Big Peat Original - 46%
From the Big Peat website
Big Peat is a marriage of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies only from the island of Islay. With Caol Ila spirit bringing sweetness, Bowmore the perfect balance, Ardbeg a medicinal, earthy quality and Port Ellen, a degree of elegance, Big Peat represents all that is Islay in a bottle.
Tasting notes:
Nose: Sweet, smoky peat with vanilla, stone fruit, a hint of malted milk biscuits and salty sea breeze.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, milky Horlicks, stone fruit cooking on a beach barbecue and stewed orchard fruit, all enveloped by soft, ashy peat smoke. With a little more time, white chocolate and vanilla come through with a touch of white pepper warmth.
Water brings a little more fruit and white chocolate but isn’t a necessary addition.
Finish: Gentle bonfire smoke, a hint of medicinal peat and seaside minerality, like picking a pebble off the beach and popping it into your mouth. Subtle white pepper warmth leaves a tingle adding a little more length to an otherwise medium finish.
Summary: This was my first time with this interation of Big Peat although I have tried a couple of the Christmas editions. The Caol Ila influence is highly evident, with the Ardbeg bringing that slightly phenolic element. At its price point it’s hard to imagine that there is more than a drop or two of Port Ellen in each bottle, however it’s no doubt a smart piece of marketing to have it in there.
Despite the name, it’s not a massively peated whisky, I’d describe it more as mid-range Caol Ila level. Overall, it’s a very enjoyable, well-balanced, easy-drinking peated whisky.
With an abv of 46% and a price tag of £43, this is great value for money and one of those whiskies that would quite happily sit in the drinks cabinets of many peated whisky fans, myself included. It would also make an ideal dram for those who want to explore more of the Islay character without jumping in at the deep end.
If you would like more information on the Big Peat range, follow the link to the company website.
Transparency: Received as part of a gift set from Douglas Laing. All opinions in the review are my own and remain completely impartial.
