Speyside Whisky: Home to Half of Scotland’s Distilleries | Scottish Delight

The Speyside is a part of the Highlands of Scotland where over 50% of all Scottish whisky is produced. It is therefore considered to be a whisky producing region on itself, rather than being considered as part of the regular Highlands. The Speyside area stretches from Inverness in the north-west, while its eastern border is defined by the flow of the river Deveron. It’s partially located in the Moray council area, with the other part belonging to the Badenoch and Strathspey area. Geographically, the area is known as the Strathspey, and the center of the Speyside whisky region is the River Spey, flowing from the Monadliath mountains north-wards into the sea. The River Spey, is the fastest flowing, and second longest river in Scotland (the longest being the river Tay). The Speyside area is home to a number of the world’s best selling whiskies, including GlenLivet, Macallan, GlenFiddich, Glenrothes and Glenfarclas. Speyside whiskies tend to be light, sweet, mild, fruity and/or flowerish, and complex. Due to the large amount of distilleries, and the variance between the whiskies produced by them, the region often is divided into smaller sub regions (more for ease of grouping than based on actual geographic differences, or defining differences in taste).

Deveron

The Deveron area lies along the North-Eastern side of the Speyside area, and lends its name from the river Deveron. It includes the following distilleries: Closed Deveron distilleries include:

Dufftown

The town of Dufftown lies in the North-West of Speyside, and is home to several distilleries: Closed Dufftown distilleries include:
The Speyside area
The Speyside area Findhorn

Findhorn

The Findhorn area can be said to lie around Inverness and the village of Findhorn, in the north-western part of the Speyside. It includes the following distilleries (Tomatin might be within the geographical borders of this region, but they classify themselves as a Highland whisky, so we labelled them as Highland accordingly. Who are we to argue with the distiller?): Closed Findhorn distilleries include:

Livet

The Livet area is the southern-most part of the Speyside, and is defined by the rivers Avon (on the Western side) and Livet (on the Eastern side), which meet at Drumin (from where it continues northward to eventually join the River Spey). Distilleries include: Closed Livet distilleries include:
A waterfall in the Speyside
A waterfall in the Speyside

Lossie

Lossie lies in the Northern part of the middle of Speyside. The area is centered by the Town of Elgin, which for a large part is encircled by the River Lossie. Distilleries include: Closed Lossie distilleries include:

Rothes

Rothes can be found above the central Speyside, and south of Lossie. It includes the following distilleries: Closed Rothes distilleries include:
The clear waters of the Speyside
The clear waters of the Speyside

(Central) Speyside

The Central Speyside is the heart of the area, and focusses around the River Spey. Its distilleries include: Closed central Speyside distilleries include:

Strathisla

Strathisla is located in the North-East of Speyside, in-between Dufftown and Deveron. In it, the following distilleries can be found: Images courtesy of The Glenlivet, Aberlour and GlenFarclas distilleries

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Speyside, and why is it considered a separate whisky region?

Speyside is part of the Highlands of Scotland, stretching from Inverness in the north-west to the River Deveron in the east, and centred on the River Spey. Over 50% of all Scottish whisky is produced there, which is why it’s treated as its own whisky region rather than simply as part of the Highlands.

What does Speyside whisky typically taste like?

Speyside whiskies tend to be light, sweet, mild, fruity and/or flowery, and complex.

Which world-famous whiskies come from Speyside?

Speyside is home to a number of the world’s best-selling whiskies, including Glenlivet, Macallan, Glenfiddich, Glenrothes and Glenfarclas.

What role does the River Spey play in the region?

The Central Speyside sub-area is centred on the River Spey, the fastest-flowing and second-longest river in Scotland after the River Tay, which flows from the Monadliath mountains northward into the sea. The wider area is geographically known as Strathspey.

How many sub-areas is Speyside divided into?

Because of the large number of distilleries and the variety between them, Speyside is commonly divided into eight sub-areas: Deveron, Dufftown, Findhorn, Livet, Lossie, Rothes, Central Speyside, and Strathisla, mainly for ease of grouping rather than reflecting real geographic or taste differences.

Is every distillery within Speyside’s geographic borders classified as Speyside whisky?

Not necessarily. Tomatin, for example, sits within the geographical borders of the Findhorn sub-area but classifies itself as a Highland whisky rather than Speyside.

Which distilleries are found in Dufftown?

Dufftown, in the north-west of Speyside, is home to Balvenie, Dufftown, Glendullan, Glenfiddich, and Mortlach, whose original name gave the town of Dufftown its own.

Which distilleries make up the Central Speyside area?

The heart of the region, focused around the River Spey, includes Aberlour, Allt-A-Bhainne, Auchroisk, Aultmore, Benrinnes, Cardhu, Cragganmore, Craigellachie, Dailuaine, Glenallachie, Glenfarclas, Glentauchers, Inchgower, Knockando, The Macallan, the Speyside distillery itself, Tamdhu, and Tormore.

Which distilleries are found in the Livet area?

The Livet area, Speyside’s southernmost part, defined by the rivers Avon and Livet, is home to Balmenach, Braeval, Glenlivet, and Tomintoul.

Which distilleries are found in the Lossie area?

The Lossie area, centred on the town of Elgin, is home to BenRiach, Glen Elgin, Glenlossie, Glen Moray, Linkwood, Longmorn, Mannochmore, Miltonduff, and Roseisle.

Which distilleries are found in Rothes, and in the smaller Deveron, Findhorn and Strathisla areas?

Rothes is home to Glen Grant, Glenrothes, Glen Spey, and Speyburn. The smaller Deveron area (north-east Speyside) has Glen Deveron, which makes Macduff; Findhorn (around Inverness) has Benromach and Glenburgie/Glencraig; and Strathisla (between Dufftown and Deveron) has Glen Keith, Strathisla, and Strathmill.