TOP 10 Peated Whiskies

Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Bottled by: Signatory Vintage 70cl / 57.1%

A small batch Ardmore 2010, bottled as a 13-year-old in 2023 at 57.1% without colouring or chill filtration by Signatory Vintage for their 100-Proof Editions series.

This 2010 Ardmore 13-year-old matured in a small batch of first fill Oloroso sherry butts and at a hearty 100 Imperial proof (57.1%) this will be a great peat-and-sherry combo, stuffed with smoky, fruity flavours - a treat, but not for the fainthearted at full strength.

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Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 
Bottled by: Gordon & MacPhail 70cl / 43%

A 13-year-old Caol Ila bottled at 43% by Gordon & MacPhail for their Discovery Range of great value, accessible single malt whiskies. The Discovery Range is colour-coded, with this Caol Ila 13-year-old's grey packaging indicating a Smoky flavour profile.

We were so impressed when trying the whiskies from the Discovery Range that we could not believe the RRP. In our opinion, these Gordon & MacPhail bottlings are better than a lot of whiskies at twice the price, and are a must for anyone looking to get into single malt whisky.

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Tasting Notes

Official Tasting Notes

Nose: Sweet vanilla and dried cured meat aromas with peat smoke undertones are complemented by banana and apricot.

Palate: Ripe banana, kiwi with vibrant hints of fresh citrus.

Finish: Long sweet and smokey.

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery Bottling 70cl / 43%

Relaunched in 2020, Benromach 10-year-old is produced using a mix of 80% ex-Bourbon casks, 20% ex-Sherry casks aged for nine years and then finished for a further year in ex-Oloroso Sherry casks.

Benromach's textbook Speyside spirit ages very well in both bourbon and sherry casks, showing flavours of creamy malt and forest fruits with a wisp of smoke and lingering sherry notes. An absolutely tremendous dram for the money, Benromach 10-year-old is one of the best value entry-level bottlings you'll find.

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Tasting Notes

Official Tasting Notes

Colour: Golden Amber.

Nose: Sweet green apple and pear complement creamy dark honey. Soft vanilla develops alongside gentle smoke.

Palate: Smooth flavours of malted cereal and stewed fruit combine with warm toffee and a hint of black cherry.

Finish: Full bodied finish with malted cereal and soft smoke.

Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery Bottling 70cl / 46%

The second general release from Torabhaig distillery on the Isle of Skye, Torabhaig Legacy Series Allt Gleann is a progression of the distillery's evolving Well Tempered Peat style, kicking up the initial phenols to 77ppm, with 17ppm residual in the spirit.

Torabhaig's Inaugural Release in the Legacy Series caused a sensation earlier this year, so we can't wait to crack one of these Allt Gleann open to try the next step in the Torabhaig story.

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Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 
Distillery Bottling 70cl / 46% 

Please note: The insets in the presentation boxes have slight damage.

A very smart Kilchoman whisky glass gift pack comprising a full bottle of the distillery's flagship Machir Bay peated Islay single malt whisky, which is a mix of predominately ex-bourbon casks with a small percentage of sherry casks in the assemblage.

This marvellous Kilchoman Machir Bay Islay whisky gift pack comes in a gift box with a pair of very cool Kilchoman branded whisky tumbler glasses and makes the perfect present for a peaty whisky fan, or just a great treat for oneself.

Please Note slight damage to insert that can not be replaced

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Peated Single Malt Scotch Whisky
70cl / 46%

Peat's Beast is an independently-bottled peated single malt from an unnamed Scottish distillery, bottled at 46% without colouring or chill filtration. Peat's Beast was launched in 2011 and has been delighting phenol fans ever since.

Youthful, fulsome and packing a real peaty kick, Peat's Beast is a top-notch peaty dram without the pretensions. When a smoky whisky is this good value, does it really matter which distillery it's from? 

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Tasting Notes

Official Tasting Notes

Colour: Straw yellow with glittering highlights. 

Nose: A rugged fusion of sea spray, bonfire smoke, damp earth and spicy cinnamon immediately arouses the senses.

Palate: Strong and bold with plenty of backbone and structure as this great monster unfolds its fiery fangs on your palate. This is not for the faint hearted. Take a generous mouthful with a biting wind blowing furiously in your face. Hold it long in your mouth allow the thick tar, peat smoke and creamy liquorice to penetrate every part of your tongue. Time will tame it. 

Finish: The powerful aromas of peat moss and wet grass must be fully respected before seductive notes of crushed pear, apple and freshly baked bread provide the perfect finish to this memorable melody.

Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery Bottling 70cl / 46.4%

Following on from their limited Inaugural Release at the end of 2020, this is the first general release of Isle of Raasay Single Malt, appearing in mid-2021. Isle of Raasay distillery began production on the eponymous Inner Hebridean island in September 2017.

As you might expect, the Isle of Raasay distillery is on the small side - their capacity is just under 200,000 litres per year, thanks to small stills and a long fermentation time.

Raasay have aged both their peated and unpeated whiskies separately in a unique combination of first fill American rye whiskey casks, virgin Chinkapin oak casks and Bordeaux red wine casks to create this historic Isle of Raasay R-01 whisky: a lightly peated Island single malt with a rich, dark fruity style, bottled without colouring or chill filtration at 46.4%. 

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Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky 
Distillery Bottling 70cl / 59.7%

The 2021 Special Release Talisker 8-year-old has finally arrived, which is something to be thankful for, particularly as it's one of the diminishing number of Diageo Special Releases that cater to normal people who don't want to spend over £100 on a bottle of whisky (ie almost everyone).

Even better, this is one Special Release with a cask recipe that wasn't selected by throwing darts blindfold in a wine cellar: Ex-bourbon and refill casks all the way, baby! Bottled at 56.2%, and with an impressively high score from a certain influential moustachioed Bugatti-fancier based in Alsace, this 2021 Talisker 8-year-old also features an anime Sea Dragon on the label - nobody tell Bowmore, please.

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Tasting Notes

Official Tasting Notes

A straight and classic Talisker, this is a wonderfully clearsighted, powerfully fire- breathing sea-monster of a malt, with a direct and bold nature.

Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery Bottling 70cl / 50%

Bruichladdich introduced the 10-year-old version of their heavily-peated Port Charlotte single malt in 2018 and naturally it's been a big hit with Islay fans ever since.

Ageing on Islay, on the shores of Loch Indaal has helped give the Port Charlotte spirit a wonderful fresh coastal character to lift the pungent, ashy phenols, but there's also some citrus fruit and vanilla and coconut from the oak for complexity.

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Tasting Notes

Nose: The smoke is calmed by the marine, ozone character,
time has brought a balance, a harmony in the combination of oak, smoke and spirit. While the smoke is always discernible on the nose it is dry, earthy, peat ash in its style and so allows the oak to come forward with waves of golden caramel, fudge, vanilla custard, hints of ginger, nutmeg and clove. There is a citrus fruit, coaxed from the glass with a drop of water, gentle lemon meringue and clementine. Breathe deeply and the floral aromas of wild thyme, heather and sea pink bring you to this Atlantic coast.

Palate: On the palate, there is a noticeable delicacy and softness in texture and style. Again, the balance of flavour is superb as the smoke wraps loosely around the sweetness drawn from deep within the oak. Coconut, vanilla custard, lemon honey combines with smoked oysters and sun baked salty sand.

Finish: The finish is sublime, smoky sure, but also the soft sweetness of fudge and malted barley, orange, mango and Banoffee pie hinting of the depth and quality of the oak. The many layers interchange on each sip. As the smoke comes and goes so too the notes of the spirit, ripe apple and apricot, beautifully intertwined with malt and oak sweetness and that typical Port Charlotte style dry smoke.

Character: Ageing for 10 years on the shores of Loch Indaal has had a profound effect on this spirit. Like sunshine on a winters day, this Port Charlotte 10 brings clarity and lightens the mood, welcoming and brightening the future.

Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery Bottling 70cl / 43%

Caol Ila is just a short drive, and the first distillery you can get to from the Islay ferry terminal of Port Askaig.

In terms of volume of whisky produced, Caol Ila is the largest of the Islay distilleries, and thank god there is a lot of it we say.

Caol Ila 12-year-old is well-balanced and on the lighter side of many Islay whiskies, this is an excellent starting point for anyone venturing into the world of peaty whisky. This is also a very excellent daily dram indeed.

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