(from http://www.dcs.ed.ac.uk/home/jhb/whisky/lapointe/text.html)
This comparison is excerpted from the the above site. The characteristics of the scotches are grouped in the the following groups, separated by a semicolon.
| B.1. | Eastern Group: Spey District and Eastern Highlands |
| Scotches | Banff, Fettercairn, Glencadam, Glenesk, Glen Garioch, Glenugie, Glenury Royal, Lochnagar, Lochside, Millburn, North Port, Tomatin, Tomintoul, Tormore |
| Average characteristics | color: full gold; nose: peaty and aromatic; body: medium and smooth; palate: malty, sweet, dry and smoky; finish: dry |
| The best of its class | Lochnagar (eastern Highlands), 12 years, 80 points |
| B.2. | Western Group: Lowlands, Islands of Islay and Jura, and Western Highlands |
| Scotches | Auchentoshan, Ben Nevis, Bladnoch, Blair Athol, Bunnahabhain, Dalwhinnie, Deanston, Glengoyne, Glen Mhor, Inchmurrin, Inverleven, Jura, Kinclaith, Ladyburn, Littlemill, Rosebank, Saint Magdalene, Springbank |
| Average characteristics | color: gold; nose: dry and peaty; body: light; palate: malty, sweet and fruity; finish: dry |
| The best of its class | Springbank (Campbeltown district), 15 years, 88 points |
| B.3. | Northern Group: Spey District, Orkney Islands and Northern Highlands |
| Scotches | Balblair, Benromach, Brackla, Clynelish, Dalmore, Glenmorangie, Highland Park, Pulteney, Scapa |
| Average characteristics | color: amber; nose: sweet, fresh, fruity and salty; body: medium; palate: sweet, smooth, spicy, salty and fruity; finish: fruity,dry and long |
| The best of its class | Highland Park (Orkneys), 12 years, 90 points |
| B.4 | Islay Group: Islay, Mull and Skye Islands, Western Highlands, Campbeltown District |
| Scotches | Ardberg, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Caol Ila, Glen Albyn, Glenlochy, Glenordie (Glen Ord), Glen Scotia,Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Oban, Port Ellen, Longrow (Springbank distillery), Talisker, Teaninich, Tobermory |
| Average characteristics | color: full gold; nose: peaty and salty; body: light to medium and oily; palate: dry, malty and smoky; finish: big and spicy |
| The best of its class | Lagavulin (Islay), 12 years, 89 points |
| B.5. | Midland Group: Midlands and Eastern Lowlands |
| Scotches | Aberfeldy, Edradour, Glenkinchie, Glenturret, Tullibardine |
| Average characteristics | color: gold; nose: sweet, aromatic, fruity and peaty; body: soft to medium, light but firm; palate: clean and sweet; finish: warm, fruity and spicy |
| The best of its class | Edradour (Midlands), 10 years, 81 points |
| B.6. | South-west Speyside: West of Duff Town, East of Spey River |
| Scotches | Benrinnes, Glenallachie, Glenfarclas |
| Average characteristics | color: bronze; nose: aromatic, sweet and peaty; body: firm; palate: dry; finish: sweet, malty and long |
| The best of its class | Glenfarclas (Speyside), 10 years, 86 points |
| B.7. | Eastern Speyside: North and West of Keith |
| Scotches | Aultmore, Singleton of Auchroisk, Strathisla |
| Average characteristics | color: amber; nose: sweet, fresh, fruity and salty; body: medium; palate: malty, smooth, spicy, fruity and salty; finish: dry, fruity and long |
| The best of its class | Singleton (Speyside), 1975, 79 points |
| B.8. | South-east Speyside: around Dufftown |
| Scotches | Balvenie, Convalmore, Craigellachie, Dufftown, Glendullan, Glenfiddich, Glen Spey, Mortlach |
| Average characteristics | color: full gold and amber; nose: sweet, aromatic and peaty; body: medium to full; palate: sweet, dry, fruity and smoky; finish: dry, oily and lingering |
| The best of its class | Balvenie (Speyside), no age statement, 85 points |
| B.9. | North-east Speyside: Mostly around Keith |
| Scotches | Ardmore, Balmenach, Glen Deveron, Glendronach, Glenglassaugh, Glen Keith, Glentauchers, Inchgower, Knockdhu |
| Average characteristics | color: gold; nose: malty, dry, grassy and peaty; body: medium and smooth; palate: dry and sweet; finish: dry and long |
| The best of its class | Glenglassaugh (Speyside), no age statement, 76 points |
| B.10. | Central Speyside: around Rothes |
| Scotches | Aberlour, Benriach, Caperdonich, Coleburn, Dailuaine, Glen Elgin, Glen Grant, Glenlossie, Glenrothes,Imperial, Linkwood, Longmorn, Macallan, Speyburn |
| Average characteristics | color: full gold; nose: malty, sweet, fruity and sherry character; body: light to medium; palate: dry, sweet and fruity; finish: dry, smooth and smoky |
| The best of its class | Macallan (Speyside), 10 years, 87 points |
| B.11. | Western Speyside: West of the Elgin, Rothes and Dufftown |
| Scotches | Cardhu, Craggarunore, Dallas Dhu, Glenburgie, Glenlivet, Glen Moray, Knockando, Miltonduff, Tamdhu, Tamnavulin |
| Average characteristics | color: pale gold; nose: aromatic, grassy and peaty; body: light but firm; palate: sweet, grassy and fruity; finish: sweet, dry, grassy, smoky and long |
| The best of its class | Cragganmore (Speyside), 12 years, 90 points |
| A.1. | Group A |
| Average characteristics | color: full gold; nose: fruity, salty; body: medium; palate: oily, salty, sherry; finish: dry |
| Scotches | Aberfeldy, Glenugie, Laphroaig, Scapa |
| The best of its class | Laphroaig (Islay), 10 years, 86 points |
| A.2. | Group B |
| Average characteristics | color: amber; nose: sweet, sherry; body: medium, smooth; palate: dry, sweet; finish: long |
| Scotches | Aberlour, Balvenie, Benrinnes, Dalmore, Glendullan, Glenlivet, Glenturret, Highland Park, Lochside, Macallan, Millburn, Oban, Singleton of Auchroisk, Strathisla |
| The best of its class | Highland Park (Orkneys), 12 years, 90 points |
| A.3. | Group C |
| Average characteristics | color: pale gold; nose: sweet, salty; body: medium to full, oily; palate: sweet, spicy; finish: big, long, spicy |
| Scotches | Ardmore, Blair Athol, Clynelish, Glenmorangie, Port Ellen, Talisker |
| The best of its class | Talisker (Skye), 10 years, 90 points |
| A.4. | Group D |
| Average characteristics | color: pale gold; nose: fruity, grassy; body: oily; palate: sweet, fruity; finish: sweet, quick |
| Scotches | Auchentoshan, Ben Nevis, Coleburn, Speyburn |
| The best of its class | Auchentoshan (Lowlands), 10 years, 85 points |
| A.5 . | Group E |
| Average characteristics | color: pale wyne, gold; nose: fruity, peaty; body: light; palate: sweet, spicy; finish: fruity |
| Scotches | Balblair, Bladnoch, Caol Ila, Edradour, Glenburgie, Inchmurrin, Inverleven, Kinclaith, Littlemill, Pulteney |
| The best of its class | Bladnoch (Lowlands), 8 years, 85 points |
| A.6. | Group F |
| Average characteristics | color: gold; nose: aromatic; body: medium, smooth, light; palate: sweet; finish: sweet |
| Scotches | Aultmore, Benriach, Benromach, Bunnahabhain, Cardhu, Dalwhinnie, Glenallachie, Glen Deveron, Glenkinchie, Glen Scotia, Inchgower, Knockando, Miltonduff, Springbank, Tullibardine |
| The best of its class | Springbank (Campbeltown), 15 years, 88 points |
| A.7. | Group G |
| Average characteristics | color: gold, full gold; nose: grassy; body: smooth, light; palate: grassy; finish: dry |
| Scotches | Cragganmore, Glenglassaugh, Glen Moray, Longmorn, Rosebank, Tamnavulin, Tomintoul |
| The best of its class | Cragganmore (Speyside), 12 years, 90 points |
| A.8. | Group H |
| Average characteristics | color: white wyne, pale; nose: sweet; body: smooth, light; palate: sweet, dry, fruity, smoky; finish: dry, light |
| Scotches | Bruichladdich, Deanston, Fettercairn, Glenfiddich, Glen Mhor, Glen Spey, Glentauchers, Ladyburn, Tobermory |
| The best of its class | Bruichladdich (Islay), 10 years, 76 points |
| A.9. | Group I |
| Average characteristics | color: gold, full gold, bronze; nose: dry, peaty; body: medium, light, fine; palate: dry, smoky, sweet; finish: salty |
| Scotches | Ardberg, Bowmore, Dufftown, Glenfarclas, Glenlochy, Glenury Royal, Jura, Lagavulin, Longrow (Springbank distillery) |
| The best of its class | Longrow (Campbeltown), 14 years, 90 points |
| A.10. | Group J |
| Average characteristics | color: full gold; nose: dry, peaty, sherry; body: light to medium, round; palate: sweet; finish: dry |
| Scotches | Glen Albyn, Glengoyne, Glen Grant, Glenlossie, Linkwood, North Port, Saint Magdalene, Tamdhu |
| The best of its class | Linkwood (Speyside), 12 years, 83 points |
| A. l l . | Group K |
| Average characteristics | color: gold, full gold; nose: sweet, dry, peaty; body: medium to full; palate: sweet, dry; finish: dry, long |
| Scotches | Balmenach, Brackla, Convalmore, Craigellachie, Dailuaine, Dallas Dhu, Glendronach, Glenesk, Glen Keith, Glenordie (Glen Ord), Glenrothes, Knockdhu, Mortlach, Tomatin, Tormore |
| The best of its class | Dallas Dhu (Speyside), 1971, 85 points |
| A.12. | Group L |
| Average characteristics | color: full gold; nose: aromatic, peaty; body: medium; palate: sweet, smoky; finish: smoky |
| Scotches | Banff, Caperdonich, Glencadam, Glen Elgin, Glen Garioch, Imperial, Lochnagar, Teaninich |
| The best of its class | Lochnagar (eastern Highlands), 12 years, 80 points |