It might not sound fancy, being made from compressed decomposed vegetal matter that’s thousands of years old, but peat is a highly prized ingredient that’s used by distillers to smoke barley for the creation of whiskey. As a result, peated malt whiskies have an appealing smoky quality that makes them some of the most esteemed whiskies in the world. To discover more about what peat is and how it’s used in whiskey, take a look at our Peated Whisky Guide: Part 1 here. 

HOW PEAT IS SMOKED

Peat is dug from the ground, hand-cut into small slices, air dried and then burned beneath the barley to infuse it with the unique flavours of the smoke (Irish peat harvesting pictured above). The use of peat is a therefore a time-consuming process, but a handful of whiskey distillers have stayed true to this time-honoured practice, because of the distinct flavours it brings to their spirits.

A UNIQUE PEATED MALT

Located on the Western coast of Ireland, the area of Connemara features Atlantic peninsulas, small villages, and large mountains (pictured below, the Cooley Mountains where the Connemara whiskey distillery is located). It’s here that one of the most unique whiskies in the world is created – Connemara, the only peated Irish single malt whiskey on the market. Much awarded for its perfect balance between peat, malt and sweetness, Connemara has the smooth nature that you’d expect of an Irish whiskey, with distinctive flavours of heather, honey and oak.

TIP

Irish whiskies are spelled “whiskey” with an ‘e’; Scottish whiskies are spelled “whisky” without an ‘e’.

CONNEMARA: TASTING NOTES

• Appearance: Lightly golden
• Aroma: Smoky peatiness balanced by heather florals with hints of honey and oak
• Flavour: Silky smooth with golden honey, vanilla oak, complex aromas of malt and fruit and full-bodied peat