Speyside single malts are single malt Scotch whiskies,

distill Distillation, or classical distillation, is the process of separating the components or substances from a liquid mixture by using selective boiling and condensation, usually inside an apparatus known as a still. Dry distillation is the heating ...

ed in Strathspey, the area around the

River Spey The River Spey (Scottish Gaelic: Uisge Spè) is a river in the northeast of Scotland. At it is the eighth longest river in the United Kingdom, as well as the second longest and fastest-flowing river in Scotland. It is important for salmon fishi ...

in Moray and

Badenoch and Strathspey Badenoch and Strathspey is a former district of Highland region, Scotland. The district was created under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 as one of the eight districts of the Highland region. The same legislation abolished countie ...

, in northeastern

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

. The two best-selling single malt whiskies in the world, The Glenlivet and

Glenfiddich Glenfiddich () is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky produced by William Grant & Sons in the Scottish burgh of Dufftown in Moray. The name Glenfiddich derives from the Scottish Gaelic ''Gleann Fhiodhaich'' meaning "valley of the deer", which is ...

, come from Speyside. Strathspey has the greatest number of distilleries of any of the whisky-producing areas of Scotland.

Dufftown Dufftown ( gd, Baile Bhainidh ) is a burgh in Moray, Scotland. While the town is part of the historic Mortlach parish, the town was established and laid out in the early 19th century as part of a planned new town settlement. The town has severa ...

alone has six working distilleries with an annual capacity of 40.4 million litres of spirit.

Legal status

Speyside is a "protected region" for Scotch Whisky distilling under UK Government legislation. According to ''Visit Scotland'', this region includes the area between the Highlands to the west, Aberdeenshire in the east and extending north to the Cairngorms National Park.

Distilleries

Illicit distilleries were common in the 1800s, but eventually, licences became available after the passing of th
1823 Excise Act
George Smith was the first licensee in Speyside, in 1824, and his small operation at Upper Drumin in the Glen Livet valley eventually grew into the massive Glenlivet enterprise. Today, the major

distilleries Distillation, or classical distillation, is the process of separating the components or substances from a liquid mixture by using selective boiling and condensation, usually inside an apparatus known as a still. Dry distillation is the heat ...

in the region are owned by leading international drinks groups including Diageo, LVMH and Pernod Ricard, by family-owned companies including J. & G. Grant and

William Grant & Sons William Grant & Sons Ltd is an independent, family-owned Scottish company that distills Scotch whisky and other selected categories of spirits. It was established in 1887 by William Grant, and is run by Grant's descendants as of 2018. It is th ...

and by The Edrington Group (majority-owned by a charitable trust). Roughly 50 percent of Scotland's whisky is made here in the approximately 50 distilleries located in this region. According to one source, the top five are

The Macallan The Macallan distillery is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery in Craigellachie, Moray, Scotland. The Macallan Distillers Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Edrington, which purchased the brand from Highland Distillers in 1999.English, Shi ...

, Aberlour,

Glenfarclas Glenfarclas distillery is a Speyside whisky distillery in Ballindalloch, Scotland. ''Glenfarclas'' translates as meaning ''valley of the green grass''. The distillery is owned and run by the Grant family. The distillery has six stills which ...

and Balvenie. Glenfiddich 2005

This dry, warm, region is a natural for whisky distillers because it is close to barley farms, contains the River Spey and is close to the Atlantic port of

Garmouth Garmouth ( gd, Geàrr Magh narrow plain" spurious gd, Gairmeach, A' Ghairmich; sco, Gairmou', Garmo), is a village in Moray, north east Scotland. It is situated close to the mouth of the River Spey and the coast of the Moray Firth at nearb ...

. The water in the area is said to have "the lowest level of dissolved minerals" of any area in Scotland, and that may affect the taste of its whiskies. Another report explains that "

quartzite Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock which was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tec ...

at the source keeps high levels of minerals from mixing with the water". The ''Visit Scotland'' website indicates that the region's whiskies have a fruity nature "ranging from ripe pears to sultanas" and some exhibit "sweet, caramel and fruity notes". Another review states that the use of peat is not common here, so many of the whiskies are not "smoky"; the article concluded that "typically, most Speyside whisky is fruity, sweet, and nutty, featuring notes of apple, honey, vanilla, and spice".

Benefits to the region

In addition to providing jobs and income for barley farmers and distillery employees in the region, whisky production has helped improve tourism. Hotels and others with tourism businesses then benefit. All regions of that produce Scotch Whisky benefit, of course; the Scotch Whisky Association estimated in 2019 that whisky tourism in Scotland generates £68.3 million per year. The Association also stated that the industry supported 40,000 jobs and accounted for over £4 billion in exports for Scotland; the specific benefits for Speyside were not provided. The region hosts an annual whisky festival known as "Spirit of Speyside". The Malt Whisky Trail Map

Scotland's Malt Whisky Trail Eight malt whisky distilleries and a cooperage form the Malt Whisky Trail in Scotland's Speyside. Seven of the eight distilleries are in production and operational, whilst the Dallas Dhu distillery is a historic distillery. The Malt Whisky Trail ...

is a tourism initiative featuring seven working Speyside distilleries, a historic distillery (Dallas Dhu, now a museum) and the

Speyside Cooperage The Speyside Cooperage is a cooperage located in Craigellachie, Aberlour, Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britai ...

. A 2012 BBC article recommends a leisurely tour, taking a day or two at each distillery to appreciate the local "traditions and lore". In 2017, tourism in the Moray Speyside area increased significantly, by 50,000 visitors, primarily because of the appeal of the Malt Whisky Trail in the region. A Trail rep stated (in summer 2019) that 60% of tourists to Speyside visit at least one distillery. In addition to those on the Trail, some other distilleries also have visitor centres.

List of Speyside distilleries

* Aberlour * Allt-A-Bhainne *

Auchroisk The Auchroisk distillery is a whisky distillery in Banffshire, speyside Scotland. It was established after Dorie's Well was discovered and found to have water similar to the water used by the Glen Spey distillery, which was used by Justerini & B ...

* Aultmore * Balmenach * Balvenie * BenRiach * Benrinnes * Benromach * Braeval * Cardhu * Cragganmore * Craigellachie * Dailuaine * Dalmunach *

Dalwhinnie Dalwhinnie ( ; Scottish Gaelic: ''Dail Chuinnidh'' "meeting place") is a small village in the Scottish Highlands. Dalwhinnie is located at the head of Glen Truim and the north-east end of Loch Ericht, on the western edge of the Cairngorms Natio ...

Glen Elgin Glen Elgin distillery is a Scotch single malt whisky distillery in Fogwatt, Moray, Scotland. The distilery was founded in 1898, and is now owned by Diageo. The whisky produced is used in White Horse blends and since 1977 in single malt whis ...

* Glen Grant * Glen Keith * Glen Moray * Glen Spey * Glenallachie * Glenburgie * Glendullan *

* Glenlivet * Glenlossie *

Glenrothes Glenrothes (; , ; sco, Glenrothes; gd, Gleann Rathais) is a town situated in the heart of Fife, in east-central Scotland. It is about north of Edinburgh and south of Dundee. The town had a population of 39,277 in the 2011 census, making it ...

* Glentauchers * Inchgower * Kininvie * Knockando * Knockdhu * Linkwood * Longmorn * Macallan * Mannochmore * Miltonduff * Mortlach * Roseisle * Speyburn * Speyside * Strathisla * Strathmill * Tamdhu * Tamnavulin *

Tomintoul Tomintoul (; from gd, Tom an t-Sabhail, meaning "Hillock of the Barn") is a village in the Moray council area of Scotland in the historic county of Banffshire. Within Cairngorms National Park, the village lies close to the banks of the River ...

* Tormore

Closed Speyside distilleries

* Caperdonich distillery * Coleburn distillery * Convalmore distillery * Dallas Dhu distillery (open as a museum) * Imperial distillery * Parkmore distillery *

Pittyvaich distillery Pittyvaich distillery was a producer of single malt Scotch whisky that operated between 1974 and 1993. History The Pittyvaich distillery, built in 1974 by Arthur Bell & Sons, was among the youngest Scottish distilleries while it was operating. ...

Other brands

In addition to those single malts sold under the distilleries' names, brands associated with Speyside include Allt-á-Bhainne, Casg Annamh, Glen Turner, Lismore, McClelland's Single Malt, and Tlàth.

References

External links

GreaterSpeyside.com - all things SpeysideInteractive map
of Speyside distilleries which are open to the public
Speyside Cooperage

Speyside Distillery Online Guide
{{Scottish Distilleries Economy of Highland (council area) Economy of Moray Scottish malt whisky