A SUPERB COLLECTION OF TOP CLASS GLENFIDDICH BOTTLINGS

 MOST MEMORABLE GLENFIDDICH RELEASES

GLENFIDDICH 21 YO RESERVA RUM CASK FINISH 40% ABV

An exquisite, traditional Speyside whisky finished in Gran Reserva rum casks from the Caribbean.

Patiently matured for 21 years onsite at the distillery, it is an exquisite, traditional Speyside whisky, rich and ripe with Glenfiddich signature notes. But rather than bottle it, as other distillers would, Glenfiddich’s Malt Master hand picks selected barrels and adds a sublime finishing touch, making it even warmer and richer flavours by uniquely pouring this single malt into first fill bourbon barrels that once contained rum from the Caribbean.

The rum-soaked cask infuses the aged whisky with a spicy warmth and indulgent vanilla and toffee sweetness, the character of the Caribbean shining through. This gives the whisky a sumptuous sweet intensity that is both rich and creamy yet retains the unmistakable character of Glenfiddich. Caribbean rum casks awakens the liquid, rousing it with extra exotic notes of ginger, fig, lime and banana and a vibrant spicy toffee warmth, elevating it from something great to something extraordinary.

Great for those expecting a very mature, traditional yet intriguing malt. Initially soft, then brisk, vibrant and drying. New leather and oak nose combine with complex sweet, smoky and subtle ginger flavours in this classic Glenfiddich.

Colour: Dark gold.

Nose: Intense and vanilla sweet. Floral, hints of banana, figs, rich toffee, new leather and oak.

Palate: Initially soft, then brisk, vibrant and drying, peppery, a touch of smoke, oak, lime, ginger and spices.

Finish: Very long, warming, dry and spicy.

Raised in Scotland. Roused by the Caribbean.

THE CHINESE NEW YEAR EDITION 2021

This is a limited edition bottling of the Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Reserva Rum Cask Finish single malt Scotch whisky released to honour the Chinese New Year 2021. 

After maturing the whisky for 21 years, the Malt Master adds even warmer and richer flavours by uniquely finishing this single malt in first fill bourbon barrels that once contained rum from the Caribbean.

2021 is the year of the Ox, starting from February 12th, 2021 (Chinese lunar New Year Day) and lasting until January 30th, 2022. It will be a Metal Ox year.

It features a particularly snazzy presentation box, with the familiar Glenfiddich stag decked out in a rather handsome shade of orange for the occasion, and an homage to the long journey Glenfiddich takes to make its way from Speyside to Asia in the background.

As in the original edition, the additional molasses found in the rum cask sets the 21 YO Reserva aside from the rest. This rum-like single malt features a new form of enjoyment through the introduction of a Caribbean flavour, famously recognised by the use of a variety of tropical fruits mixed with ginger to deliver a sweet and spicy taste that lingers to the finish.

GLENFIDDICH GRAND CRU 23 YO SINGLE MALT WHISKY 40% ABV

Celebrate the occasion

THE ART OF EXPERIMENTATION

After developing rich and intense flavour through a long, 23-year maturation in American and European oak casks, every drop of Grand Cru then spends an additional six months in French cuvée casks, which impart new layers of decadence. The remarkably rich whisky, already intense in flavour given its long maturation, is finely finessed with influences from French cuvée casks. These vessels were previously used to ferment wine that would in time go on to becoming Champagne. This is the only Glenfiddich Single Malt to undergo this exceptional finishing.

DARING & UNEXPECTED

Grand Cru encapsulates the absolute spirit of luxury and craftsmanship of Glenfiddich while surpassing the very notion of Single Malt, as it sets out to redefine moments of celebration through a new and extraordinary drinking experience.

Created for the non-conformists, it has been uniquely crafted as a surprising delight, at every sip, for those tearing up the rule book and who want to celebrate big life moments in a whole new way. Grand Cru 23 Year Old is a sinful romance between the rich, decadent flavors of Glenfiddich single malt Scotch whisky and the vibrant, seductive notes found in the world’s best vintage sparkling wines.

THE SPIRIT OF CELEBRATION

This exclusive Glenfiddich expression has been matured for 23 years in American and European oak casks and elegantly finished in rare French cuvee casks. The finest flavours from Scotland and France have been fused together through the art of experimentation, to redefine moments of celebration and create a new and extraordinary drinking experience.

Colour: Dark gold.

Nose: this release is quite rich and honeyed, leaning toward the more decadent side of the spectrum, as is probably appropriate for the occasion theme. Moderately assertive notes of apple, pears in syrup, grass, melon/ cantaloupe and nut-covered toffee. It certainly is an inviting bouquet; classically Speyside but richer than you might expect for the low proof.

Palate: A silky-textured dram that drinks a bit bigger than its proof, which is always a good thing in lower-ABV special releases. Silky in texture, it features some nice flavours of milk chocolate, nutty toffee and spiced pears, with subtle hints of grass and earth in the back half. Honeycomb-like residual sweetness is moderate, and booze is very well hidden, which it should be at this age and proof. All in all, it makes for a moderately rich and fruity, somewhat sweet dram that is approachable yet complex. A bit higher proof might have pushed these elements into even more rarefied air, but regardless, this is a solid release that almost anyone would presumably enjoy.

Finish: Long, opulent and sweet: Poached pears, custard, candied lemon.

If money is for some reason no object this New Year, Glenfiddich Grand Cru would make a lovely centerpiece.

Opinion: The whisky showcases what can happen when it does go beyond its safety net. Glenfiddich’s new high-roller Grand Cru release, a 23 YO, has a theme which really pops from the swanky black-and-gold bottle, a vision of a supreme “occasion” whisky, seemingly targeted at New Year’s Eve in particular. That the whisky was finished in French cuvée casks (sparkling wine) only adds to this impression. It’s a whisky that seems to imply it’s the scotch equivalent of a plush bottle of bubbly you’re cracking open as the countdown to the year end draws near.

It is bottled at a minimal 40% ABV, with a 43% version available to travellers. For its steep cost of £210, it should have been a 46% non-chillfiltered year ender. But that would rouse the expert, whereas this low strength is clearly meant for a 31^st December one-session binge.

Daring and unexpected, Grand Cru encapsulates the rich spirit of innovation and craftsmanship of Glenfiddich with the celebratory and indulgent character of sparkling wine.

GLENFIDDICH EXCELLENCE 26 YO 43% ABV

Deep oak, spring blossom, brown sugar and exotic spices.

The expression was introduced in 2014 as the distillery’s second bottling in their excellence range, following the 18 year old. Unlike all the other expressions in the Glenfiddich age statement range, this is the only current bottling which forgoes sherry influence for a pure ex-bourbon maturation. It’s bottled at 43% ABV and is available for £359.

A rare and aged single malt Scotch whisky that has spent 26 long years carefully maturing in American Oak ex-bourbon casks. This expression was created to honour Glenfiddich's line of continuous family ownership since William Grant founded this distillery in 1887.

Doing things our own way means we can create a luxurious single malt that truly lives up to its name. We’ve created a vibrant yet soft and delicate expression, with a deep and complex balance of sweetness and dry oak tannin. Bound to excite the palate and awaken the nose.

Glenfiddich Excellence 26 Year Old whisky is available in selected markets.

Colour: Rich golden.

Nose: Soft and delicate with a beautiful floral character. Fruit-forward with peaches, apricots, pineapple and guava. Wild honey and crisp furniture polish is joined by vanilla sponge, coconut shavings and freshly-pressed waffles. Running throughout – full grain leather, old parchment, steeped fruit tea and scattering of mint leaves. There’s not too much scope for dilution, but a few drops adds some expressive orchard fruit – apple and pear alongside strudel and golden syrup. Generally light, fruity and sugar-led, but pretty elegant and welcoming at the same time.

Palate: Vibrant with a compelling balance of dry tannin and soft brown sugar vanilla sweetness. The arrival has more of a syrupy body than you’d expect from 43% - it offers some texture and mouth cling. Juicy ripe fruits are up first – orange, mango and peach segments served with spit-roasted pineapple. Fruit is quickly followed up with cask – and it has considerably much more influence than on the nose – white pepper, freshly grated ginger and some puffs of charred cask ends. Running throughout – wood lacquer,  polishes and a handful of candied lemon peels. Reduction here should be approached with care – but it adds flavours of burnt honeycomb, freshly-baked pastries and spiced apples. A deep oak flavour gradually builds, with hints of spice and liquorice shining through.

Finish: Deep and complex. Tropical fruits and peppery spice fade into the back whilst charred drying wood takes over.

Glenfiddich Excellence 26 year old is not overly deep, nor profound, but it is nevertheless exceedingly tasty. The fruit-packed nose is genuinely the excellence that the bottle name refers to  - packed full of expressive stone and tropical fruits, all wrapped up in a perfectly judged polished oak blanket. The palate and finish don’t quite reach the same dizzy heights, but they’re still both full of vibrancy, poise and elegance. There’s not quite enough depth for this to be a truly contemplative whisky, but the balance is faultless.    

Toasting The Cask Releases The Flavour: After their staves are assembled, each cask is toasted over an open fire. Toasting enables the vanillins and the tannins in the wood to be released, giving the contents flavour and colour. A light toasting imparts subtle flavours while a heavily toasted cask delivers strong and powerful flavours, as well as a darker colour single malt.

GLENFIDDICH 30 YO RARE SINGLE MALT WHISKY 40% ABV

A 30 YO with deep, layered flavours and a masterful finish.

The Glenfiddich 30 Years was first launched in 2007 and saw new editions in 2010 and 2018. It is one of their high-end single malt bottlings, topped by the 40 and 50 year-old versions in the core range. It is matured in American bourbon casks and around 30% of European Oloroso sherry casks. Every cask used in this superb single malt Scotch whisky is personally nosed and tasted by their expert Malt Master, ensuring the whisky achieves its rich character and seductive complexity. Only casks that pass his exacting standards are handpicked and then married together to achieve their final sublime harmony.

This process ensures the unique character and richness of taste that sets the Glenfiddich 30 Year Old apart. The rarity of this single malt is unquestionable – there are only ever a handful of vattings of 30 Year Old a year.

This sublime and truly precious whisky is a harmony of subtle sherry and fig notes beautifully balanced with rich dark chocolate flavours.

Colour: Rich bronze.

Nose: A finely balanced nose, with substantial oakiness matched by fruit and luscious sherry notes. Really gentle, even a bit shy. Stewed fruits (peaches, oranges, plums) and a few buttery touches, with a malty core, ginger and nutmeg. Polished furniture, a hint of cigar boxes. A little cocoa, raisins and roasted nuts as well, but all silky smooth.

Palate: Complex and seductively woody, emphasised by a floral sweetness, yet really gentle, even a bit shy. Stewed fruits (peaches, oranges, plums) and a few buttery touches, with a malty core, ginger and nutmeg. Polished furniture, a hint of cigar boxes. A little cocoa, raisins and roasted nuts as well, but all silky smooth.

Finish: Exceedingly long, honeyed and warm, with chocolate notes, leather and oak spice.

A Cooper’s Craft: These casks are as valuable as the specialist wood craftsmen who build and tend to them. Glenfiddich is one of the only distilleries to have their coopers onsite – enduring traditions that keep their casks and whiskies exceptional.

Rare skills, specialist knowledge and some of the oldest wisdom in the world of whisky have been passed down through the generations.

GLENFIDDICH 40 YO 43-47% ABV

Intense dried fruit, roasted coffee, stewed apple, bitter chocolate and faint peat.

Glenfiddich 40 YO is not only precious but also pioneering. Their Malt Master carefully hand selects individual casks before marrying them together with what was left over from the previous 40 Year Old vatting. This continuous process is known as "remnant vatting" and contains whiskies that are at the very least, 40 years old. Glenfiddich is the only single malt Scotch whisky in the industry to use remnant vatting. As a result, its uniquely rich and deep flavour was voted the "Best of the Best" single malt by Whisky Magazine in 2003, collected the Trophy at both the ISC and the IWSC in 2008 (the first time any whisky has won both in the same year) and Best Single Malt at the ISC in 2010.

An exemplary single malt. Handpicked from some of the oldest casks in the world, marrying 40 year old vattings to craft a peerless whisky. Infinite depth and layer upon layer of aroma and flavour create a 40 year old unrivalled by other rare whiskies of this age. Each elegant bottle is individually numbered and offered in a handsome presentation case of the finest, hand-stitched calf-leather with embossed print work and an intricately designed lock and key. Each is accompanied by a leather bound book telling its 40 year old story, with certification hand-signed by their longest-serving craftsmen.

The Finest Oak: Their 40 Year Old is matured in the finest Ozark Mountain American oak, from forests stretching between Missouri and Arkansas; and the highest quality European oak from Spain and Portugal. The bourbon and sherry opens up the oak letting it breathe, soften and absorb layers of subtle flavour that grow and change over time.

Less than 1000 bottles are released to the world each year, each batch eagerly anticipated by experts.

Colour: Dark mahogany.

Nose: Beautifully rich and aromatic with layer upon layer of dried fruits, dark chocolate, roasted coffee and ripe black cherries. Occasional wafts of gentle wood smoke, polished leather and cloves.

Palate: Aged, but still incredibly vibrant considering it's age. Silky smooth and luxuriously mouth coating. The typical Glenfiddich Speyside characteristics come through; initial flavours are intense dried fruits, Christmas cake, dates, raisins and stewed apples. Over time slightly dryish oak notes appear with some bitter chocolate and just the merest hint of peat.

Finish: Incredibly long lasting and complex – a truly memorable experience.

Fermentation in Douglas Fir: Glenfiddich believes the biological interaction between wood and wash even in fermentation plays a part in the final character of their whisky. So they continue to craft their washbacks from Douglas Fir, where others use stainless steel, a tradition that protects the integrity of their whisky.

GLENFIDDICH 50 YO 46.1% ABV

Vibrant, zesty, vanilla toffee and gentle smoke.

Only the second vatting and one of the oldest, finest whiskies. Just 50 bottles of this single malt Scotch whisky are released each year. One of the final 50 bottles of the expression, this bottling was unveiled in 2017, marking Glenfiddich’s 125th year. The 50-year-old blend contains whiskies first distilled more than 80 years ago!

Handcrafted and Presented...Presented in a hand-blown bottle. Individually numbered in wax and finished in Scottish silver by Thomas Fattorini, a sixth generation silversmith. Each bottle of the 50 YO single malt whisky is carried in hand-woven silk and encased in hand-stitched leather. The whisky’s presentation case also features a leather-bound book, detailing the whisky’s rich history.

A culmination of over a century of expert craft, traditions passed down by five generations and spirited invention. Inspired by the first vatting from just nine casks honouring each of William Grant’s nine children, who helped to build Glenfiddich by hand.

This exquisite whisky was drawn from two exceptional casks, both matured for 50 years. Their Malt Master married them with great care to craft a perfectly harmonious aroma and flavour.

Colour: Pale gold.

Nose: A beautifully harmonious, uplifting, vibrant and complex aroma. Delicate rose petal and violets intertwine with green tobacco leaf, oak and faint hints of smoke.

Palate: Initially very sweet, with zesty orange marmalade and vanilla toffee, cascading through layer after layer of aromatic herb, floral and soft fruits, silky oak tannin and gentle smoke.

Finish: Exceptionally long, with a touch of dry oak and the merest trace of peat.

MORE THAN 120 YEARS IN THE MAKING

Time, tradition and a Malt Master’s expertise make this whisky. Nosed more than ten times by our longest serving Malt Master and the Malt Master before him. Casked in the 1950s by Gordon Ross, who learnt his skill from the son of the founder, a skill passed on to him from founder, William Grant.

Rare, sought after, historic.

GLENFIDDICH TRYING TO WREST BACK NO 1 SPOT

 The Glenfiddich OUT OF HOME Experimental Series

Despite being the world’s most awarded single malt whisky and pioneer of the category, Glenfiddich global market share was static and it had slipped to become the No.2 brand in 2017. It embarked upon a bold strategy to reassert its leadership by recruiting a new generation of drinkers with the introduction of a new range of innovative whiskies. William Grant & Sons UK launched its first ever dynamic digital out of home (OOH) campaign for Glenfiddich and its innovative Experimental Series.

Glenfiddich Experimental Series, the result of collaborations with trailblazers from the whisky world and beyond, aimed to position the brand as a more accessible and exciting choice amongst drinkers previously alienated by the stuffy conventions associated with whisky.

Devised by OOH and location marketing specialists, the campaign sought to capture the attention of whisky fans at the right time of day and week for enjoying a drink.  The highly targeted campaign used location and behavioural data to determine audience hotspots and identify prime screen locations near on-trade stockists in major UK cities to drive footfall and encourage trial.

Launching with Glenfiddich IPA Experiment, the world’s first single malt whisky finished in India Pale Ale (IPA) casks, and Glenfiddich Project XX, the result of marrying 20 casks into one exceptional whisky, the brand needed a global creative idea that that challenged traditional whisky communication conventions and that was as striking and bold as the liquids themselves.

The campaign idea, “Unlearn Whisky”, communicated the power of maverick thinking, a spirit which has embodied Glenfiddich’s approach to whisky making for over 130 years, and challenges drinkers’ preconceptions of the category by demonstrating how Glenfiddich is rewriting the whisky rulebook.

The third experiment saw Glenfiddich 21 Year Old finished in French-oak ice-wine casks from Canada. Malt Master Brian Kinsman was in Canada in January 2017 and visited a winemaker at a renowned winery in Niagara. Despite the freezing January weather, he braved the tour of the vineyards, where he learned how the grapes had to be picked by moonlight at -10˚C when they were as hard as pebbles. These stories about extreme conditions and the unique production process of the intensely sweet Icewine were inspirational.

When he returned to The Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown, Brian started experimenting with several French oak Icewine casks from the Canadian winery, filling them with different Glenfiddich aged malts for up to six months. What he found fascinated him. Only the rarer whiskies, those aged for 21 years, could cope with the extra Icewine intensity. Having more tannins, extracted from years in oak, these malts brought out a uniquely fresh lychee note instead of being swamped by sweetness. First released in October 2017, subsequent batches were made available to the public.

Activated through Posterscope’s Liveposter platform, the campaign creative featured all three experiments in a variety of executions with contextually relevant messaging based on location and time. The work ran on Thursdays to Saturdays until the onset of winter on national roadside digital six sheets and National Rail, London Underground and Glasgow subway digital six sheets.

The ability to serve creative and relevant messaging to whisky fans at a time when they would be receptive to such communication, and close to an establishment where they could explore the range for themselves, was an exciting and compelling proposition. By using multiple data sets and OOH location marketing expertise, they aimed to reach the right people at the right time and in the right place and encouraged them into local establishments to taste the unique and unusual flavours of the Glenfiddich Experimental Series.

The campaign for Fire & Cane — the fourth new single-malt offering in Glenfiddich’s “Experimental Series” — aimed to reflect the series’ mission of introducing “unexpected” and inspiring whiskies, while also visually conveying the new spirit’s unusual flavour profile. Although it is officially an NAS whisky, it is said to be between 12 and 15 years of age.

The campaign brought to life the brand’s maverick spirit and in parallel the power of a simple question and how it could lead one on a journey to challenge conventions. The newest expression is an unexpected peated whisky finished in Latin rum casks which provides an explosion of campfire smokiness and toffee sweetness. Fire & Cane is a first of its kind for Glenfiddich. It shows the power of a question by boldly asking, what if …? The new single malt encapsulated Glenfiddich’s spirit of experimentation.

The campaign vindicated the hypothesis that when you questioned convention as Glenfiddich had with Fire and Cane, you could spark the unexpected.

FOUR NEW JOHNNIE WALKER RELEASES TO CELEBRATE 200 YEARS

 Johnnie Walker Celebrates 200-year Sojourn

Iconic Scotch brand Johnnie Walker is celebrating 200 years since founder John Walker first threw open the doors to a small grocery store in rural Scotland in 1820, beginning a journey that took Johnnie Walker whiskies to the four corners of the world.

John’s spark, vision and entrepreneurial fire were the impetus to a hugely successful business and ultimately a new future for Scotch whisky. Today, Johnnie Walker whisky is sold in over 180 countries and is the best-selling Scotch whisky in the world. Over the last 200 years Johnnie Walker has been defined by its dedication to quality and its commitment to progress - symbolised by the famous Striding Man logo.

This year and into 2021, Johnnie Walker will be marking this incredible milestone with a series of exciting cultural events, exclusive limited-edition product releases and the opening of a new multi-sensory, immersive Johnnie Walker visitor experience in Edinburgh.

The new Johnnie Walker experience, which is part of a wider £185 million Diageo investment into Scotch whisky tourism, will guide visitors through the 200-year history of Johnnie Walker and take them on a journey through the flavours of Scotland. Rooftop bars will provide visitors with stunning views of Edinburgh Castle and across the city skyline.

Johnnie Walker also welcomed the release of four exclusive new Johnnie Walker limited editions hitting shelves globally. Each exclusive release - a new bottle design and three newly crafted whiskies - is a celebration of the incredible journey, pioneering spirit and dedication to quality that was started by John back in those early days.

The Johnnie Walker 200th Anniversary Releases

     

Johnnie Walker Blue Label 200th Anniversary Limited Edition Design

The new 200th Anniversary Limited Edition Design for the iconic Johnnie Walker Blue Label features bespoke illustrations that bring to life the bold journey and pay homage to some of the great cities and countries that have been part of the Johnnie Walker story. There are also incredible illustrations of geographical landmarks and cultural symbols which represent progress in our time in each of their respective countries.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Legendary Eight

An exclusive release celebrating 200 years of bold and passionate craft. It is a smooth, mellow Scotch crafted using some of the very rarest whiskies in the unparalleled Johnnie Walker reserves. Each whisky is hand selected from only eight legendary distilleries that all existed when John Walker made the first steps on his journey, including some very rare expressions from long-closed “ghost” distilleries.

John Walker & Sons Celebratory Blend

This exclusive release is inspired by a breakthrough moment in John Walker & Sons’ history - the launch of Old Highland Whisky in the 1860s, the company’s first commercial blend to travel from Scotland to the four corners of the world. This rich and complex whisky is inspired by the flavours found in the Walker family’s grocery store in the 1860s and uses whiskies from distilleries which were operating at that time. The exclusive pack design reveals the only existing image of the Kilmarnock grocery store 200 years ago.

John Walker & Sons Bicentenary Blend

A celebration of where it all began; this exceptional whisky is a sensorial journey down the fragrant aisles of John Walker’s original grocery store in Scotland. Master Blender Jim Beveridge and his team have drawn inspiration from John’s store and meticulously crafted a whisky with rich layers that re-imagines the exotic flavours that shaped his imagination. It is crafted with rare and exceptional whiskies, all aged for at least 28 years, including whiskies from long-closed “ghost” distilleries such as Pittyvaich, Cambus and Port Ellen.

The Old Faithfuls

Johnnie Walker has also unveiled three new limited-edition bottles for its iconic Johnnie Walker Red Label, Johnnie Walker Black Label and Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve whiskies. Each one is a bold and eye-catching reimagining of the classic Johnnie Walker square bottle, fit for the 200th Anniversary. 

Each bottle was named after the colour of its slanted label, but this has now been upgraded to an opaque wrap for the limited edition designs.

This year and into 2021, Johnnie Walker will be marking this incredible milestone with a series of exciting cultural events, exclusive limited-edition product releases and the opening of a new multi-sensory, immersive Johnnie Walker visitor experience in Edinburgh.

The new Johnnie Walker experience, which is part of a wider £185 million Diageo investment into Scotch whisky tourism, will guide visitors through the 200-year history of Johnnie Walker and take them on a journey through the flavours of Scotland. Rooftop bars will provide visitors with stunning views of Edinburgh Castle and across the city skyline.

More About The Legendary Eight

Nose: The blend is rich with layers of brown sugars, soft fruit and sweet wood. These flavors evolve to reveal hints of green apple and a subtle zest; complementing the gentle peat unfolding in the background to give an overarching warming sensation.

Palate: A wonderful sweetness envelops the taste buds, through which notes of stone fruits, stewing apples and cocoa emerge.

Finish: A wisp of smoke comes through to deepen the flavour resulting in a soft and lightly peppered finish.

INTRODUCTORY PEATED WHISKIES FOR BEGINNERS

 A GUIDE FOR AB-INITIO PEATED WHISKY DRINKERS

What is Peat? Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, moors, or muskegs. The peatland ecosystem covers 3.7 million square kilometres and is the most efficient carbon sink on the planet, because peatland plants capture CO2 naturally released from the peat, maintaining equilibrium. Soils consisting primarily of peat are known as histosols. Peat forms in wetland conditions, where flooding or stagnant water obstructs the flow of oxygen from the atmosphere, slowing the rate of decomposition.

Peatlands, particularly bogs, are the primary source of peat; peat is harvested as a source of fuel in certain parts of the world. By volume, there are about 4 trillion cubic metres of peat in the world, covering a total of around 2% of the global land area.

Traditionally peat is cut by hand and left to dry in the sun. In many countries, including Ireland and Scotland, peat was traditionally stacked to dry in rural areas and used for cooking and domestic heating. Some Scotch whisky distilleries use peat fires to dry malted barley. The drying process takes about 30 hours. This gives the whiskies a distinctive smoky flavour, often called "peatiness". The peatiness, or degree of peat flavour, of a whisky, is calculated in ppm of phenol.

You either like peated whiskies or you don’t; there is no halfway stage. The earliest peated whiskies came from the rocky shores of Islay, off the southwest coast of Scotland—but there are plenty of producers in Speyside capitalising on the growing fan base. So much for Scotland-peated whiskies are made in good measure across the world, in India, Germany, Japan, Taiwan and more.

Keen to try the best peated whiskies but don't know where to start? The peated whisky spectrum, which was dominated by Islay’s big three – Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg – now sees subtler expressions on the global market that give off a taste of the wonderful flavours peated whiskies are noted for without overpowering you.

Don’t let tasting notes like medicinal, tar, smokey bacon, burning rubber, bonfires or brine, put you off if you are unaccustomed to such things in your spirits – often these come from whisky writers waxing poetic and giving you only a cursory idea of what you can expect.

In fact, these flavours will often roll around your tongue alongside others such as fruit, honey, citrus, toffee and vanilla vying for the attention of your taste buds, providing a rewarding drinking experience that will find you teasing out more flavours each time you sip one of these wonderful whiskies. It is best to pick out some of those whiskies that have a slightly lower PPM and more approachable for someone starting out on the road to smokiness.

Benromach Peat Smoke 46% ABV 80.5° Proof Speyside

Let’s start with a whisky from the mainland for a simple reason. I want to offer drams that aren’t your usual peaty favourites, i.e. not from Islay. I am a fan of this particular distillery because they make consistently great whiskies. The Peat Smoke has a subtly smoky flavour that is more earthy than the iodine notes of Islay whiskies. Robust and flavoursome; barbecued meats and citrus fruits battle it out for dominance to the background of a deliciously smoky finish. If you find the nose of this 9 YO a little too much then try the 10 year old, which offers only a kiss of peat before you graduate to to its more punchy stablemate.

It’s difficult to find more heavily peated non-Islay malted  whiskies. Benromach, as far as I can tell, is peated from a local peat source – and I assume local is more local than Islay. The reason that is significant is Islay peat has such a unique characteristic with the heavy marine and medicinal aromas. Other areas of peat are composed of other vegetation – so from a perspective of peat “terroir” it’s always interesting to see different regions. It’s peated to 67 ppm, which is quite a punch of peat – that’s more than Ardbeg! But it cannot compare with Ardbeg’s peat, nor will it feel as strong.

The differences are obvious: Island (and Islay) whisky is made from malted barley smoked over fires of peat dug from ocean-adjacent peat bogs, often full of seaweed or beach grasses and continuously sprayed by seawater-laden winds. The effect of that peat is complex, funky, salty, medicinal, and downright bracing. Mainland peat, however, is composed of Highland grasses and shrubs. When barley is smoked with this peat, it becomes infused with a separate set of smells, like that of a woodland campfire – slightly piney, but biased towards woodsmoke.

It is aged in first-fill ex-Bourbon casks (from Heaven Hill and/or Jim Beam) for between 9 and 10 years, although the bottle carries no age statement. The whisky is bottled at 46% ABV with no added colour.

The Benromach distillery has a rocky history of lengthy closures and juggling ownership since its construction in 1898, but is now in the steady hands of independent bottlers Gordon & MacPhail. The new owners refurbished the distillery and began producing malt in earnest in 1998, and are now bringing a line of official bottlings to market. The distillery uses water from a spring in the Romach Hills, and proudly claims to use only first-fill barrels for aging whisky.

Longrow Peated Campbeltown 46% ABV

Springbank is a distillery that is rightly lauded for its wonderful traditional whisky, and Longrow, their peated expression, is a truly exceptional dram. With notes of charred marshmallows and sweet fruits, it’s delightfully mooreish. Slightly meatier than the Benromach, this will give more of a hint at what you can expect from the smokier end of the spectrum. And should you be lucky enough to find a bottle of Longrow Red, the annual cask release, then grab at with both hands as its an even more wonderful version of this already delightful dram.

Longrow Peated is a cult favourite. Longrow is fully peated and aged in ex-bourbon without any sherry cask influence. It’s also not chill-filtered, has no added colouring (indeed it’s quite pale), and has no age statement. I’d place it somewhere around 9 years, but it’s hard to tell since it’s possible for a blend of ages to be used in NAS bottles.

Nose: Straightforward smoke, with slightly briny peat. Sweet undertones of vanilla cream soda and fresh hay, plus a strong lemon peel note. After a rest in the glass, the peat takes a back seat to the lemon.

Palate: Syrupy body. Mild tongue burn which quickly reveals earthy peat, slowly smoldering campfire smoke, sandalwood, white peppercorn, and lemon custard.

Finish: Long. The best parts of the peat continue through the finish, accompanied by the same lemon note. Lingering flavors of fresh earth and smoke are joined by menthol. There is only very little charcoal bitterness. The finish fades gracefully and slowly, but without further evolution.

With Water: A few drops of water initially mute the nose entirely (including all the peat), necessitating a rest in the glass. First, a very shy floral note emerges, then business as usual. It also seems to thin the body. Skip the water.

Overall: An elegant, refined peat shares equal billing with decadent lemon oil. While there is no mistaking this as anything but a fully peated malt, the peat is not as in-your-face as other peated standards. On one hand this means less street credit for braving the tongue-thrashing available in more popular whiskies. On the other hand, this means the peat is better integrated, and serves as a contrast rather than a focus. I’m not typically a fan of lemon-dominated whiskies, however, as the aromas sometimes verge towards cleaning-product.

Springbank is a composite of rarities. It is one of the very few distilleries that performs the entire distillation process from malting on-site (its own floor maltings) to bottling in its private bottling plant. In fact, it is the only fully self-sufficient distillery on the Scottish mainland. Set in Campbeltown on the lyrical Mull of Kintyre, it is also one of the few surviving distilleries (of three, with Glen Scotia and Glengyle) from a once-great region of Scotch distillation. In 1887 there were 21 distilleries in Campbeltown, and it was sometimes called “The Whisky City.” Hard times and a self-perpetrated degradation in quality during the American period of Prohibition scoured the region, putting most distillers out of business.

Springbank claims that hand-turned floor maltings (as opposed to pneumatic or machine-aerated commercial maltings), while labour-intensive, yield a malt that is better because it germinates more slowly. The distillery uses traditional worm tubs, a cast-iron mash tun, and employs mechanical ‘rummagers’ (to prevent a buildup of burnt deposits) in the copper stills, which are heated with a combination of steam and direct oil fire. Springbank uses three stills to create a 2.8-time (not triple) distillation. Now hold on, because this math is tricky: The first “wash” distillation produces so-called “low wines”, which are around 20% alcohol. A second distillation produces an intermediate distillate, which is in the neighborhood of 35% alcohol. A third still is charged with a solution of 80% of this double-distillate and 20% of the “low wines,” and a third distillation is performed. Thus, in the final spirit, around 80% of the volume has been triple-distilled, while around 20% of the volume has been double-distilled. Hence, 2.8x distillation.

Springbank also makes Longrow (a peated malt) and (new in 2006) Hazelburn (unpeated, truly triple-distilled). These, along with the distillery’s flagship Springbank bottlings, are all non-chill-filtered, have no caramel coloring, and are reduced to bottling strength on-site with the same water used to produce the whisky. The water, like all Campbeltown whiskies, comes from the Crosshill Loch in the hills above the town, and is supplemented by a private well from a borehole drilled deep into the rock beneath the town. Note that the Springbank “CV” bottling, which is at a similar price-point, is purportedly a vatting of 6, 8, and 12 year-old malts (unverified), from different barrel finishes.  

Tomintoul with a Peaty Tang Speyside, 40% ABV

World War II brought much of Scotland’s distilling industry to a halt. Peace would eventually return in 1945, but it took several more years before barley stocks returned to a level that would allow distilling to resume. The authorities were eager to give the go ahead though, viewing whisky as an exportable product that would inject some much needed income to the  struggling economy. With this government support, closed distilleries all over the country sparked back into life. By the beginning of the 1960’s new distilleries were being commissioned for the first time since the turn of the century; among them Tamnavulin, Loch Lomond, Deanston and Tomintoul.

Tomintoul was founded in 1964. By the late 1980’s however, it had been taken over by the world renowned Whyte & MacKay who envisioned the liquid as a key component in their blends. They later sold to Angus Dundee Distillers in 2000. Angus Dundee master distiller Robert Fleming joined the industry in 1974, earning his stripes at various distilleries before joining Tomintoul in 1990. In the years since, he has played a key role in the creation of the distillery’s first ever range of single malt bottlings and worked with the new owners in 2000 to trial the use of peated barley in the production process for the very first time. This project culminated in the release of “Old Ballantruan” a heavily peated variant of the Tomintoul malt, later followed in 2008 by the “Peaty Tang” bottlings.

Nose: Pleasantly malty with toffee and vanilla, heather honey and an undercurrent of floral peat smoke. Also apple and pear and freshly cut grass.

Palate: Smoke and ash straight off the bat but fades to toffee and salted caramel. Apple juice and malty biscuit before smoke returns for the finish bringing with it a touch of dry oak.

Value for Money: A reasonably priced every day sipper that possibly lacks a little in weight and complexity but manages to offer enough flavour to justify a purchase. Nice to see that lighter Speyside character with a blast of smoke behind it.

By no means one of the better known Speyside malts, Tomintoul nevertheless appears in a fairly extensive range of bottlings, with impressive diversity in the lineup. Peaty Tang certainly seems one of the more appealing, at least to me, as it offers something a little different than we have perhaps come to expect from “Speyside-Glenlivet” drams. As always I’d love to see it bottled at higher strength but the low ABV is likely reflected in the very affordable price. As it is, this is a decent dram that can be enjoyed by everyone, instead of only being attainable by those with bulging pockets

Ardmore Port Wood Finish 12 YO Highlands ABV 46%

The Port Wood Finish is the latest addition to the core single malt range from the east Highland distillery of Ardmore. It was released back in October of this year.  The whisky is made in the distillery's traditional mid-peated style, which has been produced there since the early 1900s.  It is currently the only Highland distillery to produce the majority of its whisky in the smoky style.  This whisky has been aged in ex-bourbon casks for 12 years before being finished in ex-Port half pipes. The Port Wood Finish comes in the new brand packaging, featuring map-style graphics of the local area and Ardmore's eagle logo.

The Ardmore distillery sits in the hills in the village of Kennethmont, which is about 45 minutes drive west of Aberdeen. It was founded in 1898 by William Teacher & Sons to give them a consistent and constant supply for their increasingly popular Teacher's blended Scotch brand. The distillery was designed by renowned architect Charles Doig and the whisky produced there has featured in the Teacher's range ever since. The first proprietary single malt was only released in 2007. It is a large distillery with an annual capacity of 5.5 million litres and many of the casks destined for release as Ardmore single malt are warehoused on site.

The Port Wood Finish is bottled at 46% ABV, is non chill-filtered and completes the Ardmore single malt portfolio, which comprises of the Legacy and two travel retail exclusives - the Tradition and the Triple Wood.  It has a recommended price of £50 and is available through selected specialist whisky retailers.

Tasting Notes

The colour is a deep amber gold and the nose has an interesting and complex mix of aromas.  There is initial earthy peat that leaps from the glass and this is complimented by some delicious caramel, dried dark fruits (especially raisins) and stewed cranberries.  Underneath are hints of milky coffee, cocoa, cinnamon and mace.

On the palate the whisky has a warming quality and a viscous mouth feel.  The sweet caramel and earthy peat notes are the first to appear and the combination is very good.  The peat is soft and gentle.  Then the fruity characteristics begin to develop and these are a mix of crisp red apple, raisins and the stewed cranberries from the nose.  These are complimented by a further fruity note of candied orange peel and a hint of strawberry jam.  There are also elements of honey, toffee, vanilla, delicate wood spices (especially cinnamon) and hints of milk chocolate and charcoal ash.

The finish is long and warming with plenty of initial sweetness.  The soft smokiness wraps around this and begins to domionate once the sweetness, especially the caramel and fruit, start to fade.  The result is a pleasant ashy dryness that serves to also accentuate the woody spices.

This is a superb offering from the much under rated Ardmore distillery.  Ex-Port casks are rarely used in the whisky industry in comparison to ex-bourbon or ex-sherry and the products that are on the market are generally a mixed bag.  This Port Wood Finish is one of the better examples that we can think of.  It is well worth checking out if the opportunity arises.

The addition of the ex-Port casks during maturation has added a lovely set of characteristics to the whisky, rather than dominate them.  These characteristics are complimented by the soft and gentle peat.  It also offers good value for money in our view as it has an age statement, an interesting cask finish, is non chill-filtered and presented at 46% ABV.  All of these criteria increasingly carry a premium these days.

Allt-á-Bhainne 40% ABV Speyside

Pronounced “Alt-Uh-Bunya”, Allt-á-Bhainne is an interesting peated Scotch in that it hails from Speyside, not Islay, offering a completely different flavour profile to that which most drinkers are used. The traditionally sweet and spicy flavours of Speyside are here propped up by the restrained use of locally-sourced peat, creating a smoky Scotch whisky like no other. It’s also one of the lowest-cost options on this list, making it an easy one to keep on the shelf if you’re on a low budget.

A Speyside’s workhorse, Allt-a-Bhainne was one of the first distilleries designed to be operated by one person. Back in the 70’s they said one shouldn’t mix peat with Speyside, that smokiness and sweetness couldn’t work. But Allt-á-Bhainne followed its nose and started distilling whisky their way, bringing out its first whisky in 1975.

Speyside is known for its fruity whiskies but we went against the grain, bringing peat to the rugged mountain ranges. We’ve created a single malt whisky with an unconventional flavour that’s just a bit different.

We're not a typical whisky. Born in the 1970's, we're proud to stand from the crowd. Why not take a walk on the wildside, not a dram by the fireside. With notes of soft red apples, sweet runny honey, delicate smoke and toffee. The perfect pairing of peat and sweet. The new single malt on the block for a new generation of drinkers. Allt-A-Bhainne, the sweetly peated single malt.

The Allt-A-Bhainne whisky was meant to serve as one of the lead malt whiskies in the Chivas Regal blends. So you will find the products of the distillery in Chivas Regal, Passport and 100 Pipers. The distillery is in active production and is said to produce 4 million litres of pure alcohol per year. Today there are no original bottlings of Allt-A-Bhainne. You will only find independent bottlings that carry the name of the distillery.

The Pot Stills: Allt-A-Bhainne is known for its Still Room. There are two spirit stills (14,500 litres) and two wash stills (22,000 litres) at the distillery. The wash still is very pear-shaped and the lyne arm rises after the neck. This would suggest a very rough whisky. But more important is the shape of the spirit still. The base is kept very round with a reflux bowl on top of the conical neck. The neck of the spirit still is also very tall. This rounds off the whisky and prevents sharp aromas from going into the spirit. All equipment is contained in a single room with the mash tun at one end and the four stills at the other. Originally designed to produce a light, estery malt for blending requirements, in recent years it has also occasionally produced a heavily-peated variant. Allt-a-Bhainne is only very occasionally seen as a single malt bottling.

Its modernist design singles Allt-a-Bhainne out as an oddity within Speyside, a region whose distilleries often seem to have sprouted from the bedrock. It was built by Seagram during a period of growing optimism in the Scotch industry when the Canadian firm (which at the time owned Chivas Regal) was increasing its production capacity. It has had a chequered history with periods of being placed into mothballs (the most recent being between 2003 and 2005). With global demand rising, owner Chivas Brothers, under Pernod Ricard, has it in full production once again. 

Tomatin Cù Bòcan Signature NAS HIGHLANDS 46% ABV

A legend of a majestic hound wafts over the peat moorlands surrounding the village of Tomatin. The legend of Cù Bòcan. One of the most famous stories describes the experience of a Tomatin distillery worker on a late night walk in the woods. He suddenly caught a glimpse of a spectral being in the shape of majestic hound, nostrils flared, teeth bared, and light emanating from its ethereal body. Despite his natural instincts telling him to run, he felt compelled to touch the dense fur of the beast. As his hand drew closer, the spectral figure dissolved into a cloud of blue smoke leaving the witness with nothing but an eerie silence and the burden of what he had just experienced. This is the legend that inspired the Tomatin Cu Bocan.

Thanks to Tomatin’s lightly peated barley, every Cù Bòcan creation holds its signature wisp of smoke. That’s why each edition is an exploration in the subtleties of smoke, the characters of the casks and the mastery of maturation. The Signature is an eye catching rebrand for the Cu Bocan Single Malt whisky, a lightly peated non-chill filtered natural colour malt whisky that has been matured in a combination of ex-Bourbon, ex-oloroso Sherry and virgin American oak casks, and is said to contain ‘subtly smoky, surprisingly sweet’ notes of ‘rich citrus and exotic spices’.

It is Tomatin’s much improved wood policy which has brought it to the notice of single malt lovers. The higher percentage of first-fill casks has given more flesh and structure to the always top-notch spirit. In the whisky that made their name, light smoke intertwines with rich citrus and exotic spices. This opens up the world of lightly peated whisky to those who want to try the more smokier malts.

Located just south of Inverness, production of whisky in the village of Tomatin can be traced all the way back to the 1700s. The earliest of distillers used juniper wood for their distillation process. Legal whisky distillation would, however, only begin in 1897 when John MacDougall, John MacLeish, and Alexander Allan joined hands to form the Tomatin Spey District Distillery. Choosing this location was no accident. The location was isolated enough for a supply of untouched freshwater and yet not so far away that markets became inaccessible.

Although the first manifestation of Tomatin only ran between 1897 and 1906, its reopening under new management in 1909 saw the start of a remarkable journey which would culminate in this remote Highland outpost becoming the largest malt whisky distillery in Scotland by 1974. Aggressive expansion saw it grow from two stills to four in 1956 reaching 23 in 1974, with an overall capacity of 12m litres per annum. This bubble couldn’t last.

After nearly a century of glorious distillation, Tomatin’s bubble burst in 1985. Ironically it was the production of whisky and the downturn of the 1980s that caused this and Tomatin was forced to liquidate. In 1986, they joined up with their partner of 20 years, Takara Shuzo Ltd., to form the Tomatin Distillery Company — Scotland’s first distillery to be wholly owned by a Japanese brand. The change in ownership proved to be a beneficial one with the Tomatin brand growing in its own right. In 1997, Tomatin Distillery Co. acquired J&W Hardie, adding the legendary Antiquary blend to its offerings.

The 1988 Limited Edition Cu Bocan is one of the best this distillery has to offer. At 51.5% ABV, the 1988 is a blend of refill hogshead and refill sherry matured whisky distilled on December 2, 1988. The whisky has a peaty nose reminiscent of campfire smoke and ash which slowly gives way to toasted coconut, freshly cut grass, and heather. In the mouth, the whisky opens up a little more, letting you get a peek into a world of candied tropical fruits, earthy peat, and blood orange. The finish of earthy smoke and oak spice transports you into the woods and evidence of the legend of the beast.