Browse whiskies by region
Whisky is the ultimate product of its environment. Sharing marked semblance with wine in this respect: the geography, climate and locality, or “terroir” as the French call it, have a great effect on the resultant drink.
Just one country, such as Scotland, is broken down into multiple regions, each offering its own distinct style of whisky. For example, if one... hears the words “peaty whisky”, Islay instantly comes to mind. There are floral and gentle malts from the Lowlands, sweet and malty whiskies from Speyside and rich and rugged drams from the Highlands.
But it’s not just Scotland where this ends; if you were after a floral, fruity and beautifully crafted malt you might take one of the less sherried Japanese dram; a whisky style whose tranquil and perfectly balanced nature reflects the serenity of Japan’s locale. With age and sherry-maturation come the rich, creaking Japanese malts, often displaying an umami and rancio-like quality.
Ireland is a country, and whiskey-producing region, whose malts are almost exclusively triple-distilled. The result is “smooth” and supple whiskey. Pure pot still is a purely Irish libation, distilled from a mix of malted and unmalted grains together in a single pot still.
America is a broad region, and whilst there are a number of distilleries specking the US, it is the belt of Kentucky - a state which borders the great Mississippi river - that is the dark spirit homeland. The “Bluegrass Capital”, as is its moniker, plays host to horse racing, car manufacture, a tobacco industry, basketball and around eight whiskey distilleries.
Of course, bourbon is Kentucky’s native spirit; the state is the only member of the USA permitted to include its name on a bourbon label. Amongst other states, Kentucky also produces Rye whiskey, which has recently become a very fashionable drink, produced in a time honoured fashion, as it was pre-Prohibition.
As the snowball of New World whisky gathers both size and momentum, whisky often of the single malt variety - can be found in far flung destinations dotted around the globe, in unpredictable climes.
India, is home to the Amrut distillery which released “Fusion” in 2009. Fusion was later crowned 3rd Finest Whisky in the world in the 2010 Jim Murray Whisky Bible.
More exotic still, Australia and New Zealand are both distilling malts of their own. Sweden and Wales too, with their Mackmyra and Penderyn distilleries respectively.
Perhaps more striking, if not for its climate but for its remarkable location, is the St Georges Distillery in Norfolk, England. Already whiskies have been released, and already whiskies have sold out, the shelves cleared and awaiting the next batches!
In the world of whisky, region is as important as the grains used in distillation, the type of still that bore the spirit, the wood, size and shape of the barrel and the levels of peating. In some parts, whisky is like rum in the Caribbean, where countrymen favour their spirit with furious patriotism. Venture to Guyana, and El Dorado is the preferred tipple and so it is with Barbados and Martinique where Mount Gay and Clément are poured respectively in local bars and eateries.
Many select their whisky by region, and it is a great way to experiment and experience different whiskies, or whiskeys as the case may be…