Whisky journey spanning island and Highlands

Robin explores two regions of Scotland famed for their whisky, Islay and Speyside, and struggles to pick a favourite

It can be tough to choose between the famous dram-soaked region of Speyside or the whisky isle of Islay. Let’s raise a glass to each and look at what they offer. Speyside in the Highlands offers the highest concentration of whisky distilleries in Scotland, nestled around the banks of Scotland’s fastest flowing river, or at least close to its famed waters.

My favourite base here is the landmark Craigellachie Hotel (craigellachiehotel.co.uk), for me the best hotel in Scotland for whisky aficionados, or even timid first-timers. It’s not just its glorious heritage or location at the heart of the region overlooking the Spey, but also the Quaich. One of the world’s greatest whisky bars has just been revamped and it’s glorious. You can splash out with a rare carefully locked away malt from a long-closed distillery, or just enjoy a quality dram for a tenner.

There are so many distilleries in Speyside, there is always one I haven’t visited. This spring I ventured north to Benromach in Forres (benromach.com) for the first time. I was lucky to go on one of their tours and tastings, and also to witness the filling of their sherry butts.

My visit to Benromach also coincided with the launch of their new Peat Smoke Sherry Cask Matured, which turned everything I thought I knew about Speyside whisky on its head. The malted barley is peated more heavily than most Speyside whiskies, and matured in proper sherry bodega casks, rather than casks seasoned for whisky. It is utterly delicious.

Then there is Macallan (themacallan. com). Massive things are afoot here, as I found out when I popped in. They have invested millions in an otherworldly new distillery, an almost Tolkien-esque

modern glass and steel complex, built spectacularly into the hillside. It is boosting production by as much as 50% and also allows for a new visitor experience.

The world’s best-selling whisky, Glenfiddich, also hails from Speyside. Its picturesque home is the whisky hub of Dufftown in the hills above the Spey Valley proper. Last time I was in I sampled one of their lunch whisky flights in their lovely Malt Barn.

My lunch was laden with fresh Scottish produce, such as creamy Orkney cheddar and tangy smoked venison, and I went for the William Grant and Sons Range tasting as I reclined by a roaring fire. This featured four superb drams – the highlight was the Ghosted Reserve, a 26-year-old blend conjured up from a trio of closed distilleries – Ladyburn, Inverleven and Dumbarton.

You can visit Speyside at any time of year, but true aficionados should book for the brilliant Spirit of Speyside Festival, held over the first weekend in May every year. There are more than 500 events, with everything from tours of distilleries not normally open to the public, to food and whisky matchings and even a whisky-fuelled train ride from Keith to Dufftown.

It’s time now for a whisky experience of a totally different type – the famously peaty, smokey single malts of the Hebridean isle of Islay may be the Marmite of Scottish whisky (I love them!), but there is no doubting the quality of the whisky touring experience on an island alive with epic beaches, intoxicating history and gloriously picturesque distilleries.

Before I knew anything about whisky my favourite three drams in the world were Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Laphroaig.

The first time I sailed to Islay, years back, it felt like coming home as there they were, the whitewashed trio of