The Six Whisky Producing Regions of Scotland
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The Six Whisky Producing Regions of Scotland A beginner's guide to how single malt whisky is produced in Scotland. Find out what influences the different styles of Scotch whisky and how the different whisky producing regions of Scotland produce unique whiskies which are enjoyed by people all over the world. Table of Contents The Six Whisky Producing Regions of Scotland....................................................................................... 1 A beginners guide to how single malt whisky is produced in Scotland. ............................................. 1 History Of Whisky Production ................................................................................................................. 3 Origins of Whisky ................................................................................................................................ 3 What Is Needed For High Quality Whisky? ......................................................................................... 3 Blended or Single Malt? ...................................................................................................................... 4 Single Malt Whisky – Highlands Region .................................................................................................. 5 History of Highland Whisky Production .............................................................................................. 5 1. Northern Highland Whiskies ........................................................................................................... 5 Northern Highland Distilleries. ....................................................................................................... 5 2. Southern Highland Whiskies. .......................................................................................................... 6 Southern Highland Distilleries ......................................................................................................... 6 3. Western Highland Region. .............................................................................................................. 7 Western Highland Distilleries. ......................................................................................................... 7 In Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 7 Single Malt Whisky – Lowlands Region ................................................................................................... 8 History of Lowland Whisky Production ............................................................................................... 8 Characteristics of Lowland Single Malts ............................................................................................. 8 The Lowland Region Distilleries .......................................................................................................... 8 In Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 9 Single Malt Whisky – Islay Region ......................................................................................................... 10 Distilleries on Islay ............................................................................................................................ 10 In conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Single Malt Whisky – Speyside Region .................................................................................................. 12 History of Speyside Whisky Production ............................................................................................ 12 Speyside Whiskies ............................................................................................................................. 12 Speyside Distilleries .......................................................................................................................... 12 In Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 13 Single Malt Whisky – Islands Region ..................................................................................................... 14 Island Whisky Production ................................................................................................................. 14 In Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 15 Single Malt Whisky – Campbelltown Region ........................................................................................ 16 Campbeltown Distilleries .................................................................................................................. 16 In conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 17 Questions About Scotch Whisky ........................................................................................................... 18 What Is Scotch Whisky? ................................................................................................................ 18 What does the term “single malt whisky” mean? ........................................................................ 18 What does the term “blended whisky” mean? ............................................................................ 18 What does the term “blended malt whisky” mean? .................................................................... 18 What is “grain whisky”? ................................................................................................................ 18 When was the blending of whiskies introduced? ......................................................................... 18 Which spelling is correct – whisky or whiskey? ............................................................................ 18 Can Scotch whisky only be made in Scotland? ............................................................................. 19 What are the regional areas for whisky production in Scotland? ................................................ 19 What are the characteristics of whisky producing regions? ......................................................... 19 ©SingleMaltWhiskyShop.org http://singlemaltwhiskyshop.org History of Whisky Production If you have ever gone into a whisky shop or visited an online whisky exchange you will be have been surprised by the different arrays of whiskies on display. But have you ever wondered what is it that makes this drink so special? In order to fully appreciate scotch single malt whisky it’s essential to know how it is produced and where to buy high quality Scotch whisky. On the Internet there are many places to purchase good quality Scotch, like a whisky exchange or online whisky shop. Origins of Whisky It is possible that the distillation process was started in ancient Babylon around 2000 BC. This wasn't to distil spirits, but for perfumes. It is thought that the art of distilling spirits was developed around the 13th century in Italy, where wine was distilled to extract the alcohol. Then the practice spread to Ireland and Scotland. In the Gaelic language (the language spoken by the Irish and Scots) the words ‘whisky’ literally means “water of life”. It is thought that the process of distilling grains came from Ireland and that the Scots may have learned whisky distillation from the Christian missionary monks, who had travelled over from Ireland. Although the Socts claim to have the earliest recorded accounts of distilling spirits, no one can be certain just when the drink from distilled grains was produced. In order for a whisky to be called ‘Scotch Whisky’ it has to have been produced in Scotland and have been matured in wooden casks, on Scottish ground, for at least 3 years. Whisky is produced in other countries and the spelling of it depends on where it is produced. Whiskey produced in the US and Ireland has the ‘e’ at the end. Whereas whisky produced in Scotland, Canada and Japan don’t have the ‘e’ at the end. Although many countries have tried to produce their own whiskies, nothing can compare to the uniqueness of a fine Scotch single malt. What Is Needed For High Quality Whisky? The three main factors to make good quality Scotch single malt are: pure water, barley and peat. Scotland has been blessed with all three of these factors. The Scottish climate produces high quality barley. Although Scottish distillers prefer using Scottish barley, the source isn’t important. For making high quality whisky the barley needs to have a higher sugar content. The water from the hills is clean and pure and fresh peat is in abundance. The water in Scotland is naturally ‘soft’, it is in abundance and is naturally filtered through peat. This all combines to give Scotch whisky a unique taste. ©SingleMaltWhiskyShop.org http://singlemaltwhiskyshop.org Blended or Single Malt? There are generally 2 main types of Scotch whisky – blended and single malt (although in the past few years some distillers have been selling ‘grain whisky’). Any whisky produced in Scotland has to be matured in casks, usually oak, for a minimum of three years. Unlike wine, whisky doesn’t mature in the bottles. All the maturation process happens in the casks, where some evaporation