The malt whiskies from the Highlands are the most varied, but they are in general smoky and smooth, sometimes with more than a hint of sherry. The Highlands include most of the western islands but not Speyside, which,, although geographically considered part of the Highlands is treated as a separate region by virtue of the density of distilleries found there.

AN CNOC            12 YEARS OLD 40%

Known as Knockdhu until the DCL marketing men found The Gaelic. Rich straw colour with a fresh medium bodied nose. Full-bodied, sweet and lightly peated flavour with a long smooth and sweet finish.

BALBLAIR ELEMENTS             NAS 40%

The air in Edderton on the Dornoch firth where Balblair is distilled is said to be the purest in Scotland. It is this fourth element - the purest of air - combined with the other elements that gives Balblair its smooth, light, delicate and refreshing taste.

BALBLAIR                            10 Year Old 40%

Colour, mid amber with gold highlights. Quite full bodied, dark sweet and lightly nutty nose with an aniseed character. Fairly peaty, lightly spirited nose with a short light finish

BALBLAIR                            16 Year Old 40%

Mid amber colour with gold highlights. Dark sweet nose with a light nutty character. Sweet to start with an appetising nutty tinge on the side and a slightly dry note as it slides over the back of the tongue.

BLAIR ATHOLL                        12 year old 43%

Pale, mid amber colour with golden highlights, a fullish but slightly green nose with a fresh smokiness. Full-bodied, sweetish palate with a smoky tang and a long slightly smoky finish with a sweet note.

CLYNELISH                        14 year old 43%

Pale amber colour with greenish gold highlights. Rich full nose with a background smokiness and a hint of citrus. Very complex palate, rich and full with a smoky sweetness followed by  an elegant finish with bitter chocolate notes.

BENRIACH                        12 year old 43%

Open two years, closed for sixty-four and reopened in 1965 this is one of the few distilleries still to have floor maltings. Straw gold colour with a distinctive fresh appley nose. Full-bodied, dry flavour with a chocolate note and a long lingering spicy finish

DALWHINNIE                      15 year  old 43%

From the highest distillery in the Highlands, Dalwhinnie has a rounded smoothness with touches of honey and heather and a smokey subtlety all of its own.

DALMORE                           12 years old 40%

Full deep amber colour with gold highlights. Slightly sweet, light oak nose with a grape-like fruitiness. Full, medium-sweet flavour with slightly smoky spiciness and a lightly malted smooth dry finish.

GLENMORANGIE  Port Wood Finish NAS 43%

The colour of antique copper, golden with a rosy hue. A complex balance of sweet and dry flavours, bitter chocolate being offset with a fresh minty note Hints of port and walnut evident in the finish.

GLENMORANGIE  Sherry Wood Finish NAS 43%

The colour of light gold, full bodied, even and creamy. A subdued sweet flavour at the outset with a light and dry finish. Sherry and nuts are both evident, combining to produce a long, warm aftertaste.

GLENMORANGIE  18 years old            43%   

GLENTAUCHERS 1979 40%

Light amber colour with gold highlight and a medium nose with good nutty richness, delicately peated with an aroma of dried apricots. Nutty, oaky and medium sweet flavour with a touch of spice and a fresh, smooth, light nutty finish.

JACOBITE                No age statement 40%

Aged in oak casks to produce a smooth taste with light peaty traces offering  a good and lingering character

LONGMORN         15 years old 45%

Much favoured as a "top dresser" by blenders this was considered by Professor RJS McDowall as one of Scotland's top malts. Mid amber colour with gold highlights. Rich, full bodied soft oak nose with a grapey fruitiness. Quite full-bodied flavour: round, soft and smooth medium sweet with a delicate edge of smokiness and a rich smooth finish.

OBAN                         14 years old 43%

Very pale straw colour with golden highlights. Medium sweet and lightly peated nose,. quite rich with a slight burnt heather character. A smooth, light sweet and creamy flavour with a delicate peatiness and smoky dry finish.

OLD PULTNEY             8 years old

From the most northerly mainland distillery where the now fast disappearing practice of leaving others to bottle is still followed.  Pale gold colour tinged with green. Delicately pungent nose with a faint tang of ozone. Pungent smokey and clean flavour with a refreshingly dry smoky finish. Gordon & MacPhail bottling.

Island

Strictly speaking part of the Highland Region, Scotland's many islands produce a number of whiskies. You may be forgiven for thinking that Islay is the only Scottish island to produce whisky because excellent promotion has elevated an island of only six distilleries to area status. This group of Highland malts collects together some of the products of Scotland's other western islands.

ISLE OF JURA 10 Year Old 40%

From the Argyllshire island of the same name the whisky has a pale straw colour with light greenish tinges. Very delicately flavoured, lightly smoky with a pleasant nuttiness its finish is very smooth and lingers well.

TALISKER                10 years old, 45.8%

Pungent peat-smoke nose with seawater saltiness reminiscent of the distillery's location on Skye's Loch Harport. Rich dried fruit sweetness with clouds of smoke. Warming and intense barley mat flavours with a huge long peppery-sweet finish.

TOBERMORY          NAS 40%

From the capital of Mull, about ninety minutes form here. Light amber in colour with a fresh, lightly peated, smoky nose. An easy introduction to island malts