Smoky & Peaty Whisky
When malted barley is dried using peat smoke, the grains pick up distinctive phenolic flavours that carry through to the final whisky.
Flavours often found in Smoky & Peaty whiskies
These whiskies are sometimes medicinal or maritime.
Crispy Bacon
Sea Spray
Woodfire
Iodine
Kippers
Ash
Recommended Peaty whiskies
Other great options
Peaty tasting set
The Islay Whisky Discovery Set
The whisky isle of Islay is the only Scottish island that constitutes an entire whisky region! This is thanks to its tradition of heavily peated whiskies, initially utilised by blenders before being revered as single malts. However, notable and renowned unpeated whiskies are also produced there. This set is filled with five 30ml wax-sealed samples of whisky sourced from a host of top distilleries across Islay.
Included is:
Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old
Laphroaig 10 Year Old
Kilchoman Machir Bay
Big Peat
Smokehead Rum Rebel
How Peaty Whisky is made
Peat bricks cut and left to dry
Malted barley is used to make malt whisky (as you may have guessed). The malting process is how distillers get access the starch and enzymes stored away inside every barley grain, and part of that process requires heating all grains to stop them growing into a barley plant!
What we're interested in here is which fuel is used to heat the barley. Traditionally, before established rail routes, there was little to no access to coal throughout the Scottish Highlands and islands. The local fuel instead was peat. Peat is partially decomposed plant and organic matter, and as such can even carry the essence of its location, be it more coastal elements, smoked floral heather notes, or woodfire character from more forested areas.
These days malting is mostly handed over to commercial maltsters, with distilleries ordering malted barley to the peat (or more commonly unpeated) specifications they require.
Find out more about other whisky flavours
Whisky Guides
Our team of whisky experts take you on a journey through the wonderful world of whisky. In our comprehensive whisky guide, you can learn all about whisky: from how it is made to how to drink it and so much more...
