Geography
The places whose water, climate and tradition define the world's great whiskies.
Speyside is the small area in the north-east of Scotland drained by the River Spey. It contains roughly half of all Scottish distilleries and produces the majority of Scotland's malt whisky by volume.
Notable distilleries include Glenfiddich, The Macallan, The Balvenie, Cardhu, Strathisla and Glenlivet.
Islay is a small island off the west coast of Scotland whose malts are largely defined by peat, giving them their distinctive smoky character. The Islay tradition is one of the most recognisable in world whisky.
Notable distilleries include Ardbeg, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Bowmore, Bruichladdich and Caol Ila.
The Highlands is Scotland's largest whisky region and its most varied, encompassing coastal, mountain and glen distilleries whose whiskies range from delicate and floral to robust and full-bodied.
Notable distilleries include Glenmorangie, Dalmore, Oban and Aberfeldy.
Ireland is the historical home of triple-distilled whiskey and the world's oldest continuously licensed distillery, Old Bushmills. Its modern revival is one of the great stories of contemporary spirits.
Notable distilleries include Midleton (Jameson), Old Bushmills, Teeling and Waterford.
Japanese whisky is a twentieth-century tradition modelled on the classic Scotch template, but developed with a distinctively Japanese approach to precision, restraint and expression.
Notable distilleries include Yamazaki, Hakushu, Yoichi and Miyagikyo.
Kentucky is the historical heart of American bourbon, whose character is defined by new charred American oak barrels and a mash of at least fifty-one per cent corn.
Notable distilleries include Buffalo Trace, Maker's Mark, Woodford Reserve and Wild Turkey.