Whiskey Speyside (Speyside) – universal scotch for beginners and experienced connoisseurs

Speyside whiskey is a single malt scotch from the northeast of Scotland, the Spey Valley. There are 49 active production facilities in the region and the Spirit of Speyside Whiskey Festival is held annually.

Speyside whiskey is divided into two categories:

• lighter, herbal flavor, so-called “lunch whiskey” (for example, Glenlivet);
• strong, thick and aromatic brands such as Glenrothes and Macallan.

History

Speyside is located in Morayshire – the highlands of Scotland. In 1823, excise taxes on the production of strong alcohol were introduced in the country, and in 1824, George and John Smith were the first in the region to receive a license. Father and son founded the Glenlivet company, which has been successfully operating to this day.

According to legend, this caused such discontent among illegal whiskey producers that for many years the men of the Smith family did not go out into the streets without weapons, fearing the attack of competitors.

The brand became so popular that it was unashamedly used by other distilleries, adding the name of the Smith distillery to their own. So Macallan-Glenlivet, Glenfarclas-Glenlivet and Aberlour-Glenlivet were born.

For many years, the government has been trying to settle the issue with definitions: any Speyside whiskey can also be called highland whiskey, but not every highland whiskey is made in the Speyside region. Manufacturers labeled bottles of their alcohol however they wanted, for example, Dalwhinnie and Macallan packaging still says Highland, not Speyside.

Finally, in 2009, the problem was solved – Speyside was singled out as a separate distillery region, and a complete list of its constituent industries was also compiled. Glendronach, Ardmore, Tomatin, Macduff, anCnoc and Royal Brackla did not hit him, and remained “alpine”.

Whiskeys from the Speyside region are considered the most “universal” – they are soft, fragrant, without a strong peat “haze”, which is not to everyone’s taste. In local scotch you can distinguish notes of green apples, vanilla, oak, malt, nutmeg, dried fruits.

Interesting Facts

1. Glenfiddich is the best selling single malt whiskey in the world.
2. Glenfiddich, Glenlivet and Macallan together account for a third of the entire single malt market.
3. The largest Scottish distillery – Diageo’s Roseisle – opened in 2009 and annually produces more than 12.5 million liters of alcohol per year.
4. The Speyside region produces over 60% of all single malt scotch.

Notable whiskey brands from Speyside

• The Glenlivet is the brand that started the history of distilling in the region. The aroma is characterized by bright tones of tropical fruits, notes of pineapple and banana. For all its merits, the Glenlivet is surprisingly affordable – an 18-year-old version costs less than $75.
• Glenfiddich is Glenlivet’s main competitor. The aroma is just a little peaty, with notes of chocolate and sherry.
• Ardmore – the taste of this whiskey is not so much elegant as bright – smoky, salty, sharp.
• Glenrothes is a brand of “dessert” whiskey: the bouquet consists of aromas of fruits, nuts, cinnamon and other spices. One of the few sweet whiskeys (contains sugar).
• The Balvenie is a whiskey with a pronounced orange flavor and notes of honey.
• Aberlour is the most popular scotch in France, has a velvety creamy texture and mild taste.
• The Macallan – technically the brand refers to Speyside whiskey, but the bottle is labeled “highland whiskey” on the container. Distinctive features – mild taste and light peat flavor.
• Speyburn – the brand is not very well known outside of Scotland, but in terms of taste it is not inferior to the market leaders. Due to the weak raskorchennosti, it is sold at very affordable prices, even variations with 10 years of exposure.
• Glen Moray – Most often used in blends, but single malt versions can be found on the market.
• Tamdhu is aged in sherry casks and has a fruity flavor.