Scottish Whisky Regions: What Are They and Do They Actually Matter?

All of Scotland's distilleries (around 140 and growing) are organised into traditional whisky-producing regions. The five classic regions are Highlands, Speyside, Islay, Lowlands, and Campbeltown, though many people split the Highlands into two — Highlands and Islands — which is the classification I use here.

But here's the question that matters: do these regions actually tell you anything useful about the whisky in the bottle? The short answer is: sometimes, but not as much as you might think.

Why regions used to matter more

Historically, regional classifications made sense. Distilleries used local barley, local water sources, and regional traditions that genuinely created distinctive styles. If you bought an Islay whisky, you knew what you were getting. If you chose Speyside, you had certain expectations.

These days, though? Most barley is imported, knowledge and techniques are widely shared across the industry, and distilleries experiment far more with different cask types and production methods. A Speyside distillery can make a heavily peated whisky if they want to (and some do). An Islay distillery can produce an unpeated dram.

That said, regional characteristics haven't completely disappeared. There are still trends and tendencies within each region, and understanding them can be helpful — you just need to take them with a pinch of salt.

A map of Scottish whisky regions with the Highlands region highlighted

1. Highlands: The Everything Region

The Highlands is massive — it covers everything from the Lowland boundary right up to the northern coast. Trying to define a "Highland style" is a bit like trying to define what British food tastes like. There's just too much diversity.

You'll find coastal distilleries making briny, maritime-influenced drams. You'll find distilleries making rich, sherried whiskies. Some make light, fruity expressions. Others go for robust, peaty styles.

Notable distilleries include Glenmorangie, Glendronach, Oban, Dalmore, and Balblair. Each has a completely different character. When I reviewed Glendronach 15, that heavily sherried style is distinctly Glendronach, not distinctly Highland.

What to expect: Honestly? Anything. The Highland classification tells you very little about what's in the bottle.

Number of distilleries: 41

Oldest distillery: Glenturret (founded in 1763)

A map of Scottish whisky regions with the Speyside region highlighted

2. Speyside: Where Half of Scotland's Whisky Comes From

Speyside is the powerhouse — nearly half of Scotland's distilleries are packed into this relatively small area in northeast Scotland, centred around the River Spey.

If any region has a recognizable style, it's Speyside. These whiskies are typically elegant, fruity, and often sweetened by sherry cask maturation. Think orchard fruits, honey, vanilla, and a general approachability that makes Speyside a great starting point for newcomers.

That said, there's still plenty of variation. Benriach makes both peated and unpeated expressions. Some Speysides are lightly sherried, others are sherry bombs. Some distilleries focus on bourbon cask maturation for a lighter, more vanilla-forward profile.

But if you're new to whisky and someone hands you a Speyside, you can reasonably expect it to be fruity, relatively smooth, and generally pleasant. It's the safest regional bet.

What to expect: Fruity, often sweet, generally approachable. Sherry cask influence is common. Usually no peat.

Number of distilleries: 52

Oldest distillery: Strathisla (founded in 1786)

A map of Scottish whisky regions with the Islay region highlighted

3. Islay: Peat, Smoke, and Sea Air

Now we're talking about a region with a genuine, recognisable character. Islay (pronounced "eye-luh") is a small island off the west coast, and its whiskies are famous worldwide for their peaty, smoky intensity.

The island has abundant peat bogs, and most Islay distilleries use heavily peated malt. Add in the maritime influence — sea spray, salt air, coastal warehouses — and you get whiskies with distinctive smoke, brine, seaweed, and medicinal notes.

Iconic distilleries include Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Bowmore, and Bruichladdich. Though even here, there's variation: Bruichladdich makes unpeated expressions, and Bunnahabhain is known for lighter, less peated styles.

But generally, if you see "Islay" on a label, expect smoke and peat. It's the one regional classification that's genuinely reliable.

What to expect: Peat smoke, maritime influence, brine, seaweed, medicinal notes. Bold and distinctive.

Number of distilleries: 9

Oldest distillery: Bowmore (founded in 1779)

A map of Scottish whisky regions with the Lowlands region highlighted

4. Lowlands: Light and Delicate (In Theory)

The Lowlands covers southern Scotland and has a reputation for producing light, delicate, approachable whiskies. Floral, grassy notes, gentle sweetness, and an absence of peat are the traditional characteristics.

Distilleries like Auchentoshan and Glenkinchie fit this profile nicely — these are whiskies that don't challenge you, they welcome you in.

However, the Lowlands has seen significant growth in recent years with new distilleries opening, and not all of them are sticking to the traditional light style. So while the reputation exists, it's becoming less reliable as a guide.

What to expect: Generally light, floral, grassy, and gentle. But check the specific distillery.

Number of distilleries: 23

Oldest distillery: Rosebank (founded in 1798)

A map of Scottish whisky regions with the Campbeltown region highlighted

5. Campbeltown: The Comeback Region

Campbeltown, on the Kintyre Peninsula, was once a thriving whisky capital with dozens of distilleries. It declined dramatically and now has just three: Springbank, Glen Scotia, and Glengyle (which makes Kilkerran).

These whiskies tend to have a maritime character — a bit of brine, some peat, and complexity. They're often described as sitting somewhere between Highland and Islay in character, though that's a generalisation.

With only three distilleries, it's hard to define a regional style. You're really choosing between three distinct producers rather than selecting a "Campbeltown style."

What to expect: Maritime influence, some complexity, often a touch of peat. But really, just try the three distilleries individually.

Number of distilleries: 3

Oldest distillery: Springbank (founded in 1828)

A map of Scottish whisky regions with the Islands region highlighted

6. Islands: Not Actually an Official Region

The Islands aren't officially a separate region — they're traditionally part of the Highlands. But they're often treated separately because the island distilleries do tend to share some characteristics.

This includes distilleries on Skye (Talisker), Orkney (Highland Park, Scapa), Mull (Tobermory), Jura, and Arran. What I reviewed from Arran showed a distillery making whisky that's pure, clean, and fruit-forward — distinctly its own character.

Island whiskies often have maritime influences — that coastal, sometimes briny character. Many use some peat, though usually less aggressively than Islay. There's often a bit more robustness than you'd find in Speyside.

But honestly, each island is different, and each distillery is different. The "Islands" classification is more about geography than shared characteristics.

What to expect: Often some maritime character, sometimes peaty, generally more robust than Speyside. Huge variation, not unlike the Highlands region from whence it came.

Number of distilleries: 14

Oldest distillery: Highland Park (founded in 1798)

So do regions actually matter?

Here's my honest take after reviewing dozens of whiskies: regions are a rough guide at best.

Islay is the most reliable — if you see Islay on the label, you can reasonably expect peat and smoke (with a few exceptions). Speyside tends toward fruity and approachable, but there are plenty of exceptions.

Everything else? It's more about the specific distillery, the cask types they use, and their house style than it is about geography.

When I'm choosing a whisky, I pay far more attention to:

The specific distillery and their reputation
What casks were used (bourbon, sherry, port, etc.)
The ABV
Whether it's chill-filtered and coloured
Reviews and tasting notes

The region tells me something, but it's probably the least important factor.

Regional classifications as marketing

Let's be honest: these days, regional classifications are as much about marketing and tradition as they are about actual flavour profiles. Distilleries play up their regional identity because it's romantic and it helps sell whisky.

And that's fine! There's nothing wrong with celebrating Highland heritage or Islay tradition. Just don't assume that a Highland whisky automatically tastes a certain way, or that all Speysides are basically the same.

The bottom line

Understanding Scotland's whisky regions is useful background knowledge. It gives you a framework for exploring Scottish whisky and understanding a bit of history and geography.

But when you're actually choosing a bottle? Look at the specific distillery, read some reviews, understand what casks were used, and trust your own palate more than you trust regional stereotypes.

The best whisky isn't defined by where it was made — it's defined by how much you enjoy drinking it.

If you want to dive deeper into understanding what's in your glass, check out my posts on whisky tasting, chill filtration, and the whisky tasting wheel.