Peated Malt Whisky Review

I’ve been drinking whisky for over ten years; I’ve always collected and enjoyed a number of different brands and have always been conscious not be locked into one brand as every distillery has its merits and releases that make me stop and say ‘WOW!’

Peated whiskies, like the Octomore, Kornog, and Laphroaig have always impressed me, with a solid foundation a relatively high PPM and the right kind of oak and ageing conditions most distilleries can produce a fairly drinkable whisky. However, the new highly limited pure cask strength heavily peated whisky from Chief’s Son might make a brand loyalist out of me yet.

Tasting Notes

Their Peated Malt came from a half-filled 100 litre French oak ex-sherry first fill barrel kept at a consistent temperature that is conducive to promoting barrel interaction and the result is akin to magic. Upon my first sip, it’s sweetness and caramelisation were heavenly; I was taken aback by its incredible rounded palate and how easily it drank despite its high ABV. Then came the peat; it rests towards the back of your palate and it’s something you breathe through leaving a lasting bold impression rather than just assaulting your senses upfront like many peated whiskies. With a PPM of around thirty-two, its majesty and unique character were totally unexpected, it remains the only peated whisky in over ten years to make every hair stand on end.

Rare doesn’t define it, limited doesn’t describe it; It is the old world resurrected, it is pure unadulterated magic.

What Chief’s Son has been doing lately is changing the face of Aussie whisky, they remain incredibly consistent, with outstanding attention to detail coupled with an almost pathological obsession for quality.  I have since explored their entire range and can happily report I have found a brand I’m now happily married to; everybody needs not only Peated Malt in their life but also a bit of Chief’s Son!

By Christian Moore.

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