In the third part of our Peat Plants Creators Collection we continue our journey of discovery through the powerful flavours of peat. This collection presents long-matured whiskies from Islay and Campbeltown, matured in either ex-oloroso or ex-bourbon casks. Two of our flavour profiles are represented, and these four whiskies illustrate the enormous diversity there is to discover in this field. From heather and wood smoke to iodine and smoked meat, there is plenty to explore in the glass. The whiskies have retained their power, but have also gained the depth that decades of maturation can bring.
Whiskies of four iconic distilleries
Close your eyes and let the unmistakable aroma of powerfully peated whisky matured over decades capture your senses and take you on a sensory journey across Scotland ’s West Coast. This Creators Collection is the stuff that fantasies are made of, from four iconic distilleries whose whiskies are shaped by coastal peat, exploring how maritime landscapes help shape some of Scotland’s most characterful whiskies.
Savour this deep sensory journey into the realm of peated whisky, a phenolic flight from Islay’s Atlantic coast to Campbeltown ’s historic harbour. These expressions offer a remarkable diversity of flavour from maturation in four different cask types: refill bourbon, first fill American oak oloroso, first fill Spanish oak oloroso and STR oloroso-seasoned barrique.
Four distilleries, four cask types, and four distinctive takes on coastal peat. Prepare to drift off on a dreamlike journey into the realm of smoke.
CASK No. 3.369
Tempest in the tropics
Smoky & Fruity
The Panel found themselves in an old Islay library humidor, surrounded by centuries-old vellum manuscripts and the aroma of well-fired apricot danishes. Nearby beeswax candles illuminated those dusty shelves as we percolated the perfect iced coffee. An intense storm raged outside as we tasted: a petrolic tropical blast, smoky custard pannacotta and overaged dessert wine with cinnamon heat. Water calmed the tempest, transforming the scene into a Spanish rum still house where buttery plum crumble cooled beside vanilla fudge. We all agreed the finish was like settling into a leather armchair with tropical fruit tea loaf, black tea steaming, and a cigar box opened beside some apple shisha tobacco. After 18 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this into a first fill American oak oloroso hogshead.
CASK No. 29.307
Happy haufing!
Bold & Peaty
Have you ever had a Belgian-style quadruple dark brown beer, or a German doppelbock – if you have you know it! For the uninitiated, you’d find complex aromas of dates, raisins, figs and plums combined with a malty sweetness and, to be different, a distinct dark smokiness. On the palate, this whisky gave the Panel ripe strawberries served with either a smoky balsamic caramel dessert sauce or a smoked chipotle tabasco sauce – take your pick. With the addition of water, we had Cumberland sausage shashlik in a tangy tomato and paprika-based sauce featuring curry powder, honey, garlic and thyme. This was perfectly accompanied by a traditional pint of heavy, a full-bodied, richly flavoured Scottish 80 shilling. Following 21 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky into a first fill Spanish oak oloroso hogshead.
CASK No. 27.115
Sweet-smoked olive oil
Smoky & Fruity
Settle back, relax and you will be rewarded. Plenty of initial fruity aromas, including caramelised pears, charred pineapple and mango, were followed by the scent of sweet blue cheese: Italian gorgonzola dolce or German cambozola came to mind. Still evolving in the glass, we got a watercress salad dressed with smoked olive oil. On the palate came plenty of soot and coal dust, and ash-coated soft goat’s cheese next to sweet and sour plum sauce – “extraordinaire”! Be very careful adding water. A vibrant and zesty essence of pink grapefruit developed on the nose while to taste we found tabasco pepper sauce, blueberry pancakes and orange pomander. Following 24 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky into a first fill STR oloroso-seasoned first fill barrique.
CASK No. 53.533
The skipper’s kippers
Smoky & Fruity
As waves crashed over the deck, the galley staff cooked up a storm: barbecued lobster drizzled with thyme and rosemary-infused olive oil plus pilchards coated in black olive tapenade. A waft of heather and lavender smoke introduced Isle of Mull cheddar rolled in ash with smoked salmon, peppered mackerel and a glass of mead. Adding water unveiled an altogether funkier course of goat’s cheese, blue cheese and farmhouse chutney served on barnyard straw bales with jasmine tea and scorched wedges of lime. Closing the meal, mackerel paté fused with ancho chillies, Arbroath smokies and menthol sweets arrived in a haze of fine soot and ash. Bon appétit, shipmates.
