Although there is debate over where counts as a region, several remain undisputed, including Speyside, Highlands, Lowlands and the Islands. Islay is often considered a region on its own, but can also be included with the Islands.
Since they’ve been around so long, many Whisky purists regard them as important features to consider when buying any Scotch. But just how relevant are the Scotch Whisky regions today?
Still relevant?
While Scotch regions have been important in the past, especially in the early days of Whisky distilling, these days there are just too many distilleries for them to really matter.We have the traditional Speysiders, like Glenfiddich or The Macallan, which are typical fruity and spicy in nature. And on the other side we have a variety of peated expressions, like BenRiach Curiositas or The Glenrothes Peated Cask, all coming out of the same region.
Different expressions can be bought from the same region, so regional flavour profiles are becoming slightly null and void.
There are some things you should still understand about the Whisky regions
Despite the withering importance of regions, it’s still good to have some knowledge of them all the same. There are different factors to consider that all contribute to taste that are a direct result of their region.
What's your take on this? Do you consider the region when buying Scotch Whisky?