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It’s totally fine if you don’t enjoy a peated whisky on the first, second or even third attempt. It is an acquired taste. The smokey aroma is a welcome surprise, assuming you are used to more smooth and sweet expressions. However a peated whisky is not just the smokey aroma, be it sea salt or earthy herbs to dried fruits, spices and even dark chocolate.
What helps establish a brand and a product? An award, so here is a list of the some amazing award winning bottles, understand the differences between them, the production method and its relevance in today’s market.
The smokey character peated whiskies are known for comes from a naturally formed mineral that is formed from partially decomposed vegetation called peat. During production, peat it bruins into dry malted barley, thereby allowing the smoke to seep into the grain during the fermentation and distillation process, thereby creating the smokey aroma. Peat however is not a secret ingredient, From the distillation method, to maturation periods and even the type of cask used to store it influence the final flavor.
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With a peat level of approximately 40 parts per million (ppm), Brucichladdich Port Charlotte 10 Year Old is a strongly peated single malt produced on Scotland’s Isle of Islay. The traditional earth smoke is complemented with coastal influences and sweetness it develops during the maturation process. The balance between the smoky intensity and the oak derived flavors are brought out using a method wherein you first combine first fill and second fill American whiskey casks and French wine casks. In 2026, it won the Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Gold at the SIP Awards and Spirit Gold with 95 points at the International Wine and Spirit Competition.
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When a blended malt Scotch whisky is combined with malts from Speyside and Islay it creates MacNair’s Lum Reek 12 Year Old. After first maturing in a first fill bourbon, Pedro Ximenex sherry and a red wine cask before being bottled at 46% ABV. This type of cask combination gives your beverage a sweetness alongside dried fruits and spices all mixed into a smokey malt. Its 2026 achievements include Gold and Category Winner at the World Whiskies Awards, Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and Gold at the International Spirits Challenge.
From bourbon to American single malt, which American whiskeys should you know? Discover the styles worth exploring.
We often hear that the older the whisky the better the whisky, but in today’s day and age more experience doesn’t necessarily mean better output. Similarly Ardbeg Wee Beastie 5 Year Old, a brand introduced in 2020, is an Islay single malt made to retain the intense peat smoke rather than softening it during the maturation process. Aged using ex-bourbon barrels and Oloroso sherry casks, it merges together a powerful smoke with peppery spices, dark chocolate and very subtle sweetness.
It won the Double Gold and Best Overall Scotch at the 2025 New York World Spirits Competition. It continued its winning ways in 2026 with Gold medals at the World Whiskies Awards and San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Curious about the world’s best Scotch whisky according to the IWSC? Find out which expression earned the title.
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When you think of Scotch you think of Scotland, when you think of a smokey whisky, you naturally think about Scotland, however named Dublin's historic Blackpitts malting district, Ireland has its own version of a Peated Single Malt with Teeling Blackpitts Peated Single Malt. Having won awards such as World’s Best Irish Single Malt in the No Age Statement category at the 2021 World Whiskies Awards. In 2025 they got a Double Gold and Best Single Malt Irish whisky at the New York Spirits Competition. It is matured in ex-bourbon and sauternes wine casks, giving you an expression made from orchard fruits, honeyed sweetness, gentle spices and the signature smoke.
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A lightly peated Indian single malt produced with the help of six-row barley and peat imported from Scotland. That is the story of a bottle of Indian whisky named, Indri Agneya Single Malt goes through before hitting shelves. The name itself translates to fire in hindi, thereby making it a rather fitting name. With the peat level reaching 15 to 25 ppm, it restrains the smoke character that other Scottish whiskies show off. The spirit matures in ex-bourbon, Oloroso sherry, and Pedro Ximénez casks.
Indri Agneya has represented India and won the Double Gold at the 2025 New York World Spirits Competition, followed by a Gold at the Indian Single Malt Whisky of the Year at the 2026 London Spirits Competition.
Did you know Indri unveiled its Diwali Collector’s Edition 2026 with just 600 bottles for India? Discover what makes it special.
These five whiskies give you an insight into the different types and kinds of varieties within the peated whisky category. While Scottish influence is felt across, countries like India and Ireland have offered their own peated whiskies made with not just different techniques and maturation periods but with ingredients found in their own country, giving the whiskies a distinct taste and feel. What makes them special is not the awards but rather their story from simple peats to a finished product.
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