A Christmas Gift for the Smoke Diver: Big Peat Christmas Edition 2023 Blog Post by Luka Gottschalk

Blog post by Luka Gottschalk

This is a blended malt built from whisky out of Ardbeg, Bowmore, Caol Ila and none other than Port Ellen. Bottled at 54.8%, no added colour, no chill filtration. Every box is ticked for a properly smoky experience. The nose is fat and generous with popcorn, bacon, salted liquorice, bonfire smoke and seawater. Not exactly what I would call a Christmas aroma, but full-bodied and very inviting all the same. The palate pulls in several directions at once: red berries, wine gums, peat and vanilla. It tastes young, and to my mind that is entirely permissible in a heavily peated Islay whisky. Young whiskies kick back, which suits my mental picture of that storm-battered island perfectly. The sweet opening notes stop this from being a stereotypical Islay dram. The finish brings a certain calm. A little ash and pipe smoke linger alongside vanilla and plums, and that is a fine way to round off a whisky this fiery. It is not a long finish, but it is nicely balanced. To my palate this whisky shows its hand the moment it hits the tongue. I would go so far as to say there is a large share of Ardbeg and Caol Ila in this year's Big Peat Christmas edition. The sherry casks are in no way dominant; they simply take the edge off the aggression with a few subtle, sweet, fruity notes. If I had to compare it to a dram most people already know, I would point towards Ardbeg Uigeadail, and I mean that as a considerable compliment. Despite the neat sherry finish I cannot claim this one suits drinkers who like their whisky velvet-smooth and very sweet. It is still an Islay whisky with a capital I, and it belongs in the smoke diver's Christmas stocking.