The Connemara Pure Pot Still Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey is unique because it is the only peated single malt Irish whiskey distilled in the world. Reminiscent of an Islay Scotch Whisky in style, Connemara is more elegant and full of complexity and richness. The uniqueness of concept and quality was recognised in both the International Spirits Challenge and the International Wine and Spirits Competition where it scooped two gold medals in 1996. A third gold medal has been awarded to Connemara Peated Single Malt in the 2002 International Wine and Spirits Competition. Rich age and wood characteristics contribute to the lingering taste and warming glow attributed to the finest malt whiskies. The famous Connemara region in the west of Ireland is a region of wild beauty, with majestic mountains, soft rain, mist, rivers, lakes and pure water carried eastward by the Atlantic winds. The Connemara Peated Single Malt is a taste of this majestic region of lakes and mountains. Connemara is a throwback to the traditional whiskey produced by tiny distilleries all over Ireland in the early 19th century, a style that seemed lost forever only a decade ago. The secret of the Connemara's special peated taste is in the drying process. Once the malted barley has germinated it is dried over a peat fire, the smoke rising through the malted barley giving it a distinct peaty flavour and aroma. The melange of pure clear spring water and peated malted barley give the Connemara a rare flavour. Slowly maturing for long years in oak casks, the natural ingredients and traditional distilling methods employed create a whiskey which is simply spectacular.

Lagavulin is one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland. Distilling on the site is thought to date from as early as 1742. In the late 1700s it is believed that there were up to ten illicit stills operating in the district. But by the 1830s only two distilleries remained in the bay. In 1837 these distilleries amalgamated to form Lagavulin. At this stage the distillery was under the ownership of the Graham brothers and James Logan Mackie, uncle of Sir Peter Mackie who later became one of the 'big five' in the whisky industry. Lagavulin, the Islay single malt and Lord of the Isles, is herrich, robust song in peat. Sip a mere drop of Lagavulin at first and let its powerful bouquet embrace you.

The distillery was originally named Strathspey when it was established during the whisky boom of the late 1890s by two men from Kingussie. They chose the site for its access to a supply of clear spring water from Lochan-Doire-Uaine, above the snow line, and abundant peat from the surrounding moors. Dalwhinnie Single Scotch Malt is a surprisingly soft whisky with good aromas and a lovely fruity-malty taste from Scotland's highest, most remote distillery.

John Smith, the founder of Cragganmore Distillery, is said to have been the most experienced distiller of his day. He had been manager of Macallan, Glenlivet and Wishaw distilleries, and was lease holder of Glenfarclas distillery when he persuaded his landlord, Sir George Macpherson-Grant, to lease him the land to build a new distillery at Ballindalloch beside the Strathspey railway line, in 1869. Cragganmore (the name of the hill behind the distillery, whose springs supply the water for production) was the first distillery to be deliberately sited to take advantage of railway transport, and a private siding was built on the Strathspey railway to accomadate distillery traffic. John Smith was a great railway enthusiast, but since he weighed 308 pounds (140kg) and was too wide to enter a railway carriage, he was obliged to travel in the guards van! He died in 1886, leaving the business to his son Gordon, who largely rebuilt the distillery in 1901. In 1923, Gordon's widow sold the distillery to the Cragganmore Distillery Co. Ltd., a susidiary of White Horse Distillers Ltd. Now the licensed distillers are D & J McCallum Ltd. of Edinburgh who for many years exported Cragganmore mainly to Australia and New Zealand. In 1988/89, however, the brand was deservedly chosen by United Distillers to represent Speyside in their Classic Malts series. It was magnificantly relabelled and widely promoted, and as a result it has become much better known.