By Richard Goslan
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Creators Collection: Peat Plants III
Our new Creators Collection, Peat Plants III, provides a fantastical phenolic flight from Islay’s Atlantic coast to Campbeltown’s historic harbour, with four distinctive takes on coastal peat
Our new Creators Collection: Peat Plants III, takes you on a sensory journey across Scotland’s West Coast
Close your eyes and let the unmistakable aroma of powerfully peated whisky matured over decades capture your senses and take you on a sensory journey across Scotland’s West Coast.
This Creators Collection is the stuff that fantasies are made of, from four iconic distilleries that showcase coastal smoke in all its forms.
Savour this deep sensory journey into the realm of peated whisky, a phenolic flight from Islay’s Atlantic coast to Campbeltown’s historic harbour.
These expressions offer a remarkable diversity of flavour from maturation in four different cask types: refill bourbon, first fill American oak oloroso, first fill Spanish oak oloroso and STR oloroso-seasoned barrique.
This legendary Campbeltown distillery is one of the four bottlings in our Peat Plants III collection
“We continue our exploration of the powerful flavours of peat with the third instalment of our Peat Plants Creators Collection,” says Euan Campbell, the SMWS Head of Whisky.
“This collection showcases long-aged whiskies from Islay and Campbeltown, matured in either oloroso sherry or bourbon casks. Two of our flavour profiles are represented, and these four whiskies demonstrate the huge variety to be discovered in this realm. From heather and wood smoke to iodine and smoked meats, there’s a lot to uncover in the glass. The whiskies have retained their power but have also acquired the gravitas that decades of aging can bring.”
Four distilleries, four cask types, and four distinctive takes on coastal peat. Prepare to drift off on a dreamlike journey into the realm of smoke.
THE ULTIMATE FLIGHT IN COASTAL SMOKE
CASK NO 3.369: TEMPEST IN THE TROPICS
A smoky Islay library amid a tropical custard storm. Peruse plum crumble, leather and shisha then finish with a slice of fruity tea loaf. After 18 years in an ex -bourbon hogshead, we transferred this into a first fill American oak oloroso hogshead.
CASK NO 27.115: SWEET-SMOKED OLIVE OIL
Intriguing. Charred mango, caramelised pears, sweet blue cheese and smoked olive oil
accompany sweet and sour plum sauce. Panellists all agreed it's best neat. Following 24 years in an ex -bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky into a first fill STR oloroso -seasoned first fill barrique.
CASK NO 53.533: THE SKIPPER’S KIPPERS
The captain's table heaves with barbecued lobster, tapenade-coated pilchards, smoked salmon, cheddar and mackerel, plus sides of smoke, soot and ash. This expression was matured in a refill bourbon hogshead.
CASK NO 29.307: HAPPY HAUFING!
A perfect dram for a hauf ‘n’ hauf, that magical pairing. In this case, it’s a trio of a Belgian quadruple, a German doppelbock and a Scottish 80 shilling. Following 21 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky into a first fill Spanish oak oloroso hogshead.
For more information on Peat Plants III, click here