By Michael Jackson Terroir isn't only found in France. Weather, water, soil and surroundings have a lot to do with how Scotch whiskies differ from one another.
Most wine enthusiasts are familiar with the term terroir.
France has traditionally been the most famous wine nation because it has a terroir well suited to growing winegrapes, and it is no accident that a French word is used to describe the influences of water, soil, landscape and climate on the winegrape. Further north, in the temperate parts of Europe, the cooler weather is better suited to the growing of grain, especially barley, and the making of beer and whisky. The character of the water depends on the purity of the local atmosphere, the amount of rainfall, and the type of rock or soil through which it filters or flows. But it also has a distinct, diverse and dramatic geology. When you raise a dram of quality Scotch, you taste the rain, rock, soil, vegetation and climate of Scotland.