Oli Dodd polls some of the bar world’s whisky aficionados for their take on what are the best peated drams and which cocktails they use them in.
t’s harder to think of a character of whisky that does a better job splitting the room than smoke. Trying to convince a non-believer that TCP, kippers and burning tyres are desirable characteristics is already a hard sell, but when a bad dram can induce the experience of drinking bong water, it can be a tough style to change attitudes toward. But, as with all things difficult to love, when it does click, nothing else compares and right now, the style is booming.
As whisky production has crept steadily across the globe, so have approaches to the use of smoke. Today there are highly respected peated whiskies coming out of regions as far flung as India, Japan and the United States’ Pacific Northwest and there are now plenty of distillers experimenting with imparting smoke character from alternative fuels.
But all peated roads lead to Islay and right now, the island is booming. Since Port Ellen reopened last year, there are currently 10 distilleries operating on the tiny island in the Inner Hebrides, with four more slated to open in the future.
Last year’s inaugural Class Report revealed that the trend translates to the bar – three of the top 10 bestselling Scotch brands were from Islay, with the hotbox-in-a-butchers Ardbeg taking the crown as Bartenders’ Favourite brand.
But where does all that whisky end up? Fans of the stuff are probably after it neat and in the classic cocktail canon its role is a cameo as seasoning on top of a Penicillin.
Elsewhere it’s a different story and, without proper consideration, such a powerful character can have the ability to make a mess of the balance of a mixed drink. With the sub-category expanding, there’s now more choice than ever, so we asked some of those who know best for standout smoky whiskies and how they like to wield them.
MARTYN ‘SIMO’ SIMPSON, DRAM, LONDON
Ledaig Bordeaux Cask aged 9 years
The nine-year-old Ledaig red wine cask is beautiful. Peat and red wine are a tough mix that rarely goes right, but when it does it’s that perfect blend of smoke and tannins and Ledaig has a lovely roundness of salinity that binds it all together. It works well in a Whisky Highball Float – a standard Whisky Highball with a spoon of that peaty, oily whisky layered on top. The distillery is on the Isle of Mull [a Hebridean island north of Islay] and half of the year they make unpeated Tobermory and the other half of the year they make the peated Ledaig. That’s part of the reason I love them, they have such great range from the one distillery.
» Available from Speciality Drinks
2 NICKY CRAIG, PANDA & SONS, EDINBURGH
Kilchoman Sanaig
I love most things from Kilchoman at the moment. The Sanaig from its core range and its annual 100% Islay barley releases are my current top picks. The Sanaig has a heavy sherry finish from the oloroso casks it uses. It does have high peat levels but, given the lighter style, it doesn’t taste as big as other malts with similar peat levels, like Ardbeg for example. That makes it really approachable and generally just delicious. I can be subbed into a lot of classics like a Whiskey Sour or a Scofflaw but I’d really recommend trying it in a Clover Club where it gives a more robust, smoky flavour while keeping the cocktail rich, sweet and accessible.
» Available from Speciality Drinks
3 SIÂN BUCHAN, UNO MAS, EDINBURGH
Port Charlotte 10 Year Old
The way Port Charlotte plays with wine casks works deliciously with the peat. Being from Bruichladdich, I love the Bruichladdich spirit anyway, I love what it is doing with Islay barley and its experimentation with casks – everything it releases is delicious. I think that the Bruichladdich base spirit plays a big part in Port Charlotte. It has the only open fermentation tank in the country and uses the same stills for all its products. I love peat and tropical flavours together – a Peaty Pornstar or Peaty French Martini are both amazing and it’s also great in a Julep-style drink with a cherry syrup.
» Available from Rémy Cointreau UK
4 JOE CERI, COUCH, BIRMINGHAM
Benromach Peat Smoke
Benromach is a Speyside distillery that makes a small-batch run of heavily peated distillate. It has a softer, more approachable smoke flavour than traditional Islay whiskies. It’s a great whisky to use to introduce people to smoke. It allows people to access the smoke while also seeing the floral softer side of it. It works great with peach and citrus. I used to use it in a Highball serve based on a mezcal cocktail that used a peach cordial to give freshness and sweetness to the soft honey, heather smoke Benromach. As a flavour, smoke works particularly well with fruits. Rich smoke pairs beautifully with blackcurrant and stewed berries, medicinal-style smoke goes phenomenally with agave and passion fruit and then stone fruits like peach, nectarine and apricot work with softer styles such as the Benromach.
» Available from Cask
5 LOUIS MOON, HIDEOUT, BATH
Stauning Smoke Outside of Scotland, Stauning in Denmark has incredible heather-smoked whiskies. It uses local Danish floor-malted barely and smoke using local peat and heather. The heather gives a delicate smoke style and interesting botanical and tobacco notes that complement the sweetness. Terroir plays a massive part in whisky flavour but it’s not talked about as much as in wine. The different soils and climate have a big impact so the fact that the peat and heather aren’t from Scotland creates different kinds of flavour that makes the whisky unique – more herbaceous and less medicinal than a peated whisky from Islay.
» Available from Mangrove