Peated whisky gets its smoky flavour from burning peat to dry the malted barley. The smoke compounds settle into the grain and carry through distillation into the finished spirit.
It is the most polarising style in whisky, and the one most likely to be bought by mistake by a customer who wanted something else.
What is peated whisky?
Peated whisky is made from barley dried over a peat fire, which infuses the grain with phenolic compounds. Those compounds survive distillation and give the whisky smoke, iodine and medicinal notes.
Peat is partially decomposed vegetation cut from bogs and dried as fuel. Different regions produce different smoke: Islay peat is maritime, Highland peat more earthy.
How is peatiness measured?
In parts per million of phenols, measured in the malted barley before distillation. Lightly peated whiskies sit around 5–15 ppm; heavily peated ones run 40 ppm and above.
PPM figures describe the malt, not the bottle. Distillation and maturation both reduce the level, so a 50 ppm malt does not taste twice as smoky as a 25 ppm one.
Which whiskies are peated?
| Level | Typical ppm | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Unpeated | 0 | Most Speyside malts |
| Lightly peated | 5–15 | Highland Park, Talisker |
| Heavily peated | 35–55 | Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Ardbeg |
| Extreme | 80+ | Octomore |
Is peated whisky only from Islay?
No. Islay is the best-known source, but peated whisky is made across Scotland, and in Japan, Ireland and elsewhere.
Talisker on Skye and Highland Park in Orkney are both peated without being Islay malts. See Scotch whisky regions.
How should a retailer sell it?
Label it clearly and separate it on shelf. A customer who buys heavily peated whisky expecting a Speyside will not buy from you again quickly.
Staff should be able to say “this one is smoky” before the sale, not after. It is the single most useful piece of whisky training for retail staff.
Buying peated whisky wholesale
We supply wholesale whiskey across peated and unpeated styles by the case and pallet. Request a trade quote.