Editing Scotch whisky (section)

== Regions ==
[[File:Scotch regions.svg|right|thumb|The regions of Scotch whisky]]

Scotland was traditionally divided into four whisky regions: Campbeltown, The Highlands, The Isle of Islay and The Lowlands.<ref>The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009&nbsp;– Chapter 8 section 1</ref> Due to the large number of distilleries found there, the Speyside area became the fifth, recognised by the [[Scotch Whisky Association]] (SWA) as a distinct region in 2014.<ref name="SWAMAP">{{Cite web |title=Whisky Regions & Tours |url=http://www.scotch-whisky.org.uk/understanding-scotch/whisky-regions-tours/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726201832/http://www.scotch-whisky.org.uk/understanding-scotch/whisky-regions-tours/ |archive-date=26 July 2018 |access-date=13 May 2014 |publisher=Scotch Whisky Association}}</ref> The whisky-producing islands other than Islay are not recognised as a distinct region by the SWA, which groups them into the Highlands region.<ref name="SWAMAP" />

* [[Campbeltown single malts|Campbeltown]], a small western coastal town, was once home to over 30 distilleries but now has only three in operation: [[Glen Scotia distillery|Glen Scotia]], [[Glengyle distillery|Glengyle]], and [[Springbank distillery|Springbank]]. Characteristics vary, but in general, the whiskies are described as "fruity, peaty, sweet, smoky" by the national tourist board; another source published by a marketing company also mentions the "flavor of wet dog, also called wet wool".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Campbeltown Whisky Distilleries – Map & Tours |url=https://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/food-drink/whisky/distilleries/campbeltown/ |website=VisitScotland}}</ref><ref name="NapierMarketingGroup" />
* [[Highland single malts|The Highlands]]: The Highlands is by far the largest region in Scotland both in area and in whisky production. This massive area has over 30 distilleries on the mainland. Region characteristics: "fruity, sweet, spicy, malty", according to the national tourist board.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite web |title=Highland Distilleries – Whisky Tours, Tastings & Map |url=https://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/food-drink/whisky/distilleries/highland/ |website=VisitScotland}}</ref><ref name="NapierMarketingGroup" /> When the Islands sub-region is included, the total number of distilleries is 47.<ref name="auto3" />
** Some Highland distilleries: [[Fettercairn distillery|Fettercairn]], [[Aberfeldy distillery|Aberfeldy]], [[Edradour distillery|Edradour]], [[Balblair distillery|Balblair]], [[Ben Nevis distillery|Ben Nevis]], [[Dalmore distillery|Dalmore]], [[Glen Ord Distillery|Glen Ord]], [[Glenmorangie distillery|Glenmorangie]], [[Oban distillery|Oban]], [[Glendronach distillery|Glendronach]], [[Old Pulteney distillery|Old Pulteney]], [[Tullibardine distillery|Tullibardine]] and [[Tomatin distillery|Tomatin]].
** [[Island single malt|The Islands]], an unrecognised sub-region of the Highlands, includes all of the whisky-producing islands other than Islay: [[Isle of Arran|Arran]], [[Jura, Scotland|Jura]], [[Isle of Mull|Mull]], [[Orkney Islands|Orkney]],   [[Raasay]] and [[Isle of Skye|Skye]]: with their respective distilleries: [[Arran distillery|Arran]], [[Jura distillery|Jura]], [[Highland Park distillery|Highland Park]], [[Scapa distillery|Scapa]], [[Isle of Raasay distillery|Raasay]], [[Talisker distillery|Talisker]] and [[Tobermory distillery|Tobermory]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Scotch Whisky Regions |url=https://www.scotch-whisky.org.uk/discover/enjoying-scotch/scotch-whisky-regions/ |website=Scotch Whisky Association}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Powell |first=Tom |date=31 July 2018 |title=The beginner's guide to scotch whisky |url=https://foodism.co.uk/guides/scotch-whisky-regions-guide/ |website=Foodism}}</ref>
* [[Islay single malts|Islay]] {{IPAc-en|ˈ|aɪ|l|ə}}: has nine producing distilleries:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Islay Malt Whisky and Islay Whisky Distilleries Map |url=https://www.islayinfo.com/islay_whisky_distilleries.html |access-date=14 May 2019 |website=www.islayinfo.com}}</ref> [[Ardbeg distillery|Ardbeg]], [[Ardnahoe distillery|Ardnahoe]] (the most recent), [[Bowmore distillery|Bowmore]] (the oldest, having opened in 1779), [[Bruichladdich distillery|Bruichladdich]], [[Bunnahabhain distillery|Bunnahabhain]], [[Caol Ila distillery|Caol Ila]], [[Kilchoman distillery|Kilchoman]], [[Lagavulin distillery|Lagavulin]], and [[Laphroaig distillery|Laphroaig]]. Region Characteristics: distilleries in the south make whisky which is "medium-bodied ... saturated with peat-smoke, brine and iodine" because they use malt that is heavy with peat as well as peaty water. Whisky from the northern area is milder because it is made using spring water for a "lighter flavoured, mossy (rather than peaty), with some seaweed, some nuts..." characteristic.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Islay Malt Whisky and Islay Whisky Distilleries Map |url=https://www.islayinfo.com/islay_whisky_distilleries.html |website=www.islayinfo.com}}</ref> The national tourist board website says that the single malts from Islay vary by distillery, from "robust and smoky" to "lighter and sweeter".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Islay Distilleries – Whisky Tours, Tastings & Map |url=https://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/food-drink/whisky/distilleries/islay/ |website=VisitScotland}}</ref>
* [[Lowland single malts|The Lowlands]]: According to ''Visit Scotland'', the website of the national tourist board, this district covers "much of the Central Belt and the South of Scotland including [[Edinburgh]] & The Lothians, Glasgow & The Clyde Valley, the Kingdom of Fife, Ayrshire, Dumfries & Galloway and the Scottish Borders".<ref name="VisitLowlands">{{Cite web |title=Lowland Whisky – Map & Distillery Tours Near Edinburgh & Glasgow |url=https://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/food-drink/whisky/distilleries/lowland/ |website=VisitScotland}}</ref>
** There were 18 Lowlands distilleries in the region {{as of|2019|lc=y}}, according to the website of the national tourist board, including some that opened quite recently.<ref name="VisitLowlands" /> These include well-known companies such as [[Annandale distillery|Annandale]], [[Auchentoshan distillery|Auchentoshan]], [[Bladnoch distillery|Bladnoch]], [[Glenkinchie distillery|Glenkinchie]], and [[Ailsa Bay distillery|Ailsa Bay]] in the site of the [[Girvan distillery]] as well as [[Daftmill distillery|Daftmill]], [[Eden Mill St Andrews|Eden Mill]], [[Kingsbarns distillery|Kingsbarns]] and [[Rosebank distillery|Rosebank]].<ref name="SWAMAP" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Eden Mill—Scotch Whisky |url=https://scotchwhisky.com/whiskypedia/2985/eden-mill/ |access-date=9 September 2018 |website=Scotchwhisky.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Lowland > Daftmill |url=http://www.whiskiesofscotland.com/distillery/daftmill |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131210133451/http://www.whiskiesofscotland.com/distillery/daftmill |archive-date=10 December 2013 |access-date=3 December 2013 |publisher=Whiskies of Scotland}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=10 October 2017 |title=Spirited revival for third distillery |language=en-GB |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-41567367 |access-date=26 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Rosebank distillery set to reopen in 2020 {{!}} Scotch Whisky |url=https://scotchwhisky.com/magazine/latest-news/21095/rosebank-distillery-set-to-reopen-in-2020/ |access-date=26 July 2019 |website=scotchwhisky.com |language=en-GB}}</ref> Region characteristics: soft and smooth, consisting of a floral nose with a sweet finish.<ref name="flaviar">{{Cite web |date=14 September 2016 |title=Your Cheat Sheet to Scottish Whisky Regions |url=https://flaviar.com/blog/your-cheat-sheet-to-scottish-whisky-regions |access-date=3 November 2019 |website=Flaviar}}</ref> Single malts from this area tend to be "lighter, sweet and [with] floral tones".<ref name="VisitLowlands" />
* [[Speyside single malt|Speyside]]: Speyside gets its name from the [[River Spey]], which cuts through this region and provides water to many of the distilleries.
** Encompassing the area surrounding the River Spey in north-east Scotland, once considered part of the Highlands, the region has approximately 50 distilleries within its geographic boundaries and has officially been recognised as a region, distinct from the Highlands, since 2014. According to the national tourist board, Speyside includes the area between the Highlands to the west and Aberdeenshire in the east, extending north from the [[Cairngorms National Park]].<ref name="auto4">{{Cite web |title=Speyside Distilleries – Whisky Tours, Tastings & Map |url=https://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/food-drink/whisky/distilleries/speyside/ |website=VisitScotland}}</ref> According to one source, the top five in 2019 were [[Aberlour distillery|Aberlour]], [[Balvenie distillery|Balvenie]], [[Glenfarclas distillery|Glenfarclas]], [[Glenfiddich distillery|Glenfiddich]], and [[The Macallan distillery|The Macallan]]. Region characteristics: vary greatly from "rich and textured to fragrantly floral"; in general, "sweet, "caramel", "fruity" and "spicy", according to the national tourist board.<ref name="auto4" /> According to a marketing agency, the single malts from Speyside are known for a smokiness and complexity.<ref name="NapierMarketingGroup">{{Cite web |title=All The Scotch Distilleries, locations and Flavors |url=https://www.thescotchadvocate.com/scotch-distilleries-regional-tastes.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217141218/https://www.thescotchadvocate.com/scotch-distilleries-regional-tastes.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=17 December 2019 |website=The Scotch Advocate |publisher=Napier Marketing Group}}</ref>
** It has the largest number of distilleries of any region, which includes: [[Aberlour distillery|Aberlour]], [[Balvenie distillery|Balvenie]], [[Cardhu distillery|Cardhu]], [[Cragganmore distillery|Cragganmore]], [[Dalwhinnie distillery|Dalwhinnie]], [[Glenfarclas distillery|Glenfarclas]], [[Glenglassaugh distillery|Glenglassaugh]], [[Glenfiddich distillery|Glenfiddich]], [[Speyburn distillery|Speyburn]], [[The Glenlivet distillery|The Glenlivet]], [[The Glenrothes distillery|The Glenrothes]] and [[The Macallan distillery|The Macallan]].{{sfn|Scotch Whisky Association|2009}} 
** Due to the way that the regions are specified, Speyside is wholly within the Highland region and thus whiskies produced in Speyside may legally be described as coming from either region; for example Glenfarclas generally labels their whiskies as Highland Single Malts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.thewhiskyexchange.com/2017/08/highland-vs-speyside-a-tale-of-two-regions/|title=Highland vs Speyside – a tale of two regions – The Whisky Exchange Whisky Blog — The Whisky Exchange Whisky Blog|date=18 August 2017 |accessdate=7 April 2023}}</ref>

Although only five regions are specified, any Scottish locale may be used to describe a whisky if it is distilled entirely within that place; for example, a single malt whisky distilled on [[Orkney]] could be described as ''Orkney Single Malt Scotch Whisky''{{sfn|Scotch Whisky Association|2009}} instead of as an Island whisky.