The Balvenie have been pioneering creative endeavors with scotch for a long time. Taking advantage of a gap in production schedule, the distillery began making peated whisky exactly one week out of the year starting in 2002, which resulted in their first release of Peat Week in 2017 and was a limited release. This Week of Peat, also aged 14 years, is the second part in Balvenie’s Stories range, which was launched in 2019. Balvenie, besides having the legendary David Stewart as malt master, is one of only seven distilleries in Scotland with its own malting floor that is used in at least some of its whisky.
Distillery: Balvenie
Region: Speyside
Age: 14 years
Strength: 48.3%
Price: $104.99
Maturation: ex-bourbon barrels
Location: Dufftown
Nose: Peat, brine, heather, floral, honey, cedar, barley
Palate: Peat, dandelion root, grass, clover blossom honey, black walnut
Finish: Ash, smoke, floral, citrus
Comments: Adding water is worth the exploration, as might be adding some mixers to make a surprisingly good cocktail.
Adam – I really love the nose on the Week of Peat. I understand why they wanted to put this in a bottle. The floral, wood and grains that are a Balvenie signature are here accompanied by an overtone of peat. The proofage seems to ride a great line, both strong enough to provide an intensity of flavor without going too far to blow out most people’s nose or tastebuds. I keep wanting there to be smoke on the nose but it just isn’t present, only the peat amidst the spring. The palate is certainly a surprise, especially after reading my notes on the previous iteration of this peated 14 year. The char is dominant right off, along with some astringency that buries some of the honey and other normal elements. It’s a very vegetal char, an earthiness that is too smoked like brisket you’ve left on the grill for too long. And unfortunately that carries through into the finish, the smoke I’d wanted on the nose finally rising from the charred peat to carry into ash, albeit with some very light florals floating around the periphery, lamenting the flavors that could have been.
Henry – Beautiful nose of blossoms, orange honey, heather, freshly cut birch, and peat, with more fresh peat in the nose than some moderately-peated Islays. Walnut, char, and ash enter on the palate, lending an astringency which runs parallel to the lighter and sweeter elements we expect from a Balvenie. Finish is very long, lingering, and peaty, without being overwhelming, with a ashen back note.
Ben – It’s the same sweet as when you smell farm manure. There’s that smell but it’s also a little sweet. This is not a bourbon drinker’s whiskey. It is way better without water. I like the intensity, the fire on the tongue, it makes all the flavors work together for me.
Very light florals float around the periphery, lamenting the flavors that could have been.
Bill – Finishes very dry and a little bitter. I really like the bitterness that acts as a sort of rider through all facets of this and I like that bitter quality but then again I like my coffee black. And I really do enjoy the Week of Peat. Could I drink a lot of this all at one time? No, I could not. But the after effect finishes clean and hangs around in my mouth and it’s pleasant. The empty glass smell in particular is very pleasant. There’s some citrus and floral, just a hint of smoke and peat that were prominent before.
Mike – The smell of the Week of Peat reminds me of a humidor, cedar mixed with tobacco. Not as savory as a humidor is. I’m totally on board with this one personally, I could drink a lot of this one. I do like those bitter notes. One of my favorite cocktails is a Negroni. The nose for me is just pleasant. It has this nice peatiness but then it has that sweetness, that fruity and honestly some woody notes. Personally I think it was fantastic.
Sam – The Week of Peat starts out smooth but then it burns. This is just a little too bitter for me.
Kim – I’m not a fan of the initial burn or the bitterness. The ash and peat takes over with subtle sweet citrus undertones.
