Ardbeg 10 year scotch. Ah, peated Islay scotch. Ardbeg is known for being one of the most smokiest whiskies and I have to say, this bottle of the 10 year really grew on me over time. While the smoke factor is undeniable, the whisky is very light, both in color (a pale straw-yellow color), and in body/mouthfeel. While I don’t love sipping on it neat (I find it a bit “thin” for my preference usually), it’s become my absolute go-for for cocktails that call for a smoky Islay whisky. It’s affordable and one of the best deals around for scotch. A true (home)bar staple.

For anyone unfamiliar with peat, well, it’s quite a polarizing flavor. People generally have love-it-or-hate-it opinions on the flavor of smoky decayed vegetation. Totally understandable. Sometimes it grows on you, sometimes it may take some time.

Peat is a naturally occurring organic component, resulting from decayed vegetation over thousands of years, and is a great natural source of fuel when burned. This source of energy is used to generate heat for drying the malted barley that’s used to make whisky, resulting in an end product that’s lusciously earthy and smoky.