Named for the region in the Scottish Highlands rich in whiskey distilleries, Speyside whiskey is renowned for its robust character with hints of an evocative peated flavour. As time progressed the flavour of this scotch whiskey has evolved, becoming lighter and sweeter, without losing its distinctive heritage.
Speyside has a complex and richly-rewarding flavour profile. Combining the delicate flavours of apple and vanilla with dried fruit, malt, oak and a hint of nutmeg, Speyside offers a distinctive flavour of the region.
Not entirely dissimilar from a highland whiskey, Speyside whiskies feature a muted mineral count, indicative of the water in the region. As the whiskey ages, it takes on increased body, yet its flavours remain subtle and diverse. Light grassy lunchtime whiskies, such as Glenlivet are contrasted by the rich, sherried flavours of Glenrothes and Macallan.
The History
The first licence to legally distil whiskey in The Highlands was granted to George Smith and his son John Gordon Smith in 1824 of the Glenlivet distillery in Speyside following the Excise Act of 1823. This promoted some commotion amongst distillers unhappy with the decision and resulted in George Smith and his son having to defend their business.
There is some historical debate over which of The Highlands distilleries qualified as being Speyside distilleries. Famed Scottish distilleries, including Dalwhinnie and Macllan label themselves as Highland despite being Speyside whiskies.
Any confusion was clarified by The Scotch Whiskey Regulations 2009. Under the new regulations, distilleries including Glendronach, Ardmore, Tomatin, Macduff, anCnoc, and Royal Brackla whom were long thought to be Speyside distilleries were re-classified as Highland.
Renowned Name
The popularity of the whiskey lead to many distillers usurping the Glenivet name, with a great many bottlers adding a suffix to their named whiskies to appeal to consumers. Culprits included Macallan-Glenlivet, Glenfarcias-Glenivet and Aberiour-Glenlivet.
Please feel free to browse our selection of Speyside single malt whiskey. If you’d like to learn more, call us on 01466 795 105 or email info@thespiritsembassy.com.
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