Anyone have some suggestions? Ledaig is on my wishlist already (if I can ever get my hands on some). What have you tried?
Bonus points for a good peaty, non-Islay whisky matured in sherry casks.
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An interesting non-Islay peated whisky I’ve found is an Irish one: Connemara.
I don’t recall the age of the one I bought (it was years ago) so you might want to look into which ones would be good now.
Out of curiousity, why are you avoiding Islay? Are you specifically looking for something gentler or are you just bored and looking for something unique?
I submit Glenglassaugh Torfa as a great example of a peated Highland malt that still has a pretty good kick to it. If you want something softer, Penderyn peated is a Welsh whiskey that ages in Islay casks so it has a very mild, subtle smoke to it. For a wildcard, Corsair Triple Smoke is one of my favorites - an American whiskey with a ton of smoke flavors over a sweet, bourbon-like base.
Also the complete opposite of what you’re looking for but worth mentioning is the Classic Laddie, an Islay with no peat at all.
I’m not avoiding Islay. It’s just that my current collection is exclusively Islay, and I want to start exploring some of the other options. I’ve had some unpeated whiskies, but so far none of them have really ticked all the boxes for me so to speak.
Classic Laddie is one I want to try, simply because I really like Port Charlotte 10 year and am curious to see what else Bruichladdich puts out.
Thanks for the other recommendations, too. I’m particularly interested in the Penderyn. I was just in Wales (Cardiff) a couple of months ago, and skipped the local options in favor of seeking out Islay options I hadn’t tried yet, but I’m regretting that decision.
If you’re looking to expand your horizons, there are some Japanese and Indian peated whiskies that have a very different flavor profile to Islay scotch but still scratch the same itch. I can wholeheartedly recommend Kaiyo The Peated, Monsho Peated, and Shibui Nokoribi Kara for Japanese whiskey and Amrut Fusion for Indian whiskey. Most of these have some peated scotch malt whiskey in them, which they blend into a whiskey closer to the style of the region.
Highland Park 12 is nice. Many agree that older bottlings are better but the modern ones aren’t bad.
Also look out for wood smoked American single malts. It’s a thing.