These included Highlands, Lowland, Speyside, Islay and Campbeltown. Even these have been subdivided. And a number of reviewers still drop these names into their writings as if they actually meant something.
Actually they did. Actually they do no more.
With the conglomeration of spirits, you are now likely to find peated and other styles made outside their original geographic region. Accordingly classification by region, much like rum's classification into color, age and region is meaningless, if not actually counteproductive.
Enter David Wishart, a talented and experienced Scot. Quoting Whisky Classified (here):
Wishart studied tasting notes from 10 well known authors and other reliable sources, for 86 well known, widely available whiskies of 10 to 15 years of age (the number is now up to 135).Whisky Classified was developed in Scotland by a Scot. Unlike most other authors, David Wishart has actually visited all the distilleries. His preliminary classification was circulated in 1998, a final draft version was issued in February 2000, and Whisky Classified was first published in April 2000 - see press release . Of those commenting on Whisky Classified, over 95% thought it would be useful to consumers. A subsequent revision was circulated in December 2001 and was approved for publication under the imprimatur of Scotch Whisky Heritage which is co-owned by the whisky producers.
From these he isolated about 500 descriptors, which he grouped into 12 basic profiles...
Wishart then classified these whiskeys not by the usual scores and personal preferences of the reviewers, but by these aromatics:These were grouped into 12 broad aromatic features: Body (Light-Heavy), Sweetness (Dry-Sweet), Smoky (Peaty), Medicinal (Salty), Feinty (Sulphury), Honey (Vanilla), Spicy (Woody), Winey (Sherry), Nutty (Oaky-Creamy), Malty (Cerealy), Fruity (Estery) and Floral (Herbal).
Wishart's categories were bookended by the most identifiable profile, Cluster J - the peated Islays, and on the other end by the second most distinctive aromatic, that of Clusters A, B and C - sherry aged. His goal: to develop and provide a "standard vocabulary by consensus", useful to all.Classification of Single Malt Whiskies
Cluster A ( Full-Bodied, Medium-Sweet, Pronounced Sherry with Fruity, Spicy, Malty Notes and Nutty, Smoky Hints): Balmenach, Dailuaine, Dalmore, Glendronach, Macallan, Mortlach, Royal Lochnagar;
Cluster B ( Medium-Bodied, Medium-Sweet, with Nutty, Malty, Floral, Honey and Fruity Notes): Aberfeldy, Aberlour, Ben Nevis, Benrinnes, Benromach, Blair Athol, Cragganmore, Edradour, Glenfarclas, Glenturret, Knockando, Longmorn, Scapa, Strathisla;
Cluster C (Medium-Bodied, Medium-Sweet, with Fruity, Floral, Honey, Malty Notes and Spicy Hints ): Balvenie, Benriach, Dalwhinnie, Glendullan, Glen Elgin, Glenlivet, Glen Ord, Linkwood, Royal Brackla;
Cluster D (Light, Medium-Sweet, Low or No Peat, with Fruity, Floral, Malty Notes and Nutty Hints ): An Cnoc, Auchentoshan, Aultmore, Cardhu, Glengoyne, Glen Grant, Mannochmore, Speyside, Tamdhu, Tobermory;
Cluster E (Light, Medium-Sweet, Low Peat, with Floral, Malty Notes and Fruity, Spicy, Honey Hints ): Bladnoch, Bunnahabhain, Glenallachie, Glenkinchie, Glenlossie, Glen Moray, Inchgower, Inchmurrin, Tomintoul;
Cluster F (Medium-Bodied, Medium-Sweet, Low Peat, Malty Notes and Sherry, Honey, Spicy Hints ): Ardmore, Auchroisk, Bushmills, Deanston, Glen Deveron, Glen Keith, Glenrothes, Old Fettercairn, Tomatin, Tormore, Tullibardine;
Cluster G (Medium-Bodied, Sweet, Low Peat and Floral Notes ): Arran, Dufftown, Glenfiddich, Glen Spey, Miltonduff, Speyburn;
Cluster H (Medium-Bodied, Medium-Sweet, with Smoky, Fruity, Spicy Notes and Floral, Nutty Hints ): Balblair, Craigellachie, Glen Garioch, Glenmorangie, Oban, Old Pulteney, Strathmill, Tamnavulin, Teaninch;
Cluster I (Medium-Light, Dry, with Smoky, Spicy, Honey Notes and Nutty, Floral Hints): Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Glen Scotia, Highland Park, Isle of Jura, Springbank;
Cluster J (Full-Bodied, Dry, Pungent, Peaty and Medicinal, with Spicy, Feinty Notes): Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Clynelish, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Talisker.
Source by permission: Whisky Classified: Choosing Single Malts by Flavour, David Wishart, Pavilion Books, London 2002.
Bottom Line:
Wishart's book, Whiskey Classified is a must buy. This valuable and unique book sets forth an understandable path for the whisky afficianado to develop his tastes, preferences and understanding. As an aside, in his new book "The World Atlas of Whiskey", Dave Broom has taken a similar, though less organized approach.
David Wishart is a hidden treasure. If you don't buy his book, you are a fool. Better yet, he's developed a beta database which I'll be happy to send to any who are interested.
But only if you buy the book...
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Special Note: It is notable that Wishart worked extremely closely with all 135 brands and their distilleries, the 10 authors, and possibly 90 other entities including "malt whisky societies, independent bottlers, blenders, retailers and academic researchers". Nearly all of these found favor and agreed with his classifications as both accurate and useful. A few outliers were identified and corrected.
