There is something truly wonderful about the confluence of events behind every dram of a peated single malt Scotch. In addition to the alchemy required in the whisky-making process, there is the added element of peat which comprises part of the heat source used to stop germination. Peat is made up of dead and decaying plant matter that has built up over thousands of years. Since the area in which this plant matter decays (known logically enough as “peatlands”) is constantly wet, the plant matter can never fully decompose; as a consequence, each layer presses down on the layer beneath it resulting in a time-hardened muddy substance. Incredibly, it takes a millennium to form a meter deep of peat.
While not common in most of the world, peatlands are abundant in Scotland, covering roughly 20% of the country. Peat is an excellent source of fuel and its abundance historically led many distilleries to use it into their kilns. The smoke from a peat-fueled fire will not only dry the grain, but also infuse it with the various flavors that come to mind whenever you hear the words “peated Scotch.” Those distilleries focused on making heavily peated whiskies will dry their damp malt for a prolonged period in order to heighten these flavors.
Islay is especially famous for its peated single malts and, not surprisingly, the experts we asked had nothing but love for the distilleries in that whisky region.
