Big Peat The Munich Edition

Big Peat The Munich Edition is a Douglas Laing Islay blended malt built around peated malts, Port Ellen included. The blend draws the peated names of Islay together into a single smoky whole. The range has grown into a cult of its own among peat lovers.

It brings together single malts from across Islay rather than one distillery alone. Built without an age statement, Port Ellen lends the vatting a graceful, maritime smoke. A refill American oak cask held it, keeping the distillery character to the fore. The slow loss of the angel's share, a percent or two each year, has concentrated the liquid over decades. The Islay malts give it a smoke quite unlike a mainland blend. Vattings like this let the smoky malts of Islay shine together. The peat is the point here, drawn from Islay's smoky distilleries. Bottlings carrying closed distillery malt grow rarer each year.

At a hearty 48% it carries real weight. Lemon zest and coastal salt ride on drifting Islay peat smoke, with a thread of vanilla from the bourbon wood. It is structured and a touch austere, the refill oak keeping it lean. It fades on smoke, citrus and a saline tang. A big, smoky Islay vatting with closed distillery Port Ellen inside.