Smoke v Spice

[Ihasadram]

No, I'm not announcing a cage match featuring Felicity Smoak and Scary Spice.

My coworker, with whom I trade bottles and half bottles of whiskey, has begun differentiating smoky and spicy scotches. For example, she would say that Corryvreckan and Bunnahabhain 18 are smoky, but glenlivet nadura 16 is spicy. It's important that I figure out what she means, because she prefers smoke. Is it the peat vs smoke distinction, or something else? How do I predict if she will like a new scotch?

[opelfruit]

Something else.

Peat vs smoke is another story, there is a difference but largely people use the term to mean the same thing, when in fact they are not.

Spice is altogether different. It's the tingle you notice, often pepper and chilli but sometimes woody spices such as cloves, ginger and cinnamon.

Generally, it comes from the cask types. European oaks tend to be higher in tannin and can produce a spicy nature into whisky, especially French oak. You can also get spice notes from new/virgin oak matured whisky.


Funny that you mention Corryvrecken; it's not only peated, and thus meets part one of the "smoke/peat" option, but it's also carrying a portion of whisky that has been matured in French oak, so there is a lot of spice in there too.

If she likes "smoke" then you're looking at peated whiskies, generally.
_________________
"Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whisky is barely enough."

[Ihasadram]

Thanks. I think maybe she is able to tolerate spice as long as there is sufficient smoke to go along with it. Another interesting thing, though, is that Bunnahabhain is unpeated, if I'm not mistaken. Where does it get its smoky flavor?

[Whisky Dog]

The last figures I came across for Bunnahabhain was that around 10% of production every week was heavily peated around 35 - 40 PPM phenols, the rest of production which is often referred to as unpeated, is actually peated at 2 to 3 PPM phenols, not much, but it may be noticeable to some palates and I believe with the heavily peated production running through the stills perhaps there may be some peaty influence left for when the unpeated batch goes through the stills.

[opelfruit]

Incidentally, I don't find Bunna 18 (or the 12) peated at all. I wouldn't even call it smokey, maybe a hint of smoke somewhere, but more from barrel char and leathery sherry than anything else....maybe a tad "coastal"/salty but only in the way that salted caramel is salty.

....that's palates for you, all different



NB: over the years Bunna have had some less than perfect sherry casks, so it may be some off casks creeping into a batch that give it that smoky note you're finding, especially if it's a slightly bitter candle smoke type of smoke.
_________________
"Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whisky is barely enough."

[CGRenn]

How about Bowmore Laimrig 15? It's cask strength so you guys can cut it with as much water as you would like - I ordered up a bottle a few weeks ago, yet to open but it's next up!

[ralfy legend]

For me I love the spice, heavy peat and smoke with it dosnt tick my enjoyment box at present but time changes things..

[leg_iron]

I much prefer a smoky peaty whisky to a spicy whisky. I'll happily stick with my Ardbeg & Lagavullin.

[MoBigga]

I do find the Bunna 18 to be a bit smoky. Certainly not compared to Ardberg or Lagavulin for sure. But since my usual dram is from Speyside, Bunnhabhain comes across as smoky to me. Love it just the same!

[leg_iron]

In a group of 5/6 friends who like malt malt whisky, there are only 2 of us who like the really peaty smoky whisky like Ardbeg, Lagavullin or Laphroaig. The rest like the spicy Speyside malts though I'm going to try to get them to try something with a small amount of peat smoke in it. Wish me luck!!

[Ihasadram]

My friend recently gave me the last part of a bottle that she didn't lik because it was "spicy" instead of "smoky." Glenlivet Nadurra. So I think she doesn't care for the bourbon finish, especially on a fairly light and delicate dram. Now that I've tried it, I think I can see exactly what she means.

[sorren]

I want a friend like that.. I have a few peated bottles I'd happily swop 😂😂👍

[Ihasadram]

I just tried Oban 14 for the first time and I was struck by the strong cinnamon note that I presume comes from the bourbon oak cask. I found some reviews that mentioned clove, black pepper, and cinnamon. So I imagine those keywords might denote a spicy malt.