Which is peatier?

[matthew2512]

Just out of interest, which of these two Ardbeg cask strength expressions do you think is the most peaty?

[Leither]

Matt, definitely the almost there (AAT) and even peatier is the ASY (still young) and peatier still* is the AVY (very young).

In essence the younger they are the peatier they are IMHO - age seems to smooth out the peat and adds extra flavours from the wood etc

*Peatier still - I think I've just given Bruichladdie a name for another release

[peat-chaser]

Dear Leither,

the Uigeadail is not really older than the Almost there.
The Almost there is 9 years old and the Uigeadail is a
vatting from Ardbegs matured in bourboncask, 6 years old,
as I believe and some older sherrycasks, but it´s known
who old they are.
In the first batch, bottled 2003, the whisky from the sherry-
casks was destilled before Ardbeg was closed, so it was
more than 20 years old. What exactly they use for it nower
days they keep a secret.

But still your right, the Almost there ist much peatier than
the Uigeadail in nose and palate, I´d say the Sherrycasks
smooth the whisky and add new smells and tastes.

[K-Mile]

I guess a younger whisky matured in not that active or flavored wood will taste peatiest. I'm not sure how phenol levels change over time. I am sure the taste is masked with age (try a Kilchoman new make ) but does the peatiness really disappear?

[irishwhiskeychaser]

It is nearly always the case that the younger whisky with the same PPM will more often than not be peatier ..... and that is industry recognised.

However if you have a blended single cask you don't really know if all the constituents of the single malt are all the same ppm.

Lastly Eventhough Sherry casks seem to round off a whisky more so than a bourbon cask it still will be as peaty as a bourbon just might be initially obvious. An example of heavily peated sherry dominated matured whisky is lagavulin 16yo and even at that it does not contain exclusively sherry cask.

[hiccy]

Sod it, they're both meant to be stashed now for enjoying "later", but since you've asked...


....

Hmmm...

.....


Honestly, really close call, but I'll edge towards Almost There.

....

Actually, no, it is. Blumin chore having to try this stuff, thx.