Malt Regions

There are currently 88 malt whisky distilleries operating in Scotland. Production of malt whisky is governed by the Scotch Whisky Association therefore each distillery produces its whisky in essentially the same way, using the same basic raw materials: water, malted barley and yeast.

The great fascination of Scotch malt whisky is that they all have a specific character and individual taste. This is due to different geographical locations and minor differences in production techniques from distillery to distillery.

Find out more about three of the areas of Scotland in which Scotch malt whisky is distilled:

The Highland region is defined by an imaginary line running from the River Clyde estuary near Greenock to the River Tay in Dundee.

Any distilleries situated north of this imaginary line belong to the Highland region. There is an exciting variation available from the Highland malts, most of which are produced using Scotland's famously soft water, which will have invariably flowed over peaty or heathery ground en route to the distillery.

Since the Highland region covers such a large area, unsurprisingly there is a large variation in the styles of whiskies produced there. As mentioned above, this is partly distillery-related, and partly geographical.

The Northern Highlands has slightly different geology to other parts of Scotland, with its water sources commonly running over sandstone rock. This undoubtedly has an influence on the character of the malt whiskies produced in this region, with the general rule of thumb being firm, crisp, dryness, and a gentle saltiness, often balanced with heathery floral notes.

However, this water source difference reaches its peak at Glenmorangie, where the water is unusually hard and mineral rich, yet the distillery produces a distinctly soft, fruity whisky.

This largest producing region offers an exciting assortment of malt whiskies.

This largest producing region offers an exciting assortment of malt whiskies, and also includes the famous Speyside region.

Classic Cocktails

Learn how to make your very own cocktails at home with our easy to follow cocktail recipes.

Meet The Distiller

Whyte & Mackay distiller Richard Paterson gives an insight into his world and offers advice on the best way to taste whisky.