Playing host to over 50 distilleries, Speyside has the greatest concentration of malt whisky producers compared to any other whisky producing region of Scotland, including the Highlands (of which Speyside is a sub-region), the Lowlands or the island of Islay.

As a style, Speyside whiskies are usually lighter and sweeter than other Scotch single malts. As they grow older, they develop body. Typical flavour characteristics include green apple, vanilla, oak, dried fruit and nutmeg.

The Speyside region has the vast majority of all the Scotch distilleries, and thus there is a great variation. Aside from the lighter, honeyed single malts, there are also a small group of distilleries which produce a heavily sherried style Speyside whisky. Glenfarclas and The Macallan, for example, produce big bodied whiskies, The Glenlivet and Glenfiddich distilleries produce the most classic, typical Speyside drams, and both are world famous.