LOWLANDS

The Lowland region of malt whisky production lies south of the theoretical line between Greenock and Dundee, which separates the Highlands from the Lowlands. History has not been kind to the area, and today only Auchentoshan, near Glasgow, Bladnoch in the far west of Galloway, and Glenkinchie, south of Edinburgh, survive, along with a small-scale, farm-based distillery at Daft Mill in Fife, which gave new impetus to the classification when it opened during 2005.

Many connoisseurs consider Rosebank, near Falkirk, to have been the best Lowland of all. Sadly, however, it was the victim of a major 1980s rationalisation programme by owners The Distillers Company Ltd, and is now a lost distillery.

The Lowlands of Scotland include the areas surrounding Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the River Clyde. The area has few peat bogs, little granite, and minimal impact of the salty sea breezes. This produces an easy supply of fine barley and pure spring water. Lowland malts tend to be drier, sweeter, and lighter than the whiskies of other regions. Some examples include Auchentoshan, Bladnoch, and Glenkinche.

Stylistically, Lowlands tend to be comparatively light-bodied, aperitif whiskies, noted for their delicacy and soft, grassy aromas and flavours.