The Regions
By common consent, malt whiskies fall
into 4 loose categories, each with its own style and reputation.
Islays continue to dominate interest from the Laphroaig through
Bowmore to Bruichladdich and Caol Ila. Their strongest
characteristic is the inherent "smokiness" of the malt
- due almost entirely to the malting and mashing process. Islay,
as an island, above all else, has a singular lack of trees and
the distilleries use peat in the malting process, which lends
itself to the effect on the flavour. Highland malts include
Glenmorangie Old Poulteney Brackla. The region and categorisation
is vast - stretching from the far North of Scotland down through
Drumochter pass to Pilochry and Crieff. The malts tend to reflect
that diversity - especially if you take into account the likes of
Old Poulteney in the north and Glenturret and Edradour in the
South. Lowland malts range from the Campbeltowns in the West to
Glenkinchie, just south of Edinburgh.
There is also a reasonable argument to introduce at least the notion of a fifth category. Islays are "self-standing" and rightly deserve to be distinguished in their own right. However, it is arguably unfair to include the likes of Jura, Hghland Park, Talisker, Tobermory, for instance, as part of a wide all-encompassing category. They have their own individual characteristics and in some cases reflect the best of both worlds - the sweetness and richness of Highland and Speysides as well as the "smokiness" of their island neighbours. For that reason, they form their own category - here at least!
Islay | Highland | Speyside | Island
