1998 Gordon Macphail Linkwood Distillery Cote Rotie Wood Finish

1998 Gordon Macphail Linkwood Distillery Cote Rotie Wood Finish

Location

Speyside covers much of the administrative area of Moray, which lies on the Moray Firth in the North Sea, just east of the city of Inverness. It is technically a subregion of the Highlands, but the large concentration of distilleries here has led to Speyside being recognized as a region in its own right.

In fact, nearly half of Scotland's distilleries reside here, but the overlap with the Highlands region means there is no concrete number of whisky producers in Speyside.

History

The proliferation of distilleries in Speyside has as much to do with the remoteness of the area as it has to do with the presence of the River Spey. In the 17th and 18th Centuries, whisky was heavily taxed by the government, and an illegal whisky trade thrived throughout Scotland, particularly in the Highlands.

The remote, mountainous land surrounding the River Spey was a perfect spot for avoiding the authorities with plentiful water sources for distillation.

Production

Speyside's water is soft and pure, with snowmelt water from the surrounding mountains filtered through ancient rocks, adding important minerals that help with the mashing process as well as with distillation.

A majority of Speyside distilleries source water from numerous springs located throughout the area. These are perfect for the production of whisky, so it is unsurprising that Speyside has become a prominent hub for the spirit. 

With such a large proliferation of distilleries, Speyside whisky is extremely varied in terms of character and style. However, the classic Speyside flavors are quite complex, with delicate fruity, leafy, honeyed notes.

Most Speyside whiskies are only lightly peated, if at all, and lack the smoky iodine flavors of the famous Islay whiskies.

Single Malt Whisky / Whiskey

This arguably the finest expression of whisky, made at a single distillery from malted barley, water and yeast. The style is produced in Japan, Ireland and most importantly (and famously) in Scotland. Indeed, single malt Scotch whisky is highly collectable and is easily one of the world's most sought-after and revered liquids, with many examples held in equal esteem with the world's top wines.

In addition, an increasing number of American craft producers have single malt whiskeys in their portfolio. The American Single malt Whiskey Commission was founded in 2016, and defined the category for distilleries in the USA; as of July 2018 the commission's membership had reached 100. However at this time the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau had yet to officially recognize the term.

Use of oak

While there may be some terroir factors associated with the distillery location and the environment within the buildings, it is the shape and size of the stills and number of distillations which is usually regarded as having the most significant effect on a young whiskey. Thereafter many other characteristics can be laid over this core character through aging in oak barrels.

Single malt Scotch whiskies age in oak casks for an extended amount of time; mostly between eight and 20 years, but sometimes as long as 50-80 years. Oak maturation helps to soften the harsher edges of the spirit, while imparting its own flavors and allowing these to meld with flavors already present in the whisky.

Blended / Vatted / Pure Malt Whisky

Blended or vatted malt whisky is a combination of two or more single malt whiskeys. In contrast, standard blended whiskey will include grain whisky. Not suprisingly given the components, a skilful blender can make a product that equals most single malts in terms of quality.

Pure Malt is a tricky term; it has now been phased out of use by the Scotch Whisky Association as usage was inconsistent between single and blended malts. The phrase still appears on Japanese whisky labels, but seems to be applied to both types of malt whiskey.

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