Peaty picks

Malt whisky is made from three essential ingredients: water, barley, and yeast. That’s it – nothing more, nothing less. This makes it all the more impressive when you consider the vast variety of flavours you can get from the thousands of unique expressions you see on the market.

Apart from grain whisky where alternative grains to barley can be used, the only variation comes with the addition of peat. Peat isn’t necessarily added to the whisky, but as the barley germinates on the malting flour, peat is burned underneath and the smoke covers the barley above.

When it comes to differentiating between two whiskies, the first point to note is often peated or unpeated. This is a very important question, especially if a smokey dram isn’t for you, however, the rabbit hole goes a little deeper than this.

Why was peat introduced into the Scottish whisky industry?

Traditionally, Scots burned peat to heat their pot sills. Peat is plentiful in the Scottish Highlands and Islands and relatively easy to extract as it forms towards the surface often creating massive bogs.

However, this had no effect on the flavour. Instead, it was when the early pioneers of whisky started using this heat and smoke to speed up the drying process of the barley. The byproduct was a smokey, delicious dram.

Varieties of peat

The first crucial point to consider is, where is the peat from? This sounds like an irrelevant factor – peat is peat, right?

Well not necessarily. The location can greatly alter the flavour brought on by peat smoke. This is due to the plant life that once grew in place of peat and in turn created the peat over millennia.

For example, Islay peat was formed from seaweed, marine life, and Hebridean plants. This is what created the unmistakable, world famous iodine like flavour. When people first think of a peated whisky, this is generally what springs to mind.

However, Islay peat isn’t the only variant commonly used in whisky production. Mainland or Highland peat is formed from forest foliage, trees, and heather. This created a much softer, more aromatic flavour when added to whisky.

Often, people have a terrible experience with Islay peat and vow never to drink a peaty dram again. If this rings a bell, I would recommend trying a dram of a peated Highland or Island whisky as they are often a lot more subtle and less offensive.

A few distilleries that spring to mind are Isle of Raasay, Ardnamuchran, Ardmore, and Annandale.

Our peated picks

Here are a few of Caskshare’s top drams for peat enthusiasts and novices who would like to explore the world of peated whisky.

Isle of Raasay

Although an Island distillery, Isle of Raasay have opted to use Highland peat for their signature lightly-peated single malt. Being a less intense form of peat, Highland peat allows Raasay’s excellent cask selection shine through.

https://www.caskshare.com/distillery/isle-of-raasay-distillery

Ardnamurchan

Another lightly peated dram but this time from the Highland region – although its flavour profile is similar to an Island whisky. Salty maritime notes are enhanced by soft peat smoke, caramel, honeycomb, beeswax, oysters and cracked black pepper.

https://www.caskshare.com/caskshares/bourbon-cask-filled-with-peated-spirit-2015-08-10-2

Port Charlotte

Although influenced by Islay peat smoke, this aged Port Charlotte whisky has lost a lot of its peaty punch over time. This often happens when whisky is matured for more than a couple of decade. The faded presence of peat allows some of the alternative flavours to come to the forefront.

https://www.caskshare.com/caskshares/21-year-old-ex-bourbon-2001-12-20

Caol Ila

Made from unmistakable Islay peat, this dram is one for the peat-heads. Beautifully balanced by the sweet, sugariness of the Jamiacan rum barrel it was finished in, this dram is well rounded and robust – a great dram to enjoy as a nightcap.

https://www.caskshare.com/caskshares/brave-new-spirits-caol-ila

Agitator

Last but definitely not least it’s out award-winning peated single malt from the Agitator Distilery in Sweden. Matured in a chestnut cask, this amazing dram won silver in the Spirits Business Spirng Blind Tasting Awards. Earthy, dry peat is present in this dram which complements the unusual nutty notes brought on by the Chestnut cask it was matured in.

https://www.caskshare.com/caskshares/chestnut-cask-2018-11-14