Balvenie 14 years old The Week of Peat Speyside Malt Whisky 48,3%

One week a year Balvenie changes track. The peat comes in, the malting floors smell like nothing else all season, and the distillery makes a whisky it otherwise does not make. The rest of the year it waits in cask.

The expert's description

Balvenie 14 The Week of Peat is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky matured in American oak casks and bottled at 48.3 %.

Each year the distillery sets aside roughly a week to run peated malt through production. The smoke comes from Scottish peat, and the malt sits at around 30 ppm phenols, which is striking for Speyside but mild next to the heaviest Islay bottlings. The whisky from that week is matured separately and released on its own.

Fourteen years in American oak lets the smoke settle down. It turns softer, more integrated, and lies as a layer beneath the familiar Balvenie honey sweetness rather than sitting on top of it. The release belongs to The Balvenie Stories series.

Tasting notes

Nose

Soft peat smoke, flower honey and vanilla. Behind it sits buttery cake and a hint of sweet malt.

Palate

Round and balanced with light smoke, citrus, spice and sweet malt. The smoke lies underneath rather than leading the way.

Finish

Long and warm with a spiced close and a last, dry note of smoke.

Specifications

Name: Balvenie 14 år The Week of Peat
Distillery: Balvenie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 14 years
ABV: 48,3 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak casks
Edition: The Balvenie Stories
EAN no.: 5010327525198

Flavour profile

Smoky · Honeyed · Spiced · Soft · Malty

Did you know?

Balvenie sourced the peat for the first Week of Peat batches from St Fergus in Aberdeenshire. That is the same area supplying several Speyside distilleries, and it gives a drier, earthier smoke than the maritime peat on Islay.

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Frequently asked questions about Balvenie 14 The Week of Peat

How smoky is it?

The malt sits at around 30 ppm, which is clearly peated but well short of the heaviest Islay releases. After fourteen years in cask the smoke has also calmed considerably and lies as a layer beneath the sweetness rather than dominating.

Why does Balvenie only make peated whisky one week a year?

Because the normal house style is unpeated, and switching production means the plant has to be cleaned thoroughly afterwards. A single dedicated week yields enough peated malt for an annual release without disturbing the rest of the year.

Is it a good place to start with peated whisky?

Yes, one of the gentlest entrances. The sweetness of the Balvenie spirit makes the smoke easy to approach, and you get a sense of what peat does without being thrown straight into tar and iodine.

What is the difference between Speyside peat and Islay peat?

Islay peat is formed from seaweed and moss close to the sea and gives medicinal, iodine and salty notes. Inland peat from north-east Scotland is more plant based and gives a drier, earthier and slightly sweeter smoke, of the kind you find in Speyside.

What does ppm mean?

Parts per million, meaning how many phenol units are measured in the dried malt. It is a measure of the smoke content of the malt before distillation, not of how smoky the finished whisky tastes, since much is lost along the way.

Does it need water?

At 48.3 % it takes a couple of drops well if you want the smoke pushed further forward. Neat it is fuller and more honeyed. Taste it both ways from the same whisky glass, the difference is clear.