Peaty
- Sea salt
- Brine
- Iodine
- Smoked fish
- Bonfire
- Peat smoke
- Ash
- Tar
Smoky whiskies made with barley dried over a peat fire. Think bonfires and sea air.
See peaty whiskiesWhat peaty tastes like
Smoke is the boldest flavour in whisky. It ranges from a gentle wisp to a full bonfire.
Tastes like
Bonfire smoke, sea salt and seaweed
Feels
Bold, intense and long-lasting
Great for
Adventurous palates and barbecues
You will probably like peaty if you enjoy
- Smoked salmon
- Barbecue
- Smoky tea
- Smoked cheese
- Salty licorice
Where peaty comes from
Dig Peat
Peat is plant matter that has built up in wet bogs over thousands of years. It burns slowly with thick smoke.
Peat from different places smells different. Island peat tends to give a more medicinal smoke.
Smoke Kilning
The barley is dried over a peat fire and soaks up the smoke. The longer it smokes, the peatier the whisky.
- Light smoke
- Bonfire
- Tar
Rest Maturing
Smoke softens a little with every year in the cask. That is why young peaty whiskies often taste the boldest.
Peaty whiskies to try
Whiskies with peaty as their main flavour.
Eight peaty notes to look for
From salty sea air to thick, tarry smoke. Island whiskies often carry both.
Sea salt
Fresh, salty sea air
Brine
Salty olives and oysters
Iodine
Seaweed and a first-aid kit
Smoked fish
Oily, smoky salmon
Bonfire
Wood smoke on a cold night
Peat smoke
Thick, earthy smoke with a sweet edge
Ash
A cold fireplace
Tar
Hot asphalt and tarred rope
Peaty plus one more
Most whiskies have a second flavour. Pick one and see what peaty turns into.
Peppery and bold
Like black pepper on smoked fish.
- Pepper
- Smoke
- Sea salt
4 to start with
Black Bottle
€18
Your first peaty flight
A flight is a few whiskies tasted side by side. These go from easy-going to special, so you can taste how peaty changes.
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Ardbeg Corryvreckan
Peaty Spicy€86Bottled stronger than most, at 57%. Smoke, black pepper and dark fruit.
My peaty flight
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