All scotch whisky is smoky to some degree, but not all are peaty. That distinction is reserved only for those, usually from Islay, that are made with malt dried over a fire fed with peat, a type of rich soil found at the bottom of damp bogs. It introduces a particular flavor with notes that remind one of anything from moss to motor oil – and once it gets its claws in you, you’ll never find anything else that can scratch that itch.
