Peated whiskey is characterized by its distinctive rich and smoky taste from infusing malted barley with peat smoke. The prominence of peat in Scotch and Japanese whiskey has had whiskey connoisseurs commending the complex tasting experiences it brings to the table.
Curious to learn more? Here’s a one-stop resource for everything there is to know about peated whiskey.
History and production of peated whiskey
What is peat?
Peat is an accumulation of an organic layer of soil in the ground for 1000s of years in places called bogs. It is a fossil fuel that produces more energy than coal. Due to the abundance of bogs in Scotland, peat was used as the primary fuel source to fire up whiskey distillery kilns.
Peat in whiskey
The origin of peat in whiskey hails from 19th century Scotland. Newly harvested barley underwent a malting process before it was used to make whiskey.
In this process, barley grains germinated to convert stored starches into sugars for the yeast to ferment into alcohol. Here’s where peat plays a role in whiskey production. After the sugars are produced, the damp barley is dried over peat-heated fire to halt germination. The peat smoke emitted contains chemical compounds absorbed by the barley, giving it its unique smokiness.
Peated whiskey today
Initially, the use of peat in Scotch whiskey production was deemed a necessity. However, the Industrial Revolution in Europe brought with it a new contender for a reliable energy source, coke.
Coke is a coal-based product with high carbon content and releases fewer impurities into the atmosphere than peat. Peat in bogs was also an invaluable natural deterrent of floods. As a result, the use of peat in whiskey distilleries diminished over time.
However, a handful of Scottish distilleries such as Highland Park in Orkney and Laphroaig on Islay held on to the tradition of distilling peated whiskies and the success of these distilleries eventually inspired the production of Canadian, Japanese and Indian peated whiskies.
What does peated whiskey taste like?
As a general rule of thumb, peat in whiskey gives off smoky and woody flavours to the palate. The aromatic smokiness commonly associated with peated whiskey is akin to the notes given off by fine cigars or fresh smoked meats.
However, the complexity of flavours doesn’t stop there. If we take a closer look, we can start to pick up on minute details that give each whiskey its individuality. These details are highly dependent on the type of peat used during the production process.
According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), peatlands make up 20% of the entire country of Scotland. These peatlands come in many different shapes and sizes, which in turn, results in peat with diverse compositions of decomposing matter. When burned, peat emits phenolic compounds that play an important role in influencing the taste of the final product.
The three types of peat that are commonly used are medicinal peat, spicy peat and aromatic peat. Each introduces its corresponding flavour in addition to the smoky and musty taste of the whiskey.
Spicy peat
Spicy peat produces a whole lot of syringol compounds when burned. This adds a sweet and spicy vanilla note which is not too dissimilar to the taste of freshly ground peppercorns. Spicy peated whiskey is the ideal beverage to sip on a cool summer night. The Talisker 10 Year is a great example of spicy peated whiskey.
Medicinal peat
Whiskey made using medicinal peat is very divisive in the whiskey enjoyer community. You either love it, or you don’t. Medicinal peat releases phenols when burned, producing a sharp iodine-like taste which hints at seaweed. The smoky aroma from the peat gives this distinctive medicinal flavour. The Laphroaig 10 year Islay single malt is a popular option to try if you’re feeling adventurous.
Aromatic peat
Guaiacol compounds from aromatic peat are responsible for the savory, woody notes. There is a slight overlap with spicy peated whiskey, producing an earthy, nutmeg like flavour. The Highland Park 12 is an aromatic peated whiskey done right. It is milder to the taste, and perfect for newcomers looking to expand their palate.
Gauging the peatiness of your whiskey
We generally gauge how peaty a batch of whiskey is by determining the phenol parts per million (PPM) of the malt before any distillation has taken place. The phenolic content of whiskey is usually indicated on the product label.
Whiskey below 15 ppm, are considered lightly peated, whereas anything above 30 ppm, like Bruichladdich’s Port Charlotte, are considered as heavily peated. Be-that-as-it-may, we should take this scaling system with a grain of salt as many whiskies with similar phenolic PPM vary greatly in taste due to other defining factors.
What is the difference between peaty and smoky whiskey?
Many people tend to confuse the terms peaty and smoky when it comes to describing whiskey. While these terms are used interchangeably, there are a few ways to discern the difference between peaty vs smoky whisky.
For one, smoky whiskey gives off a more carbon-based aroma, similar to burning wood or charcoal, whereas peated whiskey has a more organic, earthy aroma, like moist, damp soil.
To the palate, smoky whiskey tends to steer towards ashy notes and finishes with a dry and ashy aftertaste. This is in contrast with peated whiskey that exudes rich and dry floral-like notes with a bitter finish.
Serving tips for peated whiskey
Now that you’re well-versed in the intricacies of peated whiskey, let’s look at how best to enjoy this drink.
Neat
If you consider yourself a veteran in the whiskey world, you can always try drinking peated whiskey neat. This is, however, not recommended for newcomers as the strong flavours might be off-putting to the uninitiated.
On-the-rocks
Peated whiskey on the rocks has been quite a controversial method of drinking whiskey. On one hand, the addition of ice makes for a cool, refreshing beverage and reduces the overall intensity of the peated flavour. This allows newbies to slowly acclimate to the taste of peated whiskey.
On the other hand, ice can really mute the complex notes of peated whiskey. A handy tip when serving peated whiskey on-the-rocks is to use big ice cubes that melt slowly, so that the drink is chilled but less watered down.
Peated whiskey cocktails
There’s no better way to customize your beverage to suit an individual palate than a fresh cocktail. So if you’re looking to experiment with different flavours and levels of intensity, give whiskey cocktails a shot! Here are some highly recommended recipes for you to try.
Salted Fashion
A cocktail classic that has stood the test of time – the Old Fashioned with a salty twist. A perfect peated drink that is simply yummy! Here’s how to make one.
Ingredients:
- 2¼ oz Laphroaig whisky
- 1 tsp salted maple syrup (Stir 1 tsp sea salt into 4 oz of maple syrup)
- 3 dashes of apple bitters
- Ice
Mix all the ingredients in a glass, add ice cubes and stir with a bar spoon. Strain into a rock glass and pop in a large cube of ice. Garnish with a twist of lemon zest.
The Penicillin
This recipe uses only a small amount of peated whiskey, floated at the top of the drink to allow for the smoky and woody aromas to be the main highlight with every sip. The base uses a mix of blended Scotch, lemon juice and honey-ginger syrup giving the cocktail a spicy, zesty and tart-like flavour. Follow these steps to make your very own.
- Add 2 oz. of blended Scotch, ¾ oz. of honey-ginger syrup and ¾ oz. of lemon juice into a shaker filled with ice.
- Shake until the mixture is well chilled.
- Strain onto a rocks glass with fresh ice.
- Top with a float of peated whiskey.
- Garnish the glass with a piece of candied ginger.
Top peated whiskey brands to try
To get you started, here are a few of our recommendations for great peated whiskey.
Timah Double Peated Blended Whiskey
What makes Timah Whiskey so exceptional is its double peated blend. The whiskey is a masterful blend of two imported peated malts and neutral cane spirit distilled from molasses that become more than a sum of its parts. Timah Whiskey complements the smoky aroma from the peated malts with light, floral notes to the palate and ends with a sweet, light oak finish. A subtle warm pepperiness that lingers on the palate also accompanies every sip, perfect for a cool summer night.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
This dark-coloured smoky, rich liquor is one of the most intense peated whisky to savour. The Lagavulin 16 year old is highly sought after for its delicious notes – powerful peaty, oak flavors followed by lingering sweetness on the finish. Great for those with an advanced palate yet still welcoming for newcomers.
Ardberg 10 Year Old Single Malt Whiskey
The Ardberg 10 Year is renowned to be the peatiest, smokiest and complex single malt in the market. This amazing beverage gives off strong notes of espresso, dried fruits and warm spices which give it a natural sweetness. This bottle is also on the relatively cheaper side of the market. So, if you’re looking for an inexpensive entry-point to peated Scotch, the Ardberg 10 Year is your whiskey of choice.
Highland Park 12 Year Old Single Malt Whiskey
One of the spicier options for peated whiskey, the Highland Park 12 Year uses all kinds of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves as well as heather honey for an added sweetness. This whiskey is lightly peated and, thus, serves as a great introduction to peat in whiskey for newbies.
Peated whiskey is one of the best smoky liquors to enjoy
All you have to do is find a bottle that boasts a flavour profile and peat intensity that’s to your liking, there’s no right or wrong answer. Browse some of the best peated whiskies here and pick up a bottle to try for yourself, you might just find your very own go to whiskey!
