SPEYSIDE

The Speyside Region in Moray takes its name from the second largest river in Scotland, the River Spey. The Spey is born in the Highlands above Loch Laggan (40 miles) south of Inverness and winds its way through stunning countryside down to the sea at Spey Bay. It's also well known as one of Scotland's best rivers for salmon fishing.

The essential raw materials, quality barley and pure clean spring water, are abundant in the Speyside region of Scotland. Distilleries in the region have a long history of using locally grown barley from the fertile Laigh of Moray, along the coast of the Moray Firth. The mild climate and long sunlight hours combine to provide near perfect growing conditions. Springs and burns throughout Speyside, many of them rich in minerals, supply the needs of the large concentration of distilleries, and add their unique contribution to the flavor of the single malts. The pure, clean air ensures that young malt whiskies mature in perfect conditions over many years.

Speyside is universally acknowledged as the heartland of Scottish malt whisky distillation, it has the largest concentration with 50 distilleries which accounts for around 50% of all distilleries in Scotland. Speyside is geographically part of the Highlands but is considered a separate region because of its size and the different characteristics of Speyside malts as opposed to those of the Highland region.

The Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, The Macallan, BenRiach, Aberlour, AnCnoc, Tamdhu, Balvenie, Glen Grant, Benromach and many others are produced in Speyside. With less peat available to dry the malt, distillers used the more abundant coal. Here, the air is heavy with heather, rather than the tang of the briny sea. Speyside Single Malts are noted in general for their elegance and complexity, and often a refined smokiness. Speyside malts are also used in some of the top Blended Malts.