Smokey / Peaty Whiskey

cullenswood

Looking to buy a bottle of Smokey Whisk(e)y as a pressie. Have the Lagavulin 16 myself and that is the smokiest I have tasted, but have been told the Ardbeg 10 would be more smokey?

Also, anyone got any recommendations of Irish Peaty whiskey. Would the Connemara Turf Mór be the most smokey and how would this compare against the Lagavulin or Ardbeg?

Thanks guys

irish_goat

Are you buying in Dublin? Celtic Whiskey Store normally have the full Connamara range available for sampling.

cormacjones

Personally I don't think any current Irish peaty whiskey compares favourably to the best of the Scottish peaty whiskies.

I think the Laphroaig 10 is the peatiest I've tried. The quarter cask and some of the Ardbeg special editions might be stronger, I've no experience with them.

ciaran76

Ardbeg 10 was one of my favorites but I haven't tried every smoke/peat whiskey so cannot give a complete answer.

twerg_85

Ardbeg 10 would be one of the smokiest if not necessarily the nicest in my opinion.

Laphroaig quarter cask, Lagavulin, other Ardbegs and most Islays will be smoky/peaty. For an expensive whiskey, Ardbeg Uigedeal or Corryveckin are lovely.

There's also one called big peat or smoke monster or something like that - haven't tasted it, but I guess it's peaty !

If you really want peat strength, I'd say go with Ardbeg 10. If you want something with a bit more finesse, there's plenty to choose from, mainly from Islay.

F.

Lovely Bloke

Something from the Laphroaig range would be a good bet, my personal choice of sipping whisky is their bog standard 10 Year Old (see what I did there?).

I've also got an Ardbeg Ten that I open from time to time for a change.

Connemra's Turf Mór is a decent one too.

Padraig Mor

Only making the move to the smoky stuff myself recently. Thought Turf Mor was as good as it got. And then I tasted Laphroaig 10. Wow! Picking up a bottle of it soon hopefully.

Brockagh

Lagavulin is wonderful. If you can get the Jazz Festival bottling from last year, it's top notch (although very pricey). I love the 16 too, but the Annual Releases are usually better.

Laphroaig too, as mentioned, is excellent. The quarter cask is very nice.

Bruichladdich Octamore is peatier than all of these - over 140 ppm. And the Bruichladdich Port Charlotte... Can be a bit expensive, though.

Ardmore do lovely peated whisky. I am a big fan of their peated stuff.

Tobermory's Ledaig is around the Lagavulin/Laphroaig peat levels too and is excellent... Caol Ila... Bunnahabhain heavily peated...

The Connemara single casks are right up there with the best peated whisky, in my opinion. The standard stuff you buy is generally younger than the age statement alternatives from Scotland, but the single casks, official or from the likes of Cadenhead or the Celtic Whiskey Shop... great stuff.

Then in the top price bracket, you have the likes of Brora and Port Ellen. Both very good, but overpriced. Port Ellen is similar to Caol Ila anyway.

treborme1

i work in a bar an irish guy with an american girl was asking me about smoky peaty whiskeys i recommended connemara,so he turns to the american girl and asks her if she likes the taste of peat to which she replys,'' who's peat'' pissed meself laughing

ronnie3585

It's not called Ardbog for nothing!

I remember reading an article recently that rated the peatiness of the various peated whiskys and Ardbeg was at the top. I can't seem to find it now, think it may have been referred to in one of Ralfy's reviews.

I have the 10 and the Uigeadail, there's a huge kick of turf off both of them!

Lovely Bloke

ronnie3585 wrote: »

It's not called Ardbog for nothing!

I remember reading an article recently that rated the peatiness of the various peated whiskys and Ardbeg was at the top. I can't seem to find it now, think it may have been referred to in one of Ralfy's reviews.

I have the 10 and the Uigeadail, there's a huge kick of turf off both of them!

Personally I find Laphroaig 10 peatier than Ardbeg 10

Niall_G

If you are prepared to splash out around €70 you won't go wrong with Ben Riach 17 yo Solstice. Beautifully smokey and finished in a port pipe which gives it lovely smoothness. I got mine in Celtic Whiskey.

Brockagh

Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Lagavulin, in that order. But Octomore would be three times as peaty as Ardbeg. Longrow is another one I forgot about. It's around the same peating level as Ardbeg.

gandalf

I find the Connemara Cask Strength the best version of it that I have tried but it is more subtle than the normal one.

On the Scottish ones I prefer Bowmore but I do have a soft spot for Laphroaig 18 year old as well.

twerg_85

For those that like the Laph 10, I can recommend the Quarter Cask. Cheaper and in my opinion, even tastier !
Enjoy ... all good whiskeys
F.

Azza89

I came across a whiskey when I was in Edinburgh called the peat monster (Im pretty sure that was the name anyways). I wouldnt imagine it gets much peatier, ive had the ardbeg 10 and it was peatier than that.

Dont know if its available over here though.

irish_goat

Azza89 wrote: »

I came across a whiskey when I was in Edinburgh called the peat monster (Im pretty sure that was the name anyways). I wouldnt imagine it gets much peatier, ive had the ardbeg 10 and it was peatier than that.

Dont know if its available over here though.

Available in L. Mulligans in Stoneybatter anyway.

Azza89

irish_goat wrote: »

Available in L. Mulligans in Stoneybatter anyway.

Cheers for that ! Wasnt sure if it was.

Brockagh

It's a Compass Box whisky. It shouldn't be as peaty as Ardbeg, as it's a blend/vatting of Caol Ila and Ardmore whisky. They stock Compass Box whiskies in the Celtic Whiskey Shop.

Slattsy

Any Laphroaig, the 10 is probably the peatiest but the QC is my fav.

/thread

lord lucan

Slattsy wrote: »

Any Laphroaig, the 10 is probably the peatiest but the QC is my fav.

/thread

THIS.

If you know anyone travelling ask them to pick up Laphraoig PX,it's a travel retail only,but well worth it for the Ximinez Sherry finish.

The strength of the peat is very subjective tbh,love Lagavulin,Laphraoig,Bowmore,basically all the Islay whiskies but for serious peat it'd have to be Octmore when available and Smokehead 18yo. The Smokehead in particular blows your taste buds to bits,you won't taste anything else after it!

cullenswood

Nice one guys, thanks for all the suggestions and reviews. Went down to Celtic Whiskey Store at lunch there and he recommended the Laphroaig Quarer Cask hands down, so I think that is the one I'll be going for.