Smoky, strong, rich, and luxurious, getting into Scotch whisky is nowhere near as simple as picking out a vodka or gin, especially if you want to start tasting the smokiest whisky there is. Let us talk about peated whisky and what makes it special. As many peated whiskies seem to be a love or hate deal, with little room for indifference, there are quite a few things to love about the whisky, or at the very least, reasons to give it a try.
What is peated whisky?
Peated whisky or “peaty” whisky is one of the more unique styles of whiskies out there. It is a kind of whisky with a robustly smoky flavour. Compounds generated by peat fires used to dry malted barley give this whisky a smoky flavour, which is determined by the time and intensity of exposure to peat smoke and the qualities of the peat itself.
Below Steven Zylstra, Beam Suntory brand ambassador shares five things to love about peated whisky.
The rich history
From its humble beginnings as a low-brow Scottish drink to its status as one of Scotland’s best-known exports, whisky has a rich history. This is especially true of peated Scottish whisky. Peat is only found in a limited number of regions across the globe; The Islay region of Scotland, for example, is world-famous for its peatlands. Peat was traditionally used for cooking and domestic heating in rural areas in Ireland and Scotland, so its now instrumental role in Scotch-making is truly a tale of rags to riches. When you sip a peated whisky, you can practically taste the rugged hillsides of its origin.
The distinctive flavour
The distinctive peaty flavour is unmistakable. Peated whisky like Laphroaig, Connemara, and Highland Park for example is loved by many, disliked by some, but remembered by everyone. Their uncompromising flavour is what gives the spirit such a unique personality. Laphroaig is rugged and smokey yet surprisingly sweet. It’s subtle, yet bold and honest in a way that will draw you in while Connemara offers an aroma of sweet barley with wafts of peaty smoke, kippers, and well-baked apple crumble. It tastes of lightly honey sweet, subdued clean rather than sooty smoke with peaty vegetal notes, sweet barley water, light spice, and vanilla oak.
The timelessness
Since the dawn of time, whisky has graced the lips of history’s most notable. From Winston Churchill to Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra. When we drink whisky, we join the ranks of the great, the not-so-great, and the legendary figures from the past. It’s a welcoming club that cements your part in the legacy, bestowing the same timeless honour and stature as the men and women who came before in this.
The investment opportunity
From whole casks to valuable bottles, whisky has become a popular investment option over the past decade. One of the many reasons we drink whisky is because of its shelf life. You can buy a bottle, enjoy its grandeur and take it off the shelf a year later, dust it off and experience the splendour once again. But the actual monetary value of whisky is what appeals to many collectors. Rare bottles of whisky can fetch a jaw-dropping price when resold, and peated whisky is no different. My suggestion? Buy two bottles – one for drinking and one to put away for a rainy day. You never know which willing buyer will be keen on buying that exact year’s distillation in five years.
The experience
Finally, drinking peated whisky is an experience. It’s something you want to savour, next to a wood fire with a cigar, listening to some jazz or some old-school rock and roll. Or in a cocktail before that al fresco lunch with friends. Or in a flask up a mountain. It’s something that turns any event into a special occasion, something you want to share with friends. It binds us through our senses, intertwining into a singular memory over time that we can fondly look back on in years to come.
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