Islay vs Speyside
The comparison that organises most of Scotch: the smoky island against the sweet, fruity heartland. Styles and distillery counts below.
Islay
Peat, smoke and sea spray
Full profile →Speyside
Orchard fruit, honey and sherry oak
Full profile →- Country
- ScotlandScotland
- Character
- A Hebridean island of peat bog, Atlantic gales and eight miles of whisky coast.Soft water off granite hills; sheltered glens that drew illicit stills long before licences.
- Style
- Medicinal smoke on the south shore, balance in the middle, and Bunnahabhain's unpeated calm in the north-east.Orchard fruit and honey from ex-bourbon; dried fruit and spice where sherry wood rules.
- Distilleries
- 911
- Where to start
- New to peat? Enter through Bowmore 12 before attempting the south-shore trio at full smoke.The same distillery often makes both styles — check the cask type on the label before assuming a Speysider is light.
Every figure above is read from the Atlas entry for each, so this page stays in step with them.