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When I was in Scotland recently, I had the rare opportunity to try the new make spirit of Croftengea (pronounced croft-tern-ghee-ah). For those unfamiliar, Croftengea is a heavily peated single malt whisky produced using the same stills that once made the legendary (and now closed) Littlemill Single Malt Whisky.
The Croftengea new make sample was diluted by half, and still, I was taken aback by the massive, unmistakable blast of tar that hit me! Knowing it was peated to 50ppm, I expected a reasonably smoky dram — but this staggering tar note completely bowled me over.
PPM, or phenol parts per million, measures the phenolic compounds in the malted barley used to make whisky. Many use ppm as a gauge of how “peated” a whisky will be. However, it’s not an entirely accurate indicator, as it measures only the phenolic content of the barley — not the actual peatiness experienced in the final whisky. Still, it serves as a useful reference point.
Since returning, we received a Wemyss Single Cask Release Croftengea 2009 14 Year Old. Expecting the same “heavy peat” blast I got from the new make, I was astounded by how refined this whisky was. The peat smoke was definitely there — I thought there would be more of it, considering the raw spirit — but it was softer, more mature, and absolutely not “blast-ty” anymore.
This is the wonder and magic of ageing whisky. The orchard fruit notes — peach and apricot — weren’t masked or smothered by the peat; instead, they were showcased and elevated by the refined smoke. So elegant, so grown-up. I love it.
Hence my new obsession: finding whiskies that combine heavy peat with pronounced fruitiness; a juxtaposition that makes the whisky greater than the sum of its parts.
Here are a few that hit that beautiful balance:
- Big Smoke Heavily Peated Malt Whisky (50%)
A lovely wallop of smoky peat rolling over a bed of crisp green apples and grass. The high abv is a nice bonus — and the fact that it’s budget-friendly makes it even better! - Kilchoman 100% Islay 14th Edition (50%)
Matured in a selection of bourbon and oloroso sherry casks for nine years. Gorgeous! Enough peat to remind you it’s a Kilchoman, yet still bursting with juicy grilled pineapple and a hint of ginger. YUM YUM YUM! - Kilkerran Heavily Peated Batch 11 (57.9%)
It’s not a combination that seems like it should work — but boy, does it ever. Peat smoke sits so naturally alongside ice cream soda, lemon custard, and key lime pie. WOW!
New make spirit = spirit that has just been distilled and, in a sense, “whisky” at zero years of ageing
