Peaty whisky is one of life’s great pleasures if you’re a Scotch lover. As you may know, peaty whisky production is most plentiful on Islay, one of the Inner Hebrides Isles off the Western coast of mainland Scotland. Not all Islay (pronounced EYE-luh, not IZ-lay) whiskies are heavily peated, but most offer a peated whisky even if their entry level whisky, for instance Bunnahabhain 12, is not heavily peated. The peat heavy weights are Lagavulin, Ardbeg and Laphroaig but there are some great peaty whiskies from Bowmore, Kilchoman (the newest distillery on Islay) Bruichladdich and Caol Ila. Recently there is an informal “Who’s got the biggest” contest for the peatiest whiskies with Octomore from Bruichladdich at over 100 parts per million (ppm) of phenols competing with the PC or Port Charlotte whiskies also from Bruichladdich and the recent Ardbeg heavy weights such as Corryvreckan, Super Nova and Alligator. That rating, ppm, is how the various producers and consumers measure the amount of peat that makes it into the malted barley as it is dried over a peat fire.

“What is peat anyway? you ask. Well as you can see in the photo of a hearth burning peat, above, it is a fuel that can be used as a heat source. It is dug from the earth (see left). Peat is decayed vegetative matter, usually in marshy areas that has been deposited over thousands of years and if left undisturbed would eventually turn into coal. It can be dug/mined from the earth in bricks, dried and burned as fuel. Before the advent of coal being mined and delivered to Northern Scotland and especially on the Isles, peat was the primary source of heat for homesteads. Today it is used primarily as a flavoring ingredient in the production of whisky. After the barley is malted (a forced germination of the barley grain) the sprout growth must me halted and the grain dried before being ground into a coarse flour and then being mixed with warm water to form wort and later mixing with yeast to form whisky wash, which finally is added to the still and distilled into whisky. Looking past the ppm of phenols brings us to the flavors of some of these great peaty drams.

For many the love of peaty whiskies is an acquired taste, but here, to begin with, are some slightly more tame but delicious peaty whiskies. I’ll begin with two Murray McDavid independent bottlings. Murray McDavid was established in 1996 and in 2000 it purchased the then closed Bruichladdich distillery along with other investors and brought it back to life. What they bottle is influenced by the Master Distiller and co-owner of Bruichladdich, Jim McEwan. Here we have two great examples of his finishing finesse using  French red wine casks.

Murray McDavid 1996 Bowmore 14-year old Chateau Petrus Cask Finish 46% ABV

The Bowmore is very fresh...on the nose, grapey, floral, vanilla, and light peat smoke. On the palate is caramel, vanilla, toffee, pecans, blackberry, tumeric spiciness, subdued smokiness and a fruity slow finish. Complex but not overpowered by the peat influence. Rating 85-90. Peating levels of Bowmore are usually about 18-25 ppm of phenols as opposed to Ardbeg which is at about 35-55. Chatueau Petrus is a Pomerol wine. Pomerol is the smallest wine producing area of the Bourdeaux region.

1999 Laphroaig 11-year old Chateau Lafite-Rothchild Cask Finish,

46% ABV

TheLaphroaig, on the nose has a slight acetone whiff followed by a light grape scent, then peat smoke over orange and vanilla scents. On the palate it is fruity, smoky, lightly malty, with orange flesh. This does not have the usual iodine, seaweed medicinal character of Laphroaig but is a very nicely integrated whisky. Rating 85-90.

Let’s move on to one of the new heavy weights of the Peat Monsters. I’m talkin’ Alligator.

Once again, Rachel Barrie, Master Blender at Glenmorangie/Ardbeg has come up with a winner.

Ardbeg Alligator, 51.2% ABV (Not Committee Release)

In my opinion, not as big a home-run as Corryvreckan, this is still a dynamic expression of the peaty super whisky, Ardbeg 10. This is Ardbeg 10 where a portion has been finished in a heavily charred barrel known as “Alligator” char. More sooty and charred bacon fat than the regular 10. Lots of creamy vanilla from the virgin Alligator barreling. Aromas of smoke, wax, bacon, charred meats, a bit soapy. Very oily, with notes of vanilla and malt, with a huge BBQ hit. Fruity, chewy, nutty, spicy. Creamy and zesty, with lemon, as well as ginger and orange zest. Rating 90-95.