Defined as the land south of an imaginary line stretching the Firth os Forth to the Firth of Tay, this region has in the past been Scotland's home of triple distillation, although today this region practice is rare. As a style the lowlands produce a whisky which is soft and light with little or no peating, the best examples showing notes of citrus, grass, malt and vanilla.
Speyside
Totally contained within the highland region, this haven of whisky production plays host to over half of all Scots malt distilleries and produces classically elegant whisky, offering complexity from both the areas two main styles, big and sherried to subtle and clean.
Islands
All islands being coastal, have a good degree of sea influence, a briny and conversly perhaps like the islands stark contrast to the sea, a tendency to be drier on the finish.
Highlands
This region is by far the largest area and the distilleries are promoting more and more their North, South, East or West Highland locale. Indeed there are noticeable differences from each sub-division, but all the whisky made in the highlands does share a firmness of of body, with fruity or floral notes, restrained peat and the highland heather. Coastal highlanders tend to show island characteristics.
Islay
The most famous whisky island is level with Glasgow in the Lowlands, and yet paradoxically, perhaps due to the repeated beatings from the Atlantic storms, Islay produces the richest and most full flavor malts. At the big end of the scale these whiskies have a bog peaty and smoky punch, much more so than the mainland, and a pungent iodine aroma tending to "medicinal seaweed".
Campbeltown
Once home to over 30 distilleries, this region has honorary status only, as only two distilleries survive in Cambeltown today. The region follows the briny lowland island style, and survives as an honorary region only out of respect to the family owned Springbank, (whom before Glen Scotia was bought by the Loch Lomond Company), would send its own staff to run Glen Scotia Distillery to aid local employment and support our whisky heritage