Tartans and Ghillies and Peat Moss- Oh My!

It’s that time of year again in Alexandria when Scots and Scotophiles alike gather to march down King Street in their finest Highland dress- kilts, tartans and ghillies galore. Spectators come out in droves and bring their adorable pooches adorned in their Scottish duds to trot around Old Town. Here is an image of the bagpipers on break, from last weekend’s walk. We almost missed it (I still haven’t quite gotten the hang of a quick and easy departure with the twins) but caught the tail end. It was almost more fun- just the sight of all the kilt-clad folks just hanging around and chatting.

Here are a few peat-intensive pairings for this festive Scottish walk.

1. Elements of Islay Ar2, – this one is hard to find, $80. Spicy, smoky and sweet- this single malt beauty sings with butterscotch and citrus notes in addition to the notes above. Not too peat heavy but enough to place it from Islay. Love the bottle- this would make a great gift.

2. Bruichladdich Octomore 5.1, $174.99. A cult peat-heavy scotch. You’ll either love it or hate it. For some old school whisky connoisseurs, this style of whisky making is just not kosher. It’s almost experimental- the ppm (parts per million of peat phenol) dialed up to 169- the highest concentration in a known whisky. Others are gaga over it, making it sought after and expensive. The flavors and notes attack and almost obliterate your palate. A single malt for a Parker palate.

3. Lagavulin 16 year old single malt scotch, from the 182 year old whisky house- $69. Again, heavy on the peat-smoke, this one is a delight. It gives you a bit of everything. Complex and rounded with a long and beautiful finish. Sweet yet smokey- a great combo. Kind of the perfect peat-heavy whisky.

All 3 smoky single malts are very distinct. If you like whisky but haven’t yet tried a peaty delight from Islay, one of these should peak your inner peat geek.

[Image Credit: Smoke Roll-Up by Eddie Mayda]

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