Peaty Whisky
Note Profile
About
Peaty whisky is the smoke half of Islay-style Scotch laid over the boozy, caramel base of the spirit. The smoke is phenolic and medicinal, closer to tar and antiseptic dressing than to a wood fire. Damp earth runs under it. It is neither the published whisky note nor the published peat note, and it needs both.
Scent Profile
Peaty Whisky smells of smoke first, phenolic and medicinal rather than woody, closer to tar and sticking plasters than a wood fire. Under it sits the boozy warmth of malted spirit and an oak cask. Damp, earthy peat runs beneath both, with a wet, mineral stone edge. A leathery note comes through, and a faint caramel and vanilla sweetness sits at the very back.
ScentWheel
Read off the wheel, not a label applied to the note.
ScentArt
Origin
Not a traded raw material. The character comes from the drink: damp malted barley is dried over a peat fire, and the peat smoke leaves phenols in the grain. Those phenols survive fermentation, distillation and cask ageing. Perfumers build the note as an accord. The one commercial example found, PRIN's 'Scotch Peat', uses a malted-barley top, peat itself as the centre, cade for the leathery-smoky edge, labdanum for warmth and an oak-barrel base.
Usage in Perfumery
A base note for smoke-and-spirit accords. It gives a boozy warmth that a plain smoke material cannot and a phenolic bite that a plain whisky accord cannot. Works against leather, tobacco, hay and dry wood. Use it where a whisky note alone reads too sweet and a peat note alone reads too cold.
Similar Notes
Perfumes featuring Peaty Whisky
A selection of reviewed perfumes where Peaty Whisky appears prominently.
No perfumes featuring this note have been reviewed yet. Check back soon.