The triple distillation method traditionally used by Lowland distilleries is one of the few remaining
'solid' geographical differences, making it fairly easy to identify a young Lowlander in a blind test.
Other 'regional' traits (like the peatiness associated with Islay malts) can be reproduced elsewhere.

During my formative years I've never been particulary fond of Lowland malts, but more recently
a few very good experiences with young Bladnochs and older expressions from Rosebank and Saint
Magdalene / Linlithgow have managed to tickle my fancy. I imagine the cask in which it is matured
is even more important for a Lowland malt than for other malts - because of the triple distillation?

The Lowlands region is the Southernmost part of Scotland, closest to England.
But then again, most Lowland distilleries are located near the Northern border of
the region, roughly around the line between Glasgow and Edinburgh (or the line
from Dundee to Greenock) - not far from the ancient remains of Hadrian's Wall.

These borders are arbitrary anyway; The Inverleven is a Lowland malt, while the
Inchmurrin distillery (located only a few miles to the North) is officially a Midland
(= southern Highland) malt. The same goes for Glengoyne and Littlemill. The only
active Lowland distillery that isn't distilled close to the Highlands border is Bladnoch!
In fact, based on the versions I have tried I'd say Bladnoch is as close in style to malts
from the Campbeltown as it is to the other two remaining active Lowlanders; Glenkinchie
and Auchentoshan. Inverleven, Glen Flagler / Killyloch and the like have been closed down.

I know all this has very little to do with single malt whisky (the stuff wasn't even invented back then), but the story behind the building of the wall is so captivating that I couldn't help mentioning it here. You can find a lot more information on this subject on the website of Aboutscotland.com.

Meanwhile, here's a picture of some ruins of Hadrian's Wall that runs along the border between the Highlands and the Lowlands. The 73 mile long wall running from coast to coast was built almost two thousand years ago by the Roman emperor Hadrian - or rather by some people working for him. Looking at the remains of the wall it's hard to imagine how this wall managed to keep hordes of picts (the earlier inhabitants of Scotland) out of the Roman empire, but the wall was actually a lot higher back then - and the people a lot shorter. Archeological evidence has shown that this border between England and Scotland was the front-line of civilization - much like it is today ;-)

LOWLANDS