There are three main types of Scotch whisky: single malt, single grain, and blended. Malt whisky production dates from the 15th Century and is steeped in tradition and culture. There are six distinct producing regions: Highlands, Islands, Islay, Lowlands, Speyside and Western Highlands. The natural resources, means of distillation, craft traditions and skills, and the maturation process in these regions combine to give each malt a character of its own.

There are more than 100 malt whisky distilleries in Scotland, all with pot-stills that have their own individual characteristics. Single grain whisky, 90 percent alcohol by volume spirit produced in a continuous still, is mostly used for blending, and blended Scotch whisky, the world's most complex - and most popular - spirit, can be made up of as many as 40 whiskies. Blends comprise 95 percent of all Scotch whisky produced.