To peat or not to peat? For some whisky lovers, that is at least a question, if not the question, when deciding what to drink. Peat, which is measured in PPM, can be a very divisive flavour component in the world of whisky because of the smoky character that it gives the liquid. Some describe it as tasting acrid or medicinal—kind of like a tar and iodine smoothie—while others can’t get enough of it.
Peat is most commonly found in Scottish single malts, although it’s also present in whisky from Japan, Ireland, and even here in American states like Washington and Texas. By the way, don’t listen to people who tell you that all scotch is smoky–in fact, peated whisky represents a relatively small amount of the whisky made in Scotland.
There is a wide range of smoky whisky to enjoy, from light and crisp to assertive and heavy to whisky with some of the highest PPMs you can find. If you think you don’t like peated whisky, perhaps you just haven’t tried the right one yet (or maybe you just really don’t like it, which is also fine). Here’s a list of some recent additions and longstanding classics in the smoky, peated whisky category to hunt down and savour all year long.
The Octomore series from Islay distillery Bruichladdich is known for including some of the most heavily peated whiskies in the world. This might sound like overkill, but the distillery manages to bring subtle flavour nuances into the mix. Yes, the whisky is assertive, strong, and smoky, but it’s no one trick pony. On the contrary, the Octomore range provides this already innovative distillery a chance to use a wide variety of cask types and maturation times to explore how the flavours are affected. The first in the series is always a control whisky–15.1 was aged for five years in first-fill and re-charred bourbon barrels, and the peat level comes in at a relatively tame 108.2 PPM (at least for these whiskies). 15.2 was also matured for five years and has the same PPM, but in wine and bourbon barrels before being finished in cognac casks to give it fruity, spicy notes. Finally, 15.3 is a single-farm expression, meaning it’s made from barley from one particular farm. It was matured in bourbon and sherry casks, and clocks in at 307.2 PPM–the second highest in the series’ history. Once again, Bruichladdich head distiller Adam Hannett has shown how whisky can be intensely smoky yet still complex and engaging.
Laphroaig is one of the best-known distilleries on Islay, the Scottish island famous for its peated whisky. There are many different expressions to choose from, and the core 10-year-old is a classic for a reason. The distillery is quite proud of its assertive and sometimes divisive flavours, with iodine and seaweed often at the top of the list of tasting notes. These are softened a bit in the excellent new Elements 2.0. As indicated in the name, this is the second release in this series. What makes this whisky different is that instead of the usual 55-hour fermentation, the mash (mix of grains and water) was subjected to a total of 115 hours of fermentation. Without getting too technical, the goal was to create a fruitier version of Laphroaig that still has all of the signature peat, and in that the distillery succeeded. This is a strong whisky at nearly 60 percent ABV, so go ahead and add some water to open up the palate and bring down the proof a bit if you prefer.
Ardbeg is another excellent Islay distillery that focuses on heavily peated whisky. There are several new releases we could include here, including The Abyss (an expensive 34-year-old whisky) and a 17-year-old expression, but we’re going to focus on Traigh Bhan Batch 6. This is the sixth release of the distillery’s 19-year-old whisky, which sits in that sweet spot of maturation that brings out tropical fruit notes to complement the lovely smoke and vanilla of the whisky. The whisky was aged in bourbon and sherry casks, and while the proportions vary depending on the release, this one had more refill bourbon barrels in the mix resulting in a nice balance of spice, vanilla, citrus, and of course smoke. This is another single malt that will cost you a few hundred bucks, but is well worth the expenditure. By the way, if you’re really feeling flush, consider picking up a bottle of the 25-year-old expression–it’s one of the best peated whiskies you can find.
Westland is a Seattle distillery that is really a leader in the American single malt category. There are always interesting expressions coming out of this Pacific NW operation, including the beloved Garryana series. But if you’re looking for a smoky whisky from this side of the Atlantic, Solum is one you should try. Instead of importing peated barley from Scotland, the barley used to make this whisky was malted in Washington using local peat. The single malt was then aged in a combination of new American oak and ex-bourbon barrels for a minimum of four years and bottled at 100 proof. It’s smoky but in an interesting earthy and vegetal way, and is really unlike any peated scotch whisky you’ve ever tried.
Benriach might not be the most familiar distillery to whisky fans here in the US (although that is certainly changing over the past few years), but it is one of the most interesting. So many different styles of whisky are produced there and aged in virtually every type of cask you can think of. And though it’s located in Speyside, a region not normally known for smoky whisky, Benriach does indeed have a few peated expressions in its lineup. These include The Smoky Twelve, part of the core range which relaunched a few years ago. This is actually a blend of peated and unpeated whisky that was matured in three different types of casks: bourbon, sherry, and marsala wine, which brings a range of flavours to the smoky core including dried fruit, spice, and oaky tannin. There are some other peated whiskies to try from Benriach as well, but this is a great introduction to the distillery.
When you think of smoky whisky, you’re probably not thinking about Irish whisky, but historically there have been some peated expressions from the Emerald Isle. Dublin distillery Teeling resurrected this relatively uncommon method of making whisky in Ireland with Blackpitts. According to the distillery, the fact that the whisky is triple distilled softens this single malt’s smoke a bit, although maturation likely has something to do with this as well–the whiskey is aged in bourbon and Sauternes white wine casks. If the only Irish whisky you’ve been drinking is Jameson, that’s completely and totally fine. But consider giving this peated expression a try to see how it compares.
Lagavulin is another Islay favourite that has introduced several new expressions over the past few years. These include a nine-year-old Game of Thrones tie-in named after the House Lannister, a travel retail exclusive 10-year-old, and a couple of collaborations with actor Nick Offerman called Offerman Edition (the last was finished in Caribbean rum barrels). One of the best new releases from the distillery was part of this year’s Diageo Special Releases, a collection of one-off whiskies from familiar distilleries. Fireside Tales brings a sweetness to the whisky’s smoky core after aging for 12 years in ex-bourbon barrels and a combination of American and European oak. If you’re a fan of classic Lagavulin, give this whisky a try to see how it compares to your favourite from the core lineup.
There are a lot of really, really expensive ultra-aged single malts from Bowmore, a distillery located on–you guessed it–the Scottish island of Islay. One prominent example from the past few years was the ARC-52 collaboration with Aston Martin, a $75,000 whisky aged for more than half a century and bottled in the most futuristic decanter you’ve ever seen. But really, you can’t go wrong with a bottle of Bowmore 15, a lovely peated whisky that falls squarely between the 12 and 18-year-olds in terms of price and flavour. It’s initially aged in bourbon barrels before being put into sherry casks for a time, and the result is a smoky but not overpowering whisky that you can sip or even make a cocktail with if you’re feeling fancy. If you’re a luxury car fan, check out the last release in the distillery’s ongoing collaboration with Aston Martin, a 21-year-old single malt aged in port and sherry barrels.
Compass Box has been in the business of sourcing and blending scotch for more than 20 years now, and the whisky world is better off for it. The brand’s “whiskymakers” (the preferred title of the Compass Box team) continue to hunt down and even mature their own whisky from various distilleries to blend into their impressive core range and limited releases. One standout on the smoky side of the flavour spectrum is appropriately called The Peat Monster, a blend of whisky from Caol Ila and Laphroaig with just a splash of liquid from an unnamed Highlands distillery thrown in for good measure (there is no grain whisky in the mix, so this is a blended malt and not a blended scotch). A limited-edition cask-strength version of this whisky came out last year, partially finished in special American oak barrels and bottled at 56.7 percent ABV. That one might be hard to find, but the core Peat Monster is readily available.
Viking imagery and themes are abundant at this Orkney Islands distillery located in the far, rugged, northern region of Scotland. There are some fantastic, younger, much more affordable bottles in the range, with the 18-year-old standing out in particular. But if you are in the mood to splurge, this 30-year-old single malt is worth the expense. The 2024 release is made up of whisky from just eight casks filled in 1990, 1991, and 1992, including four sherry-seasoned oak hogsheads (three European oak, one American oak) and one ex-bourbon barrel for balance. After three decades, the smoke is tempered a bit in this whisky, but it still makes its presence known as a subtle note curling underneath flavours of tropical fruit, citrus, vanilla, oak, toasted nuts, and some spice. Also of note–Highland Park does not add colour to its whisky, so that lovely golden hue is entirely from the cask.
Let’s finish things off with a classic peated scotch whisky. Talisker, a distillery that is owned by Diageo, is located on the Isle of Skye, which is one of the most beautiful regions in the country. For many years it was the only distillery on the island making whisky, but Torabaigh became the second when it opened a few years back and started making single malt in 2017. Talisker’s 10-year-old expression is a tried and true smoky single malt, with a healthy dose of peat that doesn’t overwhelm, a bit of salinity that might be the result of its proximity to the ocean, and equal parts sweetness, spice, citrus, and vanilla on the palate. If you are new to smoky whisky, this bottle is a great place to start.
