority of Speyside whiskies employ only lightly peated grain. As a result, they have only a slight smokiness to them. The malts are often light with honey overtones, while some distilleries make more robust malts. Speyside whiskies are generally classified into two types: light, grassy whiskies, and rich, sweet, sherry-like whiskies.
Distilleries in Speyside.
I’ll concentrate on a few of the most excellent distilleries in Speyside because there are just too many to list.
Glenfiddich. The distillery, founded in 1886 by William Grant, has remained independent and family-owned. He and his nine children built it, and the same warehouses are still used today. It is close to Dufftown, in the heart of Speyside. It is a giant in whisky manufacturing, producing approximately 10,000,000 liters of alcohol annually. All of the whisky is aged in its onsite warehouses and bottled there. They make a variety of malts, the youngest being 12 years old and the oldest being 21 years old. The primary whisky in Grant’s blend comes in a triangle-shaped bottle identical to the iconic 12-year-old single malt.
The Macallan whisky. This is a renowned single-malt whisky that was founded in 1824. Over the ages, it has had various owners and names. (originally called the Elchies distillery). However, it has just recently achieved appeal as a single malt. It wasn’t until 1970 that it became available as a single malt. According to reports, it is now the world’s third most popular single malt. Only ex-sherry casks from Jerez, Spain, are used to mature the single malt. This gives it a sweet, distinct flavor.
The Glenlivet distillery. It is located near the town of Tomintoul. The Glenlivet distillery was the first legal distillery in Scotland. It is located on the grounds of Upper Drummin Farm Distillery. Because the neighboring distilleries were operating without a license, the owner grew enraged that Glenlivet was acting lawfully and successfully. As a result, the owner, George Smith, was forced to carry a pair of pistols for protection. It’s a mild and mellow Speyside malt. It is the world’s second most popular single malt and the best-selling in the United States.
Balvenie, Aberlour, Cardhu, Cragganmore, and Macduff are renowned distilleries.
To summarize
Speyside whiskies are the crowning achievement of Scotch single-malt whisky production. The region produces high-quality malts that appeal to a wide range of palates. The only issue is deciding which is your favorite.
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