4 of The Best Lowlands Whiskies to Enjoy

When people think of Scotch whisky regions, they usually think of regions such as Speyside, Islay, and The Highlands. Scotland is home to a number of whisky regions, each one providing their own amazing scenery and their own unique take on whisky. One region that is criminally under looked in my opinion, is the Lowlands.

The lowlands is a whisky-producing region in Scotland situated just south of the Highlands. It was once the most prominent whisky region in all of Scotland. Stretching from Glasgow to the Scottish borders, until fairly recently there was a risk that the region would soon be distillery-less, as there were just five working distilleries less than a decade ago. That number has now increased and as of last year, there were 22 Lowlands distilleries in operation.

Lowlands whisky was once very controversial, with many whisky snobs brushing it off as ‘not a proper whisky’ as it was delicate and light, especially in contrast to a peaty dram from Islay. That however, proved to be nonsense as Lowlands whisky could make the comeback of the century.

If you’re looking to learn more about Lowlands whisky, here are several Lowlands expressions you have to try.

Typical Lowlands Whisky Tasting Notes

Before you even sample a whisky, you can tell a lot about it from which region it is from.

A Speyside for example, is unlikely to be smoky and will instead offer up fresh, fruity, and smooth notes. An Islay expression is likely to be peated and heavy on the smoke. Highlands whisky is somewhere in the middle. So where does that leave Lowlands?

Obviously, this varies, but typically, Lowlands expressions are renowned for being delicate, light, floral, and slightly aromatic. You can expect grassy notes, rich malt, zingy citrus fruits, stewed fruits, lavender, mint, basil, cocoa, and creamy toffee and vanilla.

As these drams are lighter and more delicate, they lend themselves very well to different types of food, as well as pre, and post-dinner drinks.

Lowlands Whiskies to Enjoy

Now that we know a little more about Lowlands whisky, it’s now time to look at some of the best Lowlands whiskies currently available.

Having tried a number of these myself, I can say with great certainty that they certainly live up to the hype.

Auchentoshan Three Wood

A nod to Scotland’s rich and storied history of golf, as well as referring to the three different types of wooden casks used to produce this exceptional dram, Auchentoshan Three Wood is a hugely popular Lowlands expression that is also very affordable.

Those who enjoy sherry cask finishes will love this drop, as, along with the Bourbon cask, it is also aged in Oloroso sherry casks, along with PX (Pedro Ximenez) casks.

At 43% ABV, it’s fairly smooth and is typical of a lowlands, offering up light summer berry notes, sweet vanilla oak, sticky toffee apple, and a suggestion of leather.

Lochlea Cask Strength

Coming from the Lochlea Distillery, situated in the heart of Kilmarnock, we have this cask strength expression, which comes in at a fiery 60.1% ABV! Who says that Lowlands whiskies are too light and delicate?

Aged in a combination of first-fill Bourbon and Oloroso Sherry casks, this is a fiery drop that is not typical of a Lowlands. Despite this, it’s surprisingly smooth and is heavy on the vanilla and fruity notes on the nose. These give way to sweet peanut brittle, sherry fruits, honey, and cereal notes with a lengthy, spicy, fruity finish.

Ailsa Bay Release 1.2 Sweet Smoke

Ailsa Bay Release 1.2 Sweet Smoke from the Ailsa Bay Distillery is one of the more interesting Lowlands whiskies out there. As the name implies, it’s sweet and smoky and would work very well with a summer BBQ.

The bottle and the label are evocative of a science lab, and that’s deliberate as the whisky was scientifically distilled to 022 parts peat to represent the smoke, and 019 parts sweet before being micro-matured to create the perfect balance and sweet and smoky.

This whisky is matured in Hudson Rye Whiskey casks, which makes for very interesting drinking. There’s sweet vanilla, mixed fruits, summer meadow, smouldering campfire, spicy oak, creamy malt, and rich dark chocolate with sweet and woody finish. I was pleasantly surprised by this one.

Kingsbarns Balcomie Sherry Casks

Kingsbarns Distillery in St Andrews, is responsible for this exceptional dram which was 100% matured in American oak ex-Oloroso sherry casks before being bottled at a balmy 46% ABV.

This too, is a very affordable whisky and tastes a great deal more expensive than it actually is. If you want a whisky that blasts you in the face with sherry, you’re going to fall head over heels for this wee dram.

Expect plenty of sherry notes such as raisin, dates, and sultanas. There’s also cinnamon and other winter baking spices, summer berries, treacle tart and custard, orange zest, and caramel hazelnut chocolate to finish. It’s special this dram and would be fantastic for Christmas.

If you’d like to learn more about your favourite whiskies, or simply treat yourself to a wee dram or two in the process, head on over to GreatDrams.com and take a look at what we have to offer.

With an impressive selection of limited-edition, rare, and award-winning whisky, as well as heaps of whisky info on our blog, it’s the perfect spot for any whisky lovers out there.

Tags: Best Lowlands Whiskies

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.