Big Peat Fan! Name your top 3 smoky whisky!

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  • 116520
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    Joined: 12.06.2015Posts: 90Collection116520s CollectionRatings: 42

    Please share your recommendation on the best peated whisky. Thank you!

  • ben_2 Guest, Administrator ben_2 Joined: 01.07.2014Posts: 271Collectionbens CollectionRatings: 92
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    1st Ardbeg Supernova 2010
    2nd Lagavulin 16
    3rd Ardbeg Rollercoaster

    But I have to admit I did not taste enough peaty whiskies yet. I did have a lot of Bowmore and Laphroigh. Good whiskies but not my style.
    Talsiker and Highland Park are very good, but I would not categorize them as peated whiskies. I would call them lightly peated.

    I work for whisky.com
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  • Budgerigar_canalis Member Budgerigar_canalis Joined: 18.07.2014Posts: 50Ratings: 0
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    I'm gonna give you two answers. First, the best peated whiskies I've ever tried, and then the three best currently available peated whiskies from the standard ranges of the distilleries. If this thread is to serve any recommendation purposes I guess it would be quite useless to only name three super rare and expensive whiskies. :biggrin:

    3rd: Octomore 02.2 Orpheus - Lots of peat, but it's not overwhelming. And then there comes an otherworldly fruity sweetness... wow.

    2nd: Ardbeg Supernova 2009 - This. Is. The. Most. Brutally. Smoky. Whisky. I've. Ever. Tried! The Octomores may have more ppm of phenols on paper, but they are a mere gentle breeze of smoke compared to this Ardbeg. If you ever wanna try what it tastes like to fall into a freshly extinguished bonfire with your open mouth - this is it!

    1st: Talisker 1994/2009 Managers' Choice - This is the best whisky I have ever tried - so far. It's only slightly peaty, but there is some smokiness there. I posted tasting notes here: http://www.whisky.com/forumblogchat/forum/forum/mm_forum_pi1/posts//best_whisky_you_ever_tried.html#pid298

    ---

    And now for the best standard bottlings I've tasted:

    3rd: Ledaig 8 y.o. Anam na h-Alba Refill Sherry Hogshead - Sorry, this is of course no standard bottling, but it shares a characteristic trait with other Ledaigs such as the 10-year-old, which is still available. Ledaig has this actually ugly aroma of "cowshed", which some find disgusting but which I happen to love. :biggrin: I like stinky whisky. If you like peated whisky you must try a Ledaig sometime. You'll either love it or hate it.

    2nd: Benriach Solstice 17 y.o. - Finished in port wine casks. This whisky combines very bonfiry smoke with the spiciness of 17 years in oak casks and the dark fruity notes of old port. Marvellous.

    1st: Ardbeg Corryvreckan - Intense bonfire smoke in the nose, and a kick in your face with super-sweet peatiness. There's no whisky like this in any standard range. A primordial force of nature!

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  • voskarp Member voskarp Joined: 25.01.2015Posts: 21Collectionvoskarps CollectionRatings: 82
    , edited June 18 2015 at 5:22PM
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    So far it's:

    1st: Bowmore 18 y o

    2nd: Bowmore 15 y o Laimrig and Ballechin 10 y o

    (Lagavulin 16 y o and Bowmore 12 y o deserves a mention too, but you said top three...)

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  • horst_s_2 Administrator horst_s_2 Joined: 01.07.2014Posts: 507Ratings: 661
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    Lagavulin Distillers' Edition
    Ardbeg Uigeadail
    Laphroaig Triple Wood

    Kind regards, Horst Luening, Master Taster, Whisky.com
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  • 116520
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    Member 116520
    Joined: 12.06.2015Posts: 90Collection116520s CollectionRatings: 42
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    Thank you for the reply, I am feeling so honoured when the master replied my question. Thank you Horst!

    "horst_s" wrote:
    Lagavulin Distillers' Edition
    Ardbeg Uigeadail
    Laphroaig Triple Wood
  • 116520
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    Member 116520
    Joined: 12.06.2015Posts: 90Collection116520s CollectionRatings: 42
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    Mr. Horst Luening,is there a difference between smokiness and espresso during after taste? If yes, why people like to emphasis on smokiness and not espresso after taste? Thanks!

  • 116520
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    Member 116520
    Joined: 12.06.2015Posts: 90Collection116520s CollectionRatings: 42
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    I have not tried Bowmore yet but since you give it higher ratings than Lagavulin, I am thinking to get it a try soon!

    "voskarp" wrote:
    So far it's:

    1st: Bowmore 18 y o

    2nd: Bowmore 15 y o Laimrig and Ballechin 10 y o

    (Lagavulin 16 y o and Bowmore 12 y o deserves a mention too, but you said top three...)


  • voskarp Member voskarp Joined: 25.01.2015Posts: 21Collectionvoskarps CollectionRatings: 82
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    "116520" wrote:
    I have not tried Bowmore yet but since you give it higher ratings than Lagavulin, I am thinking to get it a try soon!

    "voskarp" wrote:
    So far it's:

    1st: Bowmore 18 y o

    2nd: Bowmore 15 y o Laimrig and Ballechin 10 y o

    (Lagavulin 16 y o and Bowmore 12 y o deserves a mention too, but you said top three...)






    It's the sherry casks that makes the big difference for me. The Ballechin 10 y o is more like Lagavulin 16 y o, but stronger and more "special".

    I haven't been into single malt for too long either, so my advice is a bit restricted.

  • voskarp Member voskarp Joined: 25.01.2015Posts: 21Collectionvoskarps CollectionRatings: 82
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    "116520" wrote:
    Mr. Horst Luening,is there a difference between smokiness and espresso during after taste? If yes, why people like to emphasis on smokiness and not espresso after taste? Thanks!


    I'm certainly not Horst, but I'll give you my opinion on this.

    The smoke flavour/aroma comes from burning peat when drying the malt, and the espresso is the harsh astringent taste that comes from the (European) oak wood in the cask. Sometimes the oak influence can be perceived as a weaker smoky note.

  • 116520
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    Member 116520
    Joined: 12.06.2015Posts: 90Collection116520s CollectionRatings: 42
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    Hi voskarp!

    Thank you very much for your advise.

    I have limited tasting of whisky now but I will try more if I am lucky enough to have the chance to try more in the future.

    I have tried Yoichi 12 and Taketsuru 17 as I started with Japanese whisky. Both give me the smokiness for nosing and tasting (different level of smokiness) but Yoichi 12 ends with just smoke and Taketsuru 17 ends with Espresso. Also, I discover different senses from Taketsuru 17 when the more I drink, is that called the complexity of whisky? I love the present of smokiness and espresso in a whisky, can you recommend any Scottish whisky that has the similar character? I wanted to explore my whisky adventure into the Scottish whisky... :biggrin:

    "voskarp" wrote:
    I'm certainly not Horst, but I'll give you my opinion on this.

    The smoke flavour/aroma comes from burning peat when drying the malt, and the espresso is the harsh astringent taste that comes from the (European) oak wood in the cask. Sometimes the oak influence can be perceived as a weaker smoky note.
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