Speyside Malt Whisky

Balvenie

This distillery is located near Dufftown, which is surrounded by seven malt distilleries. Owned by the same company which owns Glenfiddich, it retains a number of traditions: it grows its own barley, has its own coopers to tend the barrels and its own coppersmiths to tend the stills. 15-year-old pale gold in colour with a dry, earthy nose of wood and heather and a suggestion of coconut; fruity sweetish with a dry, peppery finish.

Benriach

Built in the 1890’s, this distillery was closed in 1900 but rebuilt in 1965. 10-year-old pale in colour with a rich, sweet vanilla nose; with a splash of water it loses its sharpness and sweetness and picks up the aroma of leather and malt; its taste is rich and aggressive, suggestive of liquorice or bitter chocolate; very dry aftertaste.

Cragganmore

Founded in 1869, this distillery is named after the hill behind it, Craggan Mor Hill. This is a small distillery on the Ballindalloch Estate, founded in 1869, its location chosen for its plentiful supply of barley, peat, and water. 12-year-old gold in colour with a very complex nose; medium dry with smoke and sweetness; smooth body; a full, round taste with floral notes, spicy and slightly smoky; a long, clean finish.

Glenfiddich

Glenfiddich is the biggest-selling single malt whisky in the world, maintaining a 30% world market share. The distillery uses coal-fired stills and ages most of its whisky in plain oak casks. An excellent beginner’s malt, its single malt carries no age statement, although it is thought to be bottled at a minimum of eight years of age. Pale, almost clear in colour; light, fruity note with some sweetness and peat; a light, fresh, and smooth body; dry to the palate with a hint of smoke, malt and perhaps fruit.

Glenlivet

Owned by Seagram, Glenlivet is perhaps the most famous Speyside malt. The glen of the Livet district has clean, spring water that makes delicate whiskies. In the 1700’s and 1800’s the area had upwards of two hundred illicit stills in its wild, mountain setting. 12-year-old rather rough and lemony, needing a bit of water to settle it down; colour is light or pale gold; an aromatic nose with flowers, some maltiness, sherry, spice, and vanilla; a slightly sweet, clean and well-balanced palate; warming finish.

Macallan

Considered the “Rolls-Royce of single malts,” Macallan comes from a traditionalist distillery with unusually small, hand-beaten copper stills. The whisky is matured in dry oloroso sherry casks shipped unbroken from Spain. 18-year-old a pale gold colour; depth of flavour with a lingering finish; heavily sherried and both sweet and sour; taste is sweet and peppery; with a splash of water, takes on aroma of peat, fruit, and a soapy leatheriness.

	Speyside Malt Whisky Balvenie This distillery is located near Dufftown, which is surrounded by seven malt distilleries. Owned by the same company which owns Glenfiddich, it retains a number of traditions: it grows its own barley, has its own coopers to tend the barrels and its own coppersmiths to tend the stills. 15-year-old pale gold in colour with a dry, earthy nose of wood and heather and a suggestion of coconut; fruity sweetish with a dry, peppery finish. Benriach Built in the 1890’s, this distillery was closed in 1900 but rebuilt in 1965. 10-year-old pale in colour with a rich, sweet vanilla nose; with a splash of water it loses its sharpness and sweetness and picks up the aroma of leather and malt; its taste is rich and aggressive, suggestive of liquorice or bitter chocolate; very dry aftertaste. Cragganmore Founded in 1869, this distillery is named after the hill behind it, Craggan Mor Hill. This is a small distillery on the Ballindalloch Estate, founded in 1869, its location chosen for its plentiful supply of barley, peat, and water. 12-year-old gold in colour with a very complex nose; medium dry with smoke and sweetness; smooth body; a full, round taste with floral notes, spicy and slightly smoky; a long, clean finish. Glenfiddich Glenfiddich is the biggest-selling single malt whisky in the world, maintaining a 30% world market share. The distillery uses coal-fired stills and ages most of its whisky in plain oak casks. An excellent beginner’s malt, its single malt carries no age statement, although it is thought to be bottled at a minimum of eight years of age. Pale, almost clear in colour; light, fruity note with some sweetness and peat; a light, fresh, and smooth body; dry to the palate with a hint of smoke, malt and perhaps fruit. Glenlivet Owned by Seagram, Glenlivet is perhaps the most famous Speyside malt. The glen of the Livet district has clean, spring water that makes delicate whiskies. In the 1700’s and 1800’s the area had upwards of two hundred illicit stills in its wild, mountain setting. 12-year-old rather rough and lemony, needing a bit of water to settle it down; colour is light or pale gold; an aromatic nose with flowers, some maltiness, sherry, spice, and vanilla; a slightly sweet, clean and well-balanced palate; warming finish. Macallan Considered the “Rolls-Royce of single malts,” Macallan comes from a traditionalist distillery with unusually small, hand-beaten copper stills. The whisky is matured in dry oloroso sherry casks shipped unbroken from Spain. 18-year-old a pale gold colour; depth of flavour with a lingering finish; heavily sherried and both sweet and sour; taste is sweet and peppery; with a splash of water, takes on aroma of peat, fruit, and a soapy leatheriness.