The Highland region is the largest geographical area in the Scotch whisky classification and covers the commuter belt to the north of Glasgow to the fertile north east coast, the rugged Hebridean coast in the west and everywhere north of Inverness. Speyside does fall geographically with the Highlands but has its own whisky classification. The Highland region accounts for around 25% of the malt whisky produced in Scotland. However, with such a large geographical area covered, Highland whiskies can vary greatly in style but they can loosely be categorised by compass points. To the north there are cereal-sweet, rich, full-bodied malts while the southern whiskies tend to be lighter and fruitier. The eastern malts are dry with lots of fruit and in the west they are strong with maritime notes, peat and smoke.
3295