Speyburn not a Speyside?

[William]

http://blog.thewhiskyexchange.com/2012/ ... conundrum/

[MacDeffe]

An excuse could be that geographically Speyside is located in the Highlands...

I think Macallan label themselves as "Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky", no mention of Speyside

This might be strange but not as strange as Black Bull 40 winning a new release of the year at the whisky magazine awards, linking to their batch 1 which was released several years ago. There is a batch n2 as well which was released at least 2-3 years ago

They have both been sold out generally for quite a bit

Steffen

[Pete Smoke]

A well written article by Tim.

[William]

An excuse could be that geographically Speyside is located in the Highlands...

Steffen

That's true Steffen. But a bit confusing in the context of the awards, which had a Speyside category. Were the Speyburns and other Speysiders entered in the competitions as Speyside AND Highland malts, I wonder?

(that's a rhetorical question - I'm sure it was a genuine slip. But shows how labelling re regions is still causing some confusion, even to professed whisky experts such as those at WM).

[Peat Sampras]

A well written article by Tim.

Indeed. I think the reason some distilleries prefer to have Highland on the label rather than Speyside might be that an uneducated punter might associate Highland with something he remotely can relate to whereas Speyside just means strictly nothing to him.

[Rogerdodger]

A well written article by Tim.

Indeed. I think the reason some distilleries prefer to have Highland on the label rather than Speyside might be that an uneducated punter might associate Highland with something he remotely can relate to whereas Speyside just means strictly nothing to him.

That's true. One of the tasks I give my students is to design a bottle of Whisky, think of a name and a marketing strategy. I have done this with various groups and ALL have included either Highland-something in the name (the favorite being The Highlander!) and Mc-something
I'd be willing to bet that no one has even heard of Speyside. No excuse for getting it wrong in the award context of course, but maybe motivation for putting it on the bottle.

[bpbleus]

I appreciate Tim's honesty and humility.

It's true that Heavy Metal whiskies tend to get all the attention, but a song doesn't need to be loud to be beautiful. All distilleries have stupendous casks in their warehouses. Some of them are just not in the habit to bottle them in a recognizable way.

[Willie JJ]

Firstly, I have some sympathy for those whisky companies that don't want their marketing efforts to be driven by what is essentially a Diageo marketing campaign. I don't really see why they should have to conform just because Diageo have made a success out of it.

Secondly, and more inportantly, I have to take exception to Tim's assertion that Michael Jackson's and hence the TWE's classification is the 'correct' one. He makes reference to the SWA as if they have a lot of work to do to clear up this situation, but the Guidance for Producers and Bottlers produced under the The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 is not at all ambiguous. In brief and in relation to the issue under discussion I quote:

It has long been customary to sell Single Malt Scotch Whiskies accompanied by a locality or regional geographical name to indicate where they were distilled. In order to protect and promote these names, the SWR define the five major traditional locality and regional geographical indications, which are “Highland”, “Lowland”, “Speyside”, “Islay” and “Campbeltown”.

Note the absense of an Island classification.

Speyside falls within the borders of the Highland region and therefore Scotch Whiskies distilled in the Speyside area may either be described as “Highland” or as “Speyside”.

So under SWA guidance there is no problem with the labelling of Speyside whiskies as Highland. The reverse is not, however, true. Tim accuses Inver House of managing to get two of their distilleries '‘wrong’ under Michael Jackson / TWE criteria (and despite updating the packaging for Knockdhu / an Cnoc only a few years ago)'. This is grossly unfair as they are clearly acting within the guidelines. TWE, however, are not when they advertise Glenglassaugh, Glendronach and Tomatin as Speyside distilleries. From the guidance:

it is illegal to use a locality or regional geographical name in relation to a Scotch Whisky which has not been distilled in the locality or region in question.

To make such a statement the SWA needed to define the regions and they are clearly stated in The scotch Whisky Regulations 2009:

The protected localities are—
(a) “Campbeltown”, comprising the South Kintyre ward of the Argyll and Bute Council as that ward is constituted in the Argyll and Bute (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2006(a);
and
(b) “Islay”, comprising the Isle of Islay in Argyll.
(6) The protected regions are—
(a) “Highland”, comprising that part of Scotland that is north of the line dividing the Highland region from the Lowland region;
(b) “Lowland”, comprising that part of Scotland that is south of the line dividing the Highland region from the Lowland region; and
(c) “Speyside”, comprising—
(i) the wards of Buckie, Elgin City North, Elgin City South, Fochabers Lhanbryde, Forres, Heldon and Laich, Keith and Cullen and Speyside Glenlivet of the Moray Council as those wards are constituted in the Moray (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2006(b); and
(ii) the Badenoch and Strathspey ward of the Highland Council as that ward is constituted in the Highland (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2006(c).

Now that's not very clear unless you know the geography very well, but the handy SWA map is unambiguous:
SWA Regional Map

From this Glenglassaugh, Glendronach and Tomatin are clearly defined as Highland whiskies and any attempt to label them as Speyside by the proprietors would be illegal.

I guess retailers' marketing via websites is not subject to the labelling restrictions of the SWA, but there's no point in berating distillers for getting it wrong when they have clearly complied with the regulations and accompanying guidance.

[Willie JJ]

I appreciate Tim's honesty and humility.

It's true that Heavy Metal whiskies tend to get all the attention, but a song doesn't need to be loud to be beautiful. All distilleries have stupendous casks in their warehouses. Some of them are just not in the habit to bottle them in a recognizable way.

I totally agree with this.

[William]

I guess retailers' marketing via websites is not subject to the labelling restrictions of the SWA, but there's no point in berating distillers for getting it wrong when they have clearly complied with the regulations and accompanying guidance.

Quite so Willie. Speyburn decide that they want to compete as a "Highland" with the Highlanders, not the Highlanders that enter the "Speyside" category. Which is a clever tactical move perhaps - less competition? Or maybe they just don't want to be known as Speysiders (although neighbouring distilleries such as Glen Grant DO prefer that - so it is confusing for the outsider).

In the context of WWA, the "regions" have been tweaked by WM, some distilleries have been permitted to choose a category of their own choice, and some confusion has ensued.

Maybe Highland Park will go back next year and also compete for WWA awards as a "Highland" instead of in the "Island (non Islay)" category they entered this year! So far as I can see, they (and Talisker etc) have that option, should they wish to take it.

[John Barleycorn]

I don’t know why this is so confusing; there are a number of distilleries in the Speyside region that have retained their original Highland title. The current definition of Speyside has not always been so, as this area was at onetime (and not that long ago) part of the overall Highland region. In Michael Jackson’s Whisky Companion he makes no mention of Speyside as a separate region but defines the regions as being the Lowlands, the Highlands, Campbeltown and the island of Islay. The defining of these regions had very little to do with the style of whisky produced but more to do with administration. Under the heading of ‘The Highland’ he then proceeds to define the Speyside area and to refer to the style of the Speyside malt. The term ‘Speyside Malt’ was not used by any of the distilleries in this region pre 1960’s the labels either referred to them as Highland malt or Single Highland or Pure Highland Malt or made no statement at all. So, it not the matter of Speyburn choosing to call itself a highland distillery it always was. It’s more to do with those that now refer to themselves as Speyside choosing not to call themselves Highland.

In my opinion the confusion has very little to do with the distilleries and more to do with the retail outlets who tend to lump all the distilleries from one region under one heading i.e. Speyside or include those distilleries on the outskirts within that grouping. I came across one online retailer who under the category of Speyside had included distilleries such as Tomatin, Royal Brackla, Glen Mhor, Glenglassaugh and even Deanston and Glenturret. Even Speyside doesn’t consider itself as Speyside!

[Willie JJ]

I think the confusion arises from:
a) people thinking there is much more tradition to these classifications than there actually is.
b) years of vague estimation of the boundaries of the 'Speyside' region.
c) The erroneous assumption that because a distillery lies within the bounds of Speyside it must be a Speyside malt.

The regulations effectively demonstrate that 'Speyside' is an optional classification and define the limits of its use. Unfortunately, I think there is no prospect of the end to confusion except amongst those that make the not trivial effort to find out. The vast majority of consumers are unlikely ever to understand, or care that much.

[Mr Tattie Heid]

c) The erroneous assumption that because a distillery lies within the bounds of Speyside it must be a Speyside malt.

Okay, I'll bite. If a distillery lies within the bounds of Speyside, how can it not be a Speyside malt, regardless of what they choose to print on the label?

[mongo]

well, i lie within the bounds of the u.s.a (quite literally: i'm lying on my couch as i type this) but i'm an indian.

[Mr Tattie Heid]

The bottle of Balvenie I just poured from lies within the bounds of the USA, too. Like you, it was produced elsewhere.

[mongo]

it is possible you took my post seriously.

[two-bit cowboy]

I don't take anything you say seriously!

[Mr Tattie Heid]

I know you never jest, mongo.

[mongo]

yes, i was actually sitting up at the time.

[William]

yes, i was actually sitting up at the time.

Is that true? Or are you lying again?

[mongo]

i am lying now.

[Mr Tattie Heid]

At least you didn't say you were laying. If you did, you'd be lying. Unless you were a hen.

[John Barleycorn]

Missing out on the joke.

[BigMac]

Even Speyside doesn’t consider itself as Speyside!

This is not the case... I visited Speyside distillery last spring and Andrew Shand at the distillery made it very clear that they considered themselves a Speyside distillery... and not highland...

To prove it, he took us for a walk down to the stream from which they get their productions waters and pointed to us that below that on the fields there was some powerlines... when the Spey floods, the water goes up to those power lines... and that about 300 yards from the distillery - he then asked 'How can that not be Speyside'.... and said this was an ever ongoing debate with the SWA....

Going there again during this years Spirit of Speyside festival in a weeks time, and I'll be happy to get it confirmed

[Willie JJ]

c) The erroneous assumption that because a distillery lies within the bounds of Speyside it must be a Speyside malt.

Okay, I'll bite. If a distillery lies within the bounds of Speyside, how can it not be a Speyside malt, regardless of what they choose to print on the label?

Hmm, let me put it this way. A few hundred years ago the parliaments of Scotland and England were merged. Now almost everyone from outside of the UK refers to the UK as England. Does that make me English?