Big Peat Christmas Edition 2011 (70cl, 57.8%)

Big Peat Christmas Edition 2011 is an Islay blended malt Scotch whisky, bottled in a 70cl bottle as a small batch at natural cask strength, 57.8%, and not chill filtered. It includes malts distilled at Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Bowmore and Port Ellen. The nose is dense with damp peat smoke, soot, bonfire ash and strong maritime notes of sea salt, seaweed and iodine. The palate opens with phenolic smoke, coal ash and smoked fish, then settles into brine, ground black pepper and a creamy toffee sweetness. The finish is long and very dry, with oily smoke, tobacco, ash and a faint herbal bitterness.