The Highlands is a historic region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands. The term is also used for the area north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault, although the exact boundaries are not clearly defined, particularly to the east. The Great Glen divides the Grampian Mountains to the southeast from the Northwest Highlands. The Scottish Gaelic name of A' Ghàidhealtachd literally means "the place of the Gaels" and traditionally, from a Gaelic-speaking point of view, includes both the Western Isles and the Highlands.
Scotch whisky is malt whisky or grain whisky, made in Scotland. Scotch whisky must be made in a manner specified by law. As of 2018, there were 133 Scotch whisky distilleries operating in Scotland.
Islay whisky is Scotch whisky made on Islay or Ìle in Gaelic, one of the southernmost of the Inner Hebridean Islands located off the west coast of Scotland. Islay is one of five whisky distilling localities and regions in Scotland whose identity is protected by law.
Royal Brackla distillery is a Highland Scotch whisky distillery on the Cawdor Estate, near Nairn in Scotland. The distillery is operated by John Dewar & Sons Ltd for Bacardi.
Forres is a town and former royal burgh situated in the north of Scotland on the Moray coast, approximately 25 miles (40 km) northeast of Inverness and 12 miles (19 km) west of Elgin. Forres has been a winner of the Scotland in Bloom award on several occasions. There are many geographical and historical attractions nearby such as the River Findhorn, and there are many historical artifacts and monuments within the town itself.
Tomintoul is a village in the Moray council area of Scotland; until 1975, it was in the county of Banffshire.
Edradour distillery is a Highland single malt whisky distillery based in Pitlochry, Perthshire. Its owners claim it to be the smallest distillery in Scotland, but this title now belongs to Strathearn Distillery, also in Perthshire. It has been owned by the Signatory Vintage Scotch Whisky Company since 2002, and was previously owned by Pernod Ricard. Signatory, founded in 1988, is primarily an Independent bottler and is based in Pitlochry.
Keith is a small town in the Moray council area in north east Scotland. It has a population of 4,734.
Dalwhinnie distillery, situated in the Highland village of Dalwhinnie in Scotland, produces Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Dalwhinnie refers to its own whisky as a Highland Whisky but as it is located within both the Highland and Speyside region it can legally be called either a Highland or Speyside whisky. It is owned by Diageo.
Alness is a town and civil parish in Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. It lies near the Cromarty Firth, with the town of Invergordon 3 miles (5 km) to the east, and the village of Evanton 4 miles (6.4 km) to the south-west. The parish has a population of 5,310, although the census locality, which includes part of the parish of Rosskeen, has a population of 5,186.
Dailuaine is a single malt whisky distillery in Charlestown-of-Aberlour, Strathspey, Scotland.
Evanton is a small village in Easter Ross, in the Highland Council Area of Scotland. It lies between the River Sgitheach and the Allt Graad, is 24 kilometres (15 mi) north of Inverness, some 6.5 km (4.0 mi) south-west of Alness, and 10 km (6.2 mi) northeast of Dingwall.
Mabou is a small Canadian rural community located in Inverness County on the west coast of Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Island. The population in 2011 was 1,207 residents.
The River Findhorn is one of the longest rivers in Scotland. Located in the north east, it flows into the Moray Firth on the north coast. It has one of the largest non-firth estuaries in Scotland.
Millburn Academy is a six-year secondary school in Inverness, Scotland. It serves the portion of Inverness east of the River Ness along with rural areas to the south of the city, with a catchment area that includes the primary schools of Crown, Daviot, Drakies, Inshes, Raigmore and Strathdearn. The school runs parallel to the 'Mill Burn' which was originally used for a Whisky distillery. The distillery is now gone and has been replaced by a chain hotel.
Tomatin distillery is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery in the village of Tomatin. Its whisky is classified as being from the Highland region, as it is 25 minutes south of Inverness.
Deanston distillery is a Single Malt Scotch whisky distillery located on the banks of the River Teith, eight miles from the historic town of Stirling, at the gateway to the dramatic Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park. It is the largest distillery owned by Scotch whisky producer Distell Group Limited, who also own Bunnahabhain Distillery on the Isle of Islay and Tobermory distillery on the Isle of Mull.
The Glenturret Distillery is located on the banks of the Turret River two miles north west of Crieff in Perthshire, Scotland. The distillery is hidden in the glen and its secluded location may have contributed to its early history as the site of several illicit bothy stills. The high hills to either side of the distillery were thought to act as lookout points for the smugglers. When Alfred Barnard visited the distillery he described the glen as “a perfect paradise to artists, who come in great numbers to transfer some of its transcendent beauties to canvas.” The distillery is located in the parish of Monzievaird and Strowan.
The Dallas Dhu distillery was a producer of single malt Scotch whisky that operated between 1899 and 1983. Dallas Dhu means "Black Water Valley" in Gaelic. Its whisky also appeared as a "Dallas Mhor" single malt. In 1899, Alexander Edward designed the Dallas Dhu distillery at the height of the whisky boom. Later he sold the plans and the distillery was built by the blender Wright and Greg. It was acquired by Benmore Distilleries Ltd, which joined DCL in 1929. The stillhouse was destroyed by a fire in 1939, but rebuilt. Production continued until the distillery closed in 1983; it is now a museum.
The Findhorn Viaduct is a railway bridge approximately 500 metres east of the village of Tomatin in the Scottish Highlands, which carries the Perth to Inverness railway line over the valley of the River Findhorn.
