Peat can be found all over the world, not just Islay or even Scotland. It shut down in 1983, during a fallow time for… Let us begin with the peat. As the author and Master of the Quaich Charles MacLean notes in MacLean’s Miscellany of Whisky: “Perhaps the big Islays, the smokiest of all malt whiskies, recollect the whiskies of the past. (Distillery: Balvenie, Region: Speyside, abv: 46%) Balvenie is better known … 99.9% of peated whiskies are Scotch. The Length and intensity of exposure to the peat smoke dictates the strength of this flavour as do the characteristics of the peat itself. In days gone by, however, they necessarily had to malt their own. Today, distilleries largely rely on commercially malted barley. The ancient history of the name Peat dates back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. For a long time this was the most readily accessible fuel in many areas of Scotland. The rating is a blunt tool though and whiskies of similar ppm can still taste very different. It is much more than a simple addition of ‘smoky’ flavours which overwhelm all the many others. noun a highly organic material found in marshy or damp regions, composed of partially decayed vegetable matter: it is cut and dried for use as fuel. The use of dried peat as a fuel in Scotland dates back to medieval times when the Little Ice Age left few trees in Scottish Highlands. This refers to the quantity of phenols in the malt itself rather than the contents of the finished whisky. These five peated whiskies give a great sense of what’s on offer. The qualities of peated whisky divide consumer opinion. An atavistic folk memory, like candles and open fires, Christmas trees and stormy nights.”. In the early days of whisky production, peat was one of the most readily accessible fuels in many areas of Scotland. Bruichladdich have been very active at the other end of the scale with their Octomore whiskies ranging from 167ppm to over 300ppm in one case. such vegetable matter used as fertilizer or fuel. Perhaps it is fair to say, then, that peat is so much more than a stylistic trait or a differentiating factor which tempts whisky drinkers to test their mettle. That was, until the introduction of coal and, by continuation, coke. Now that you know what peat is, it’s time to taste its delicious effects for yourself in one of these fantastic, smoky scotch cocktails. Balvenie Peat Week 14. And those which still have their own maltings such as Laphroaig on Islay, Highland Park in Orkney and even Balvenie in Speyside go one step further by peating relatively small quantities of barley for their own use. Peat is whisky terroir. But what exactly is peat, and why does it matter? The surname Peat was originally derived from the Old English word which meant a spoiled or pampered child. And perhaps one of the reasons for their current popularity is their ‘authenticity’, their ‘heritage’. But of course, there’s a little more to the process than just that! PPM, or phenol parts per million, will convey the peatiness of a whisky. Under the correct conditions, peat is the first step in coalification – the conversion of plant matter into coal. What this means is that while there is an element of smoke inherent in this whiskey, the smoke plays more of a supporting role than being front and center on the palate. Phenol is a chemical that is produced when peat is burned and during the drying process described above, the malted barley soaks in the phenol which flavours the grain. Peated whisky is given a smoky flavour by compounds which are released by the peat fires used to dry malted barley. Peated whiskies have the smell and flavor of peat smoke. As a result, different peat will impart different flavours, and different distilleries will use peat for different length of time when drying their malt. Part of the reason is that the peat destined for whiskey needs to be of a certain quality. Peated whiskies are generally compared using a measure of phenol parts per million (PPM). Malting makes the starches within barleycorns soluble so that the sugars may be converted into alcohol. Peat is used in whiskey making during the drying process and to stop the germination of the grain, also called malting. And it fired not only hearths but distillery kilns as well. The Whisky Peat Scale The affect of peat (ie the peatiness or smokiness) on whisky is expressed as phenol parts per million (PPM). Phenol levels are often used to compare scotches. When peat is burned to heat the kiln, it also produces an especially aromatic smoke. But what does peat taste like and how does it make its way into your glass of whisky? Peat gives scotch that signature smoky profile. It was a name given to a person who was referred to as Peat. given a smoky flavour by compounds which are released by the peat fires used to dry malted barley. Understanding a scotch’s PPM (Phenol Parts per Million) can help set your expectations for how much smoke you’re going to get before even popping the bottle. Very few of the other single malts produced in the world use peat, opting for kiln-dried or roasted malt instead. We use cookies – want to read the policy. Peat bog is burned under the soon-to-be malted barley to stop the germination, thus drying the grain. In a good whisky, the bitterness of the peat on the finish is offset by the sweetness of the malt, or the sweetness contributed by the oak, and so balance is maintained. Starting out with the obvious, Ardbeg’s whiskies are some of the most famous smoky drams in the world, and are a great… Moved from the kiln, the peat smoked malt endures the same mashing, fermentation and distillation process as any other non peat-smoked whisky. Although now mainly reserved for the whisky industry, some Scottish households still exercise their right to cut peat to burn as a domestic fuel. You can overlook that the barley may have ripened in an English field and forget that Spanish coopers built the cask from European oak; it’s peat that gives whisky its local accent. Eight distilleries to visit before you die (2019). Part of the process of distilling whisky involves malting barley. The Islay region is particularly known for highly-peated scotch, with distilleries like Laphroaig, Ardbeg and Lagavulin delivering the unbridled flavor of the small Scottish island to drinkers all over the world. The Ardbeg distillery is well … Peat is a mossy accumulation of compressed decaying plant material, and peaty is a word used to describe the wide range of flavors its combustion provides depending on how and where it’s harvested. Scotch single malt whisky can be classified into two main flavours: peated (smoky) and unpeated (non-smoky). Peat was the primary domestic fuel in Scotland for a long time due to it’s ready availability in many parts of the country. Before it can become malted barley (or any malted grain), it must germinate and then peat comes into the picture. Learn more. Peat (/ p iː t /), sometimes known as turf (/ t ɜːr f /), is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter.It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, moors, or muskegs. The other .1% are single malt whiskies from Ireland, the US, India, and elsewhere. Peat has got The Whisky Virgin all fired up this week as he endeavours to understand where this magical substance comes from, and how it conjures myriad flavours in whisky. Peat cut by hand on Islay. The development of rail transport in Scotland led to the wide availability of coke. In a very literal sense, peat is terroir (take that, wine!). To a point, this smoke has a considerable influence on malt during kilning, imbuing it with compounds called ‘phenols‘. Peat accumulates extremely slowly and bogs are often thousands of years old leading to peat being broadly classified as a fossil fuel. Coke burns more evenly, more consistently and with less smoke than peat, and so these regions were the first to realise the potential of un-peated whisky. This has always been the case. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Others followed, but not all of them. Peat is most commonly found in the Scottish single malt scotch category, although you can detect it in whiskey from Japan, Ireland, and even here … Peat is a compacted mix of dense, decomposed vegetation, earth, and water that historically has been used for fuel, especially in places that didn’t have as many trees. Port Ellen is perhaps the most legendary “ghost distillery” in Scotland. India, Japan and New Zealand all boast peated whiskies of their own so the peat party is certainly not just for the Scots. Good Caol Ilas and good Laphroaigs achieve this balance nicely: bitter peat and sweet malt in a happy marriage. These distillers continued to use varying proportions of peat during the kilning process. Actually no. Place of origin matters here because Islay Scotches are believed to be from the birthplace of whisky in Scotland (brought, of course, by some kindly and proselytizing monks). Peat was and still is a defining aspect of Scotch whisky, and we should approach it with reverence and an open mind from the start of our explorations. One of three releases in The Balvenie Stories range, this is a peaty 14 year old single malt Scotch whisky, inspired by distillery manager Ian Millar installing a peat burner at Balvenie. Peat is the most Scottish thing about scotch. The accumulation of water in boggy areas slows down the decomposition of plant material such as moss, grass and tree roots which leads to the creation of peat. Peat is responsible for scotch’s distinct smoky flavor, that palate-tingling fire that drives whisky fanatics to spend ridiculous amounts of money on booze. Peat is responsible for scotch’s distinct smoky flavor, that palate-tingling fire that drives whisky fanatics to spend ridiculous amounts of money on booze. And yet due to a lack of alternative fuel sources, whiskies using entirely peated barley were once the mainstay of the industry. 2 : partially carbonized vegetable tissue formed by partial decomposition in water of various plants (such as mosses of the genus Sphagnum) peat meaning: 1. a dark brown substance like soil that was formed by plants dying and becoming buried. The full process takes hundreds of millions of years, with peat appearing after thousands. Islay, a region of Scotland renowned for big, peaty whiskies, averages about 30 ppm while Connemara comes in at a milder 13 to 14 ppm. What's the connection between whisky and sherry? But why should this be? Peat itself can hold water, which in turn leads to expansion as further plant matter continues to decay. Initially out of necessity, Islay to the west, Orkney to the north and several mainland distilleries held on to tradition. In other words, malting tricks barleycorns into thinking spring has come. Exploring those lighter, un-peated expressions which are common to the mainland generally comes first. It’s usually found … For example, Springbank has a PPM of around 7 to 8 (lightly smoky), while Talisker hovers between 25 and 30 (fairly smoky), and Ardbeg is all the way up at 55 (seriously smoky). This was especially true of the remote Highland and island distillers. ©2020 Group Nine Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. The effects of peat tend to diminish with age, meaning the Lagavulin 8 Year Old can tend to be a little stronger on the peat, despite using the same 35 PPM malt as Lagavulin’s 16 Year Old, a whisky which has gone on to become one of the world’s best loved Islay whiskies and a staple on many whisky drinkers’ shelves. There are many peated whiskies on offer out there and most bartenders or shops will be able to recommend drams that range across the PPM scale. The only difference is that the malt used has been peat-smoked. The accumulation of water in boggy areas wasn’t exactly ideal for drainage, instead, it slowed the decomposition of moss, grass and tree roots, culminating in the creation of peat. How One Craft Distiller Is Making Single Malt With American Peat Barleycorns are steeped in water and allowed to germinate before the process is halted in the kiln. Ardbeg 10 Years Old ($60) Buy on Drizly Buy on Flaviar Buy on Caskers. World Whisky Day is a registered trademark. The Lowlands and Speyside were the first to convert. It is…. Through this production process to make the spirit, the PPM levels drop to around 1/3rd of the original level in the peat smoked malt. But how did this style of whisky come into being and why has it now so popular? This maintains a traditional and now largely unique style of whisky with lots of variation and flavour. Unmalted barley can also be used in whiskey production, but that grain will not be used in a single malt whiskey. 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