Speyside

Speyside is home to the two best-selling single malts in the world: The Glenlivet and Glenfiddich. It also has the largest number of distilleries of any of Scotland’s whisky regions. It takes its name from the River Spey which runs through the region and supplies many of the distilleries with crystal clear water. Compared to other regions, Speyside whisky is typically sweeter and lighter, often described as complex and refined with a fruity quality. Speyside whisky got a huge boost to its reputation when King George IV undertook a royal tour to Edinburgh. He sampled the whisky from an illegal still in the GlenLivet region of Speyside and he loved it so much he secured a supply. This kicked off a long association between the British Monarch and Scotch Whisky. Other brands include The Macallan, The Balvenie and Ardmore.