Editing Speyside single malt (section)

==Distilleries==
[[File:Glenlivet Distillery.jpg|thumb|Glenlivet Distillery]]
[[File:Balvenie Distillery - geograph.org.uk - 478092.jpg|thumb|Balvenie Distillery (2007)]]

Illicit distilleries were common in the 1800s, but eventually, licences became available after the passing of the [https://www.dcs.ed.ac.uk/home/jhb/whisky/gleanings/washact.htm 1823 Excise Act]. George Smith was the first licensee in Speyside, in 1824, and his small operation at Upper Drumin in the Glen Livet valley eventually grew into the massive [[The Glenlivet distillery|Glenlivet]] enterprise.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-07-18 |title=The Glenlivet - The Single Malt That Started It All |url=https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/glenlivet-single-malt/ |access-date=2022-11-11 |language=en-US}}</ref>

Today, the major [[List of whisky distilleries in Scotland|distilleries]] in the region are owned by leading international drinks groups including [[Diageo]], [[LVMH]] and [[Pernod Ricard]], by family-owned companies including [[J. & G. Grant]] and [[William Grant & Sons]] and by [[The Edrington Group]] (majority-owned by a [[charitable trust]]).

Roughly 50 percent of Scotland's whisky is made here in the approximately 50 distilleries located in this region.<ref>{{Cite web|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|title=All The Scotch Distilleries, locations and Flavors|website=EVERYTHING TO KNOW ABOUT SCOTCH WHISKY}}</ref> According to one source, the top five are [[The Macallan distillery|The Macallan]], [[Glenfiddich]], [[Aberlour distillery|Aberlour]], [[Glenfarclas distillery|Glenfarclas]] and [[Balvenie distillery|Balvenie]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://manofmany.com/lifestyle/drinks/guide-to-scotland-whisky-regions|title=A Comprehensive Guide to Scotland's Whisky Regions|date=13 March 2021|website=Man of Many}}</ref>

[[File:Glenfiddich 2005.jpg|thumb|Glenfiddich (2005)]]

This dry, warm, region is a natural for whisky distillers because it is close to barley farms, contains the River Spey and is close to the Atlantic port of [[Garmouth, Moray|Garmouth]].<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20120417-exploring-scotlands-historic-whisky-trail|title=Exploring Scotland's historic whisky trail|first=Celia|last=Shatzman|website=www.bbc.com}}</ref> The water in the area is said to have "the lowest level of dissolved minerals" of any area in Scotland, and that may affect the taste of its whiskies. Another report explains that "[[quartzite]] at the source keeps high levels of minerals from mixing with the water".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://finewaters.com/bottled-waters-of-the-world|title=Bottled Waters of the World|first=Erika|last=Mascha|website=finewaters.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2018/05/27/exploring-the-world-of-speyside-whiskies/|title=Exploring The World Of Speyside Whiskies|first=Joseph V.|last=Micallef|website=Forbes}}</ref>

The ''Visit Scotland'' website indicates that the region's whiskies have a fruity nature "ranging from ripe pears to sultanas" and some exhibit "sweet, caramel and fruity notes".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/food-drink/whisky/distilleries/speyside/,|title=Whiskey Producers in Speyside}}</ref> Another review states that the use of peat is not common here, so many of the whiskies are not "smoky"; the article concluded that "typically, most Speyside whisky is fruity, sweet, and nutty, featuring notes of apple, honey, vanilla, and spice".<ref name="auto"/>

=== Benefits to the region ===
In addition to providing jobs and income for barley farmers and distillery employees in the region, whisky production has helped improve tourism. Hotels and others with tourism businesses then benefit.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.esquire.com/food-drink/drinks/a25427651/aberlour-scotch-distillery-tour/|title=A Look Inside Aberlour's Scotch Operation|first=Connor|last=Reid|date=6 December 2018|website=Esquire}}</ref> All regions of that produce Scotch Whisky benefit, of course; the Scotch Whisky Association estimated in 2019 that whisky tourism in Scotland generates £68.3&nbsp;million per year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.visitscotland.org/binaries/content/assets/dot-org/pdf/research-papers-2/whisky-tourism-2018-final.pdf,|title=Whisky Tourism Facts and Insights}}</ref> The Association also stated that the industry supported 40,000 jobs and accounted for over £4&nbsp;billion in exports for Scotland; the specific benefits for Speyside were not provided.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/oct/07/pm-must-challenge-trump-directly-over-us-scotch-whisky-tax|title=PM urged to confront Trump over US tariffs on scotch whisky|date=7 October 2019|website=the Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-10-12 |title=Cut duty on Scotch whisky to raise industry spirits, say distillers |url=http://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/oct/12/cut-duty-scotch-whisky-raise-industry-spirits-association |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>

The region hosts an annual whisky festival known as "Spirit of Speyside".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spiritofspeyside.com/|title=Home|website=Spirit of Speyside}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spiritofspeyside.com/visit|title=Visit Speyside|website=Spirit of Speyside}}</ref>

[[Scotland's Malt Whisky Trail]] is a tourism initiative featuring seven working Speyside distilleries, a historic distillery (Dallas Dhu, now a museum) and the [[Speyside Cooperage]]. A 2012 BBC article recommends a leisurely tour, taking a day or two at each distillery to appreciate the local "traditions and lore".<ref name="auto1"/> In 2017, tourism in the Moray Speyside area increased significantly, by 50,000 visitors, primarily because of the appeal of the Malt Whisky Trail in the region.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Murphy |first=Sean |date=2018-08-01 |title=Record growth for Scotch whisky tourism in 2017 {{!}} Scotsman Food and Drink |url=https://foodanddrink.scotsman.com/drink/record-growth-for-scotch-whisky-tourism-in-2017/ |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=foodanddrink.scotsman.com |language=en-GB}}</ref> A Trail rep stated (in summer 2019) that 60% of tourists to Speyside visit at least one distillery.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-48711399|title=Scotch whisky distilleries draw 'record' visitor numbers|work=BBC News|date=20 June 2019}}</ref>

In addition to those on the Trail, some other distilleries also have visitor centres.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.highlandspirittours.co.uk/speyside-distilleries-open.html|title=Speyside Whisky Distilleries Open to the Public|website=HIGHLAND SPIRIT TOURS}}</ref>