Scotch Whisky regions

Question 1

when was the origins of regionality in scotch whisky

Answer 1

The wash act in 1784

Question 2

What act in 1784 led to regionality amongst scotch whisky

Answer 2

The wash act of 1784

Question 3

what line was created in 1784 by the wash act

Answer 3

The highland line

Question 4

what points in Scotland did the highland line run between when it was created by the wash act of 1784

Answer 4

It ran from the first of Clyde on the western coast to the Firth of Tay on the east coast

Question 5

by what century had Campbeltown been added as its own region

Answer 5

the late 19th century

Question 6

By the late 19th century what new region of Scotland was referred to as the whisky capital

Answer 6

Campbeltown

Question 7

When was Islay added as its own whisky region

Answer 7

Around the same time as Campbeltown by the late 19th century

Question 8

During the 1890s what region overtook Campbeltown in terms of whisky production that was not yet defined as its own region

Answer 8

Speyside

Question 9

What region wasn’t recognised until the whisky act 1988

Answer 9

Speyside

Question 10

When was Speyside made its own region

Answer 10

In 1988 due to the whisky act 1988

Question 11

what’s happened to regional individuality over time

Answer 11

its decreased as there has been more overlap between regions

Question 12

What are the five official regions of scotch whisky and what is the potential sixth

Answer 12

Lowlands, Highlands, Speyside, Campbeltown and Islay.
The potential sixth is the Islands although these are currently a subcategory of the highlands.

Question 13

What were the highland distilleries allowed to do due to the wash act of 1784

Answer 13

They were allowed to work smaller stills with weaker washes at a slower rate

Question 14

In 1979 how was the highland line shifted

Answer 14

An intermediate area was defined [between highland and lowland, and only lasting 2 years] which shifted the highland line so that it ran from Lochgilphead to Findhorn excluding the low ground of angus and Aberdeenshire

Question 15

In 1979 where did the highland line run to and from and what areas did it exclude

Answer 15

It ran from Lochgilphead to Findhorn and excluded Angus and Aberdeenshire

Question 16

What is ‘Glenlivet’ a good example of during the formations of regions particularly around the wash act of 1784

Answer 16

It shows how overtime connoisseurs of whisky recognised regionality and Glenlivet became a general term for whiskies from the region that is now referred to as Speyside

Question 17

All of the northern highland distilleries (except two) are located along what?

Answer 17

The coast, the exceptions to that are Glen Ord and the newly founded Wolfburn [2013]

Question 18

What are the general and typical characteristics of northern highland whiskies

Answer 18

Due to their close proximity to the coast many are influenced by that are slightly salty. they are also typically complex, medium bodied and sometimes faintly Smokey

Question 19

Why do most northern highland single malts not benefit too much from full maturation in sherry wood and how is this tackled

Answer 19

They are mostly too delicate to age entirely in sherry wood so instead usually they are finished in sherry wood (If aged in sherry at all)

Question 20

What technique commonly used by the northern highland distilleries was pioneered at Glenmorangie

Answer 20

Finishing the whiskies in sherry wood casks

Question 21

When was the high point for the distilleries of the northern highlands

Answer 21

The late 18th century

Question 22

what fraction of all of Scotland’s malt whisky distilleries are in Speyside

Answer 22

2/3rds

Question 23

how many operational and closed malt distilleries are in Speyside

Answer 23

49 Operational and five that have closed (their spirits still available, and one [Dallas Dhu] said to restart production)

Question 24

What are some typically characteristics of speyside whiskies

Answer 24

generally sweet and estery and have notes of: parma violets, pear-drops, roses, apples, bananas , cream soda and lemonade.

Question 25

What three broad bodies to Speyside whiskies fall under

Answer 25

Light, medium and full bodied

Question 26

Prior to 1824 how many licensed distilleries were there is Speyside and which were they

Answer 26

2, they were Strathisla and Dalvey

Question 27

Of 16 known farmer distillers [In Speyside] to take advantage of the excise act 1823 how many were successful and are still in operation and what are some of them

Answer 27

9 are still in operation. They are: Arbelour, Cardhu, Glenlivet, Longmorn, Macallan, Miltonduff, Mortlach, Glenburgie and Balmenach

Question 28

What two main things encouraged development in Speyside in the late 1850s and in 1867

Answer 28

The laying down of a branch line of the great north of Scotland railway and the Speyside railway of Keith to Boat of Garten. (Railways encouraged development put simply)

Question 29

What shape best describes the Speyside region? How large is it and how can you describe its location geographically?

Answer 29

Its a blunt wedge shape, it is around 50km wide, its apex is in the northern foothills of the Cairngorm mountains, its base the moray firth, its western boundary is the river Findhorn and its eastern boundary

Question 30

What makes the region of Speyside suited to whisky in particular Laich O'Moray ('The garden of Scotland')

Answer 30

it has rich fertile soil, its got an equable climate and longer daylight hours in summer which make it perfect for growing barley. The upland moors that gird the laich also provide an ample supply of peat. Lastly the surrounding mountains made it a more inaccessible area which made it better for distilling

Question 31

When was Dufftown founded

Answer 31

In 1817 by James Duff

Question 32

How many distilleries does it have and how many were established before 1886

Answer 32

6, only 1 was established before 1886

Question 33

When did the first distillery open in Keith

Answer 33

1786

Question 34

What distilleries are in Keith and which is the oldest

Answer 34

Strathmill, Glen Keith, Alutmore, Glentauchers, Auchroisk and the oldest which is named Strathisla which used to be called Milton

Question 35

Which is the oldest distillery in Scotland and were is it

Answer 35

Milton, opened in 1786 and was later renamed to strathisla and it is located in Keith

Question 36

when was the town of Rothes established

Answer 36

1766

Question 37

When was the first legal distillery built in Rothes and by who?

Answer 37

1840 by John and James grant

Question 38

What are the four current distilleries in Rothes

Answer 38

Glen grant, Glenrothes, Speyburn and Glen Spey

Question 39

What is Elgin known as today

Answer 39

The current whisky capital

Question 40

What distilleries are in Elgin

Answer 40

Glen Moray, Linkwood, Glenlossie, Mannochmore, Benriach, Longmorn and Glen Elgin.

Question 41

Towards what boundary of the Speyside region is Banff

Answer 41

The eastern boundary

Question 42

What are Banff's Distilleries occasionally also referred to as

Answer 42

Deveron malts

Question 43

What areas does central highlands encompass

Answer 43

Perthshire, part of Dumbartonshire and Stirlingshire in the south and part of inverness towards the North

Question 44

how may the local land of the central highlands be described

Answer 44

Dramatic and mountainous with deep glens, lochs and broad straths

Question 45

In the past what were the malts from the central highlands commonly referred to as

Answer 45

The Perthshire malts

Question 46

What are some of the typical characteristics of central highland single malts

Answer 46

they tend to be lighter bodied and sweeter than other highland malts they are also fragrant with blossom, elderflower , heather, honey and spice lastly they also tend to have a drier finish

Question 47

how many distilleries have been established within the central highland region

Answer 47

128

Question 48

in the central highlands out of the 128 distilleries there how many were founded prior to 1840

Answer 48

119

Question 49

today how many distilleries can be described as central highland distilleries and which are they

Answer 49

9, they are: Glenturret, Blair Athol, Aberfeldy, Deanston, Tulibardine, Glengoyne, Edradour, Strathearn and Aberargie

Question 50

during the 19th century which city emerged as the blending capital

Answer 50

Perth

Question 51

Why did Perth become the whisky blending capital in the 19th century

Answer 51

it had easy access to the highlands for malt whisky fillings and it had access to the lowlands and its markets

Question 52

What are some of the big blenders that were set up in Perth in the 19th century when it became the blending capital

Answer 52

Dewars, Bells and Gloag's, RB Smith & Co, Peter Thompson and CC Stuart Ltd

Question 53

In terms of the highland line where does the east highlands region fall around it and how has that changed

Answer 53

It falls almost entirely below the highland line as of the Act of 1797 however it used to fall inside it when the original Wash act of 1784 was in place

Question 54

What areas are contained in the east highlands region

Answer 54

The old counties of Forfarshire and Aberdeenshire

Question 55

What are the typical characteristics of eastern highland malts

Answer 55

they tend to be medium to full bodied, smooth and sweetish, dry on the finish, Sometimes malty and slightly smoky, sometimes fudge or toffee like with citrus, ginger and spice

Question 56

What kind of cask maturation is of the most benefit typically to eastern highland malts

Answer 56

Sherry casks

Question 57

how many distilleries in total were known to exist in the North east highlands

Answer 57

76

Question 58

between 1825 and 1830 after the 1823 excise act how many distilleries were established in the North-east highland region

Answer 58

36

Question 59

How many recorded whisky producers have there been in the western highlands and what time were most established before

Answer 59

28, most were established before 1830

Question 60

Why were so many distillers from the recorded 28 in the west highlands not licensed

Answer 60

Policing the remote area would have been near impossible and its likely the farm distillers supplied magistrates keeping them in good books. in addition to this difficulties transporting over sea increased cost as did the cost of importing barley etc due to lack of fertile area

Question 61

what are the only two distilleries that remain in the western highlands region excluding Campbeltown

Answer 61

Ben Nevis and Oban

Question 62

How was Campbeltown a good region for whisky making

Answer 62

it was remote and further away from centres of government and it also had abundant supplies of barley and peat

Question 63

By 1974 how many known illicit distillers were there in the Campbeltown region and how many were there in the surrounding region

Answer 63

22 in the town with another 10 in the surrounding countryside

Question 64

Before 1823 how many legal distilleries were there in Campbeltown

Answer 64

3

Question 65

Between 1823 and 1834 how many distilleries in Campbeltown registered for licenses

Answer 65

27

Question 66

In 1824 how many litres of spirit were the 25 or so distilleries of Campbeltown producing

Answer 66

around 3.5 million litres

Question 67

The slump of the depression around 1920s closed all of Campbeltown's distilleries excluding how many

Answer 67

3

Question 68

What are the three remaining distilleries of Campbeltown

Answer 68

Springbank, Glengyle and glen scotia

Question 69

What is the typical character of Island malt whiskies

Answer 69

They are noticeably peaty in most cases albeit less so than Islay whiskies and they have a peppery finish (Arran is an exception to this)

Question 70

How old is the earliest reference to distilling on the Islands and where are they found

Answer 70

1609 in the statutes of Iona were it states that Islanders were allowed to distil but not import

Question 71

what are the principle villages of islay

Answer 71

Bowmore and Port Ellen

Question 72

how many distilleries were registered to have existed in the 19th century

Answer 72

21

Question 73

How many distilleries are there currently on Islay

Answer 73

9

Question 74

what are the two groups/ categories of islay whisky and which distillery falls between them

Answer 74

North and Southern and Bowmore is in the middle

Question 75

which of the distilleries on Islay still do their own floor maltings

Answer 75

Laphroaig, Bowmore and Kilchoman

Question 76

what sort of stills did the lowland distillers use around 1784 during the time of the wash act 1784

Answer 76

Large, wide and shallow stills that allowed for rapid distillation but made for a less flavoursome spirit

Question 77

what kind of character did lowland whiskies typically produce in the 1780s

Answer 77

Spirits of a lighter character especially compared to the highlands

Question 78

how many known lowland distilleries are there that have been recorded

Answer 78

215

Question 79

when was the earliest lowland distillery founded

Answer 79

1741

Question 80

what kind of whisky was predominantly produced in the lowlands from the late 18th century to the 1850s

Answer 80

Grain whisky

Question 81

in the 1920s how many operating malt distilleries were there in the lowlands

Answer 81

13

Question 82

by 1930 how many of the 13 malt distilleries in the lowlands had closed

Answer 82

6