The 10 Best Smoky Whiskeys to Drink Now

To peat or not to peat–for some whiskey lovers, that is at least a question, if not the question, when deciding what to drink. Peat can be a very divisive flavor component in the world of whiskey. Some describe it as tasting acrid, medicinal, kind of like a tar and iodine smoothie, while others can’t get enough of it. Peat is most commonly found in Scottish single malts, although it’s also present in whiskey from Japan, Ireland, and even here in American states like Washington and Texas. By the way, don’t listen to people who tell you that all scotch is smoky–in fact, peated whiskey represents a relatively small amount of the whiskey made in Scotland. And while there are some drinkers who like to go peat or go home, in the same way hops fanatics do in the beer world, peat can actually be a subtle flavor component that doesn’t have to dominate the palate.

So how does peat work anyway? It’s pretty simple. Peat is an accumulation of decayed organic matter that is found in the ground. In addition to being used as a heat source in homes for many years, it can be burned to dry out malted barley and stop the germination process, infusing the grain with smoke and flavor. How peaty the whisky is depends on how long it’s been exposed to the smoke, measured in PPM (phenol parts per million); the higher the PPM, the smokier the whiskey. And peat from different areas is said to bring different flavors to the whiskey–Islay peat would bring different tasting notes to the party than peat from Washington state, for example, or even another region of Scotland.

There is a wide range of smoky whiskey to enjoy, from light and crisp to assertive and heavy to whiskey with some of the highest PPMs you can find, delivering a big, smoky punch in the face. If you think you don’t like peated whiskey, perhaps you just haven’t tried the right one yet (or maybe you just really don’t like it, which is also fine). Here’s a list of some recent additions and longstanding classics in the smoky, peated whiskey category to hunt down and savor all year long.