An Insider's Guide to the Five Scotch Whisky Regions

Before choosing the right whisky for your collection or event, we recommend brushing up on the history of the five Scotch whisky regions. So much lies in the birthplace of our whisky that we often forget the inspiration behind them.

1. Highlands Whisky

Highland Whisky Flavour Profile

• Rich and full-bodied

• Honey and fresh fruit

• Oak, smoke and peat

• Floral undertones

Most Popular Highland Whisky

Our most popular Highlands whisky is the 10-year-old Bennachie Murrayfield. This specially-engraved bottle is just £89.99, which is a fraction of the price of many other Scotch whiskies. If you are partial to fine blended whisky, this homage to Edinburgh is just for you.

Rarest Highland Whisky

One of our rarest Highland whiskies includes the single malt 10-year-old Lochside. This distillery only began production in 1957, but was sadly closed in 1991. Despite this, Lochside produced decadent malt and grain whisky that was matured in oak barrels.

Facts About the Highlands

The Highlands is the largest region of Scotland, boasting 10,000 square miles of land. Given its stunning scenery, it’s no wonder this region is popular for sightseeing and hiking. Once you have visited a handful of the 47 distilleries, we recommend heading over to the legendary Loch Ness next.

Most Popular Highland Distillery

The most popular Highland whisky hails from Glenmorangie. Founded in 1843, farmer William Matheson and his wife, Anne, dreamed of building a distillery. While starting off small in a rather remote location, Glenmorangie whisky soon became a world favourite.

2. Lowlands Whisky

Lowland Whisky Flavour Profile

• Delicate and light

• Floral-centric

• Freshly-cut grass

• Honey and citrus fruits

Most Popular Lowland Whisky

It is no surprise that the 16-year-old Inverleven 1986 Gordon and MacPhail is the most popular Lowlands whisky. This limited editing single malt whisky has brought charm to many collector’s displays. The batch became even more popular when the distillery closed in 2002.

Rarest Lowland Whisky

If peaty whiskies aren’t for you, we recommend the blended 8-year-old Mac Dugan. This batch was distilled in 1967 in mixed casks, offering a multitude of flavours. You may catch notes of heather, walnuts, fruit and chocolate with an orange jam aroma.

Facts About the Lowlands

Did you know that in Scottish Gaelic, the Lowlands translates as “place of the foreigners”? This large region is known for its mountainous landscapes, and popular cities Edinburgh and Glasgow. Compared to the Highlands, the Lowlands are much more populated.

Most Popular Lowland Distillery

Auchentoshan is a favourite for Lowlands whisky. The distillery was established in 1823 by an engineer from Greenock. Despite the destruction of the warehouse in 1941 by a German bomb raid during World War II, Auchentoshan found life again in 1960.

3. Speyside Whisky

Speyside Whisky Flavour Profile

• Sweet and rich
• Apple, pears and honey
• Vanilla and spice

Most Popular Speyside Whisky

An outstanding centrepiece for any display, the 11-year-old Glenallachie 2008 Blackadder is the most popular Speyside whisky. This limited edition whisky boasts a high 63% ABV strength, making it a pure batch similar to those found centuries ago.

Rarest Speyside Whisky

Our rarest Speyside whisky is from the well-known Aberlour distillery. The single malt 8-year-old Rinaldi Import 1970s was matured in an oak cask and featured in discontinued bottling. As this whisky is so rare, not much is known about it, making it a noble choice for curious connoisseurs.

Facts About Speyside

Speyside is not just the largest producer of Scotch whisky, but is home to the most popular distilleries too. Besides whisky, it also offers many popular bike trails, beautiful gardens, and the second-longest and fastest river in Scotland, the River Spey.

Most Popular Speyside Distillery

Notorious for its stag head logo, Glenfiddich is perhaps the most favoured whisky distillery in the world. Founded in 1886, William and his nine children set out to build a distillery everyone would come to love. To this day, it is still a family-run business.

4. Islay Whisky

Islay Whisky Flavour Profile

• Peat, smoke and oil
• Sea salt and seaweed
• Medicinal

Most Popular Islay Whisky

If you are looking for a whisky reminiscent of the sea, the single malt Bowmore Voyage Port Casked 2000 is for you. This limited edition whisky was matured in bourbon and port pipe casks, providing a flavour inspired by maritime and modern flavours.

Rarest Islay Whisky

A classic option, the 32-year-old Bunnahabhain Feis Ile 2022 is a piece of Scottish history that no collector should miss. Matured in rare oloroso sherry casks, only 286 bottles of this single malt whisky was released. Distilled on 15th December 1989, it makes for the perfect Christmas treat after being displayed all year round.

Facts About Islay

Islay isn’t a modern region. In fact, it is thought that people populated Islay as early as 10,000 BC. Ice Age tools and Mesolithic artefacts have been found on the island, but luckily, the hunters didn’t do too much damage. Nowadays, Islay is surrounded by wildwide and beautiful scenery.

Most Popular Islay Distillery

Laphroaig produces the most popular Islay whisky. Established in 1815 by brothers Donald and Alexander Johnston, this distillery wasn’t created with whisky in mind. In fact, the brothers raised cattle and used the leftover barley for whisky, which they found was much more profitable, and changed their focus to the spirit.

5. Campbeltown Whisky

Flavour Profile

• Rich and complex
• Sea salt and smoke
• Peach and vanilla

Most Popular Campbeltown Whisky

If you are in need of a limited edition Campbeltown whisky to complete your collection, we recommend the 15-year-old Cadenhead's Enigma. This blended scotch was matured in 15-year-old Hazelburn and 16-year-old Kilkerran from ex-bourbon casks.

Rarest Campbeltown Whisky

Inspired by the region, the 30-year-old Campbeltown Loch Springbank whisky is our rarest option. Distilled in 1978 and matured in a range of mixed casks, this blended whisky boasts rich and sweet flavours. Each sip offers a silky finish with floral undertones.

Facts About Campbeltown

There used to be 34 active distilleries in the “whisky capital of the world”, but now only three remain: Glengyle, Springbank and Glen Scotia. Campbeltown isn’t just famous for whisky, but for hosting the oldest cinema in Scotland. The Picture House was built in 1913 and is now a historic-graded landmark.

Most Popular Campbeltown Distillery

Springbank is renowned for its passion and skill, with production methods being passed through generations of family members since 1828. The founders of the distillery, the Mitchells, settled in Campbelltown in the 1600s and were already in the malt trade. As whisky finally became legal, the family finally started producing the spirit in the 1800s.

Rare Scotch Whisky Available at Lochs of Whisky

There is a whisky for everyone, be it a peaty Islay bottle inspired by the sea or a sweet and classic Speyside spirit. With thousands of bottles to choose from, you are bound to find the perfect addition to your collection.

Visit our Scotch Whisky page to discover our rare range of spirits from each region, or simply contact us with any questions.