Top peated whiskies from unpeated brands

A number of Highland, Speyside and even Kentucky distilleries have looked to the misty shores of Islay for inspiration in recent months, releasing a raft of uncharacteristically smoky expressions.

The Macallan Smoky Black is one of our top peated whiskies from unpeated brands

Capitalising on consumer demand for peated variants, these produces have given their traditionally caramel, vanilla and cinnamon-flavoured variants a smoky twist. While some have used limited stocks of peated malt barley, others turn to peat-influenced casks, and a select few blend with fully matured peated liquid.

Speyside distilleries Macallan and GlenDronach brought out their first smoky bottlings earlier this year, while The Glenlivet and The Glenrothes also experimented with peat.

But do you know which US-based distillery transgressed long-established category boundaries with an innovative new dram?

Click through the following pages to discover the answer, along with a host of other peated whiskies created by traditionally unpeated brands. If you think any have been omitted, let us know by leaving a comment below.

The GlenDronach Peated

Speyside distillery GlenDronach made its first foray into smoke last month with the launch of The GlenDronach Peated. Made using peated malted barley and bottled without an age statement, GlenDronach Peated (46% abv) has been aged in Bourbon casks ahead of a second maturation in Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. It is said to have a flaovur of oak spices, heather, honey develop barley sugars and white pepper. GlenDronach Distillery is owned by The BenRiach Distillery Company.

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The Macallan Rare Cask Black

Known for its soft, creamy palate, The Macallan left a few mouths agape when it launched its Rare Cask Black edition earlier this year. Crafted from less than 100 predominantly first fill, Sherry seasoned European and American oak casks, the “remarkably rare” release is part of the 1824 Masters Series. Exclusively available through Edrington Global Travel Retail, the bottling includes whisky from the few casks of peated Macallan liquid available.

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The Glenlivet Nàdurra Peated Whisky Cask Finish

Inspired by the production methods of The Glenlivet founder, George Smith, The Glenlivet Nàdurra Peated Whisky Cask Finish has been in American oak casks that have previously held heavily peated Scotch whisky. Joining the brand’s Nàdurra range, the bottling is described as the first to have a “subtle, smoky taste profile”. Bottled at a cask strength of 61.5% abv, the whisky pays homage to the early production processes at The Glenlivet Distillery in the 1800s when peat smoke to dry the malted barley.

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The Glenrothes The Peated Cask Reserve

Also joining the raft of Speyside distilleries inspired by their Islay cousins is The Glenrothes. In November this year, the brand unveiled The Glenrothes The Peated Cask Reserve as part of its no-age-statement range of single malts. It is said to be inspired by an association formed between The Glenrothes and Islay Distillery Co Ltd in 1887, called Highland Distilleries, and is created by finishing Glenrothes’ Vintage 1992 whisky in a cask hailing from Islay.

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Old Pulteney 1989

Wick-based distillery Old Pulteney added a second peated vintage to its portfolio in September this year with the launch of Old Pulteney 1989. Matured in hand-selected, American oak ex-Bourbon barrels, which previously held peated malt, the whisky was launched in response to “consumer demand for peated whiskies”. Given tasting notes suggest a peaty palate with a spicy underpinning, vanilla, coconut, and oranges.

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anCnoc Peat Cutter range

Highland single malt Scotch whisky brand anCnoc moved into peat in March last year with the launch of an innovative range of smoky expressions. The expressions in the new peated collection – called Rutter, Flaughter and Tushkar – are named after the traditional tools used to cut peat, which also feature on the collection’s packaging. Created by the anCnoc’s Knockdhu Distillery, the collection is described as featuring anCnoc’s “classic light, easy drinking style but with a dark, distinctive and smoky twist”. AnCnoc was even awarded The Spirits Business’s Spiritual Award for the range in 2014, an accolade that recognises innovation in the industry.

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The Glenturret Peated Edition

Glenturret, touted as one of Scotland’s oldest working distilleries, rarely plays in the single malt sector, let alone peated single malts. But the distillery marked into continued foray into both with the launch of The Glenturret Peated edition last month, part of a three-strong single malt range created in celebration of its 240^th anniversary. The whisky is created using malted barley that has been dried over peat fires and has “sweet, smoky flavour with slight salty notes”. Glenturret largely produces whisky to be included in The Famous Grouse blend.

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Jim Beam Kentucky Dram

The final inclusion in this list, surprisingly, does not hail from bonnie Scotland, not indeed any part of the UK. Beam Suntory expanded the hybrid spirits category this year with the release of Jim Beam Kentucky Dram – described as a “premium Bourbon infused with Highland Scotch whisky”, but not any whisky, peated whisky. The variant is created by blending the standard Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey with a “touch” of peated Highland Scotch, adding a “smoky flavour” to the “vanilla and oaky notes” of the Bourbon.

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