The Peat Monster Scotch – Review

The Peat Monster Malt Scotch Whisky

92 Proof

Price Point: $50 – $60 for 750 ML

Distiller: Compass Box Whisky Co.

Background

I first heard about The Peat Monster from reading Malt Advocate (now known as Whisky Advocate).  It was in the reviews section in the back, and did pretty well according to John Hansell and company.  I found it a little ridiculous that there was actually a Scotch called The Peat Monster.  There was no picture of the bottle or label, so I could only assume that it was “cartoony” and mis-representative of the classiness of the Scotch world (I mean, c’mon – The Peat Monster?).

However, several months later, I got the chance to try this expression at Whiskey Fest 2011 and, I have to say, I was surprised at just how good it was!

Review

The nose is . . . peaty.  But not overly offensive.  Don’t get me wrong, I love peated whiskies.  But this one has more than just peat, even for a whisky named The Peat Monster.  There’s some oak and malt on the nose.

In the mouth, it’s very oily.  Definitely a lot of peat, but it’s not overwhelming.  The oak comes back for a little bit here, as well.

The finish is like a campfire; nice and smoky.  The perfect finish to a really well-balanced Scotch.

Rating & Recommendations

The Peat Monster really surprised me, both in its package and its complexity.  I give this Scotch a rating of 90 out of 100.

I’ve been told before that Whiskey Disks are good for taming peated Scotches, so feel free to try them out with this stuff.  However, this whisky is very enjoyable neat.

If you’re into peated Scotches (and even if you’re not), I would recommend trying The Peat Monster.

-Ryan