The Lowland region lies South of an imaginary line that runs from Greenock on the West coast of Scotland to Dundee in the East. Most of the Lowland malts produced in this region end up in blends, but there are a still a few single malts available to try from this region.

Malts from the Lowlands are light in colour and have quite a dry finish. The dryness comes from the malt itself, not from peat as Lowland malts tend to be produced with unpeated malt. You may also find a certain sweet fruitiness to the flavour. Lowland malts are regarded as an excellent aperitif.

Generally speaking, Lowland region whiskies are mellower than whiskies from the Highlands, and are very much appreciated by those new to malt Whisky and experienced malt drinkers alike.

Pronounced ‘Eye-la’, Islay is located in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island is exposed to sea wind and rain, and these elements have an influence in the whisky produced there. Much of Islay is a flat area and consists largely of peat, which has a huge influence on the flavour of the whisky.

Islay whiskies are the strongest flavoured of all Scotch whiskies and tend to be dry and peaty. They are renowned for their strong peaty smokiness which comes mostly from the peat fuel which they use for drying the malted barley.

Islay malt whiskies are often very smoky and medicinal, salty and sea weedy with a dry finish.

The smoky flavour of Islay malts can be an acquired taste, but if you have a taste for a smoky dry malt then Islay malts are the malts for you.

Over half of all Scotland's distilleries are located in Speyside. Speyside malts are typically the sweetest of all Scotch Whisky Malts. Although Speyside malts are essentially sweet whiskies, some can have a little peaty character with just a slight whiff of smoke.

The Highlands covers the largest geographical area of all the whisky producing regions and offers the greatest variations of style. In the Western Highlands there are only a few distilleries. The malts from these distilleries are much less peaty than the malts which are found in the Islay region, although you may detect a slight smokiness.

The character of the far North Highland malts are greatly influenced by the local soil and the coastal location of the distilleries. They tend to be lighter whiskies with a spicy character.

Campbeltown lies at the south of the Mull of Kintyre peninsula, on the West Coast of Scotland. Today there are very few distilleries producing whisky here, but in days gone by there were over thirty.

Campbeltown single malts are very distinctive, tending to be full bodied, renowned for their depth of flavour and also for their slightly salty finish. With peat adding a hint of flavour, similar to that found in an Islay malt.