Highland

Home to the tallest stills in Scotland — nearly five metres — which produces a notably light, fragrant spirit. Glenmorangie is one of the best-selling single malts in Scotland full stop.

The Highland distillery that appears on more end-of-year gift lists than any other. Dalmore is famous for heavy sherry-cask maturation and extremely serious prices at the top of its range.

‘The Maritime Malt’ — a coastal Highland distillery in Wick, once the herring-fishing capital of Europe. Salty, briny, lightly oily character thanks to its unusually-shaped stills.

A tiny two-still distillery sitting right in the middle of the town it’s named after. Oban bridges Highland and West Coast island character — gently smoky, salty, fruity.

One of Diageo’s most sought-after malts and long a whisky-geek favourite. The 14 Year Old is famous for its distinctive waxy, slightly oily texture that fans spend years chasing.

One of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, hidden away in the rolling Ross-shire countryside. Delicate, fruity, and famously featured in the film The Angels’ Share.

A Fort William distillery under the shadow of Britain’s highest mountain, owned by Japanese Nikka since 1989. Full-bodied, slightly funky, and a whisky-nerd favourite for independent bottlings.

The heart of the Dewar’s blend and a notably honey-forward single malt. The visitor centre — ‘Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery’ — is one of the most polished in the Highlands.

Founded in 1798 on the southern edge of Pitlochry, this is one of the most-visited Highland distilleries by virtue of location alone — Pitlochry is a stop on the main A9 tourist route. The single malt is a key ingredient in Bell's, with a 12 Year Old available for visitors.

Once Scotland’s biggest distillery by output, Tomatin is now a mid-size operation with a strong value proposition — the 12 Year Old is among the better sub-£40 single malts around.