Speyside

Speyside is a relatively small region of Scotland, which is not precisely defined, with a disproportionately large impact on the world of whisky. Despite occupying no more than 3% of its country’s total landmass, it accounts for more than half of all scotch production and between a half and two-thirds of Scotland’s distilleries. Though technically a sub-region of the Highlands, Speyside is treated as a distinct region due to its high concentration of distilleries and unique style. It is undoubtedly the global capital of single malt and is home to some of the most respected whiskies in the world.
A Speysid-er may be sherryish, honeyed, flowery, and often very complex, with occasional fruity towards apple and pears with hints of spice, vanilla, and caramel.

The region hosts an annual whisky festival known as “Spirit of Speyside“. The rarified malts are selected as finalists are then sent out to international voters who spend the following 12 months determining a winner for each category along with one specific bottle to stand tall above the rest. Therefore, the ones chosen in 2025 are only announced at the opening ceremony of 2026. In 2026 the winner was Tamdhu 21 Year Old.