Bartenders Tell All: 10 Peated Scotches That Actually Live Up to their Hype
June 20, 2025
Smoky whisky is one of those things: you either crave it or cautiously sip it while wondering if someone dropped a cigar in your glass. But for the peat faithful, few spirits are as transportive—or as fiercely debated.
Some smoky whiskies have reached near-mythic status, whispered about in industry circles or celebrated with full-blown annual festivals (looking at you, Ardbeg Day). But which ones actually earn their reputation?
We asked 12 bartenders from across Canada to weigh in on the smoky whiskies they believe truly live up to the hype. While the range of answers spanned cult classics, hidden gems, and a few flex-worthy finds, certain names came up again and again—proving that sometimes the favourites are favourites for a reason.
Bartenders were given free rein to choose any smoky or peated whisky, from any category or country. And yet, the smoky siren song of Islay and Skye proved irresistible. From briny bombs to elegant sherry cask finishes, it was peated single malt Scotch that clearly dominated the conversation.
Before we kick this off, if you’re looking for our cheat sheet on Islay Distilleries and how to pronounce the names below, check out our mini guide on Instagram here.
The Top 10 Peated Whiskies Overview
- Ardbeg 5 Year Wee Beastie
- Ardbeg Uigeadail
- Bowmore 15 Year
- Caol Ila 12 Year
- Lagavulin 16 Year
- Laphroaig Quarter Cask
- Octomore 15.3
- 1992 Black Arts (9.1)
- Talisker 10 Year
- Talisker 11 Year Cask Strength
“You can’t talk about cult status whisky without bringing up Ardbeg. While some brands rely on gimmicks, Ardbeg keeps things interesting with real creativity and a knack for pushing boundaries. They’re known for bold limited editions, unique age statements, and the loyal Ardbeg Committee. Throw in Ardbeg Day, their annual celebration, and it’s no wonder they’ve built such a loyal following.”
– Amber MacMullin, Bar Manager, Pr%f Cocktail Bar (Calgary, Alberta)
Ardbeg 5 Year Wee Beastie
“My go to Smoky Whisky would be Ardbeg Wee Beastie. Being only a 5 year old Islay Single Malt it’s so raw, bold and in your face. I love it. It’s something I came across when I first moved to Calgary and have been hooked ever since. It’s great to sip on and it works so well in cocktails if you know how to use it. Ardbeg overall is great. The Corryvreckan & Uigeadail are also personal favourites. They even celebrate “Ardbeg Day” globally, where they typically release a limited edition on the last day of the Feis Ile (The Islay Festival).” – Ryan Kyle San Diego, GM & Bar Manager, Shelter Cocktail Bar (Calgary, Alberta)
Ardbeg Uigeadail
“Personally, anything from the Ardbeg distillery will be great. However, Ardbeg Uigeadail, to me, is the greatest Islay whisky (and it has the awards to back it up!). Renowned for its high level of peat and use of a reflux arm on the spirit still. The classic Ardbeg spirit shines with notes of maritime brine, peat smoke, and citrus while the ex-Oloroso sherry casks introduce stewed fruit, rich leather, and tobacco. The whisky is bottled at a respectable 54.2% ABV which is perfect for sipping neat or with room temperature water.”
– Chris Enns, Beverage Manager, Peya (Vancouver, BC)
“I would pick Ardbeg Uigeadail. As much as I like smoky aromas, and I do, I find that oftentimes the smoke overpowers everything else and the overall tasting experience becomes a little too one dimensional to my taste. In this specific scotch, we get lots of smoke, sure, but also a delicious saltiness and umami taste that makes the whole sipping experience intricate yet bold.”
– Daphnée Vary Deshaies, Owner, La Cantina Concha (Montreal, Quebec)
Bowmore 15 Year
“The Sherry cask brings a really beautiful sweetness and sexy spice to the Bowmore 15 Year which balances out the gentle peat notes. This one really screams sexy and elegant for me. It’s very easy to enjoy on its own or with dessert. I would have this in the summer or winter. However, if you really want something lavish, Bowmore 22 year old Aston Martin is a bigggg flex. We were lucky to have had a bottle of this at Whisky Fest this year and it is unforgettable. As the name already suggests, it was the most luxurious, refined and elegant peated whiskey I’ve ever had. It has the same sexiness the Bowmore 15 brings with the spice, but this one tastes like old money, not an inherited trust fund”
– Kirn Bawa, Owner, Kinu & Sizzling Tandoor (Victoria, BC)
Caol Ila 12 Year
“Some of my favourite peated whiskies would be from the Caol Ila distillery. I just really appreciate the light peatiness compared to its other Islay colleagues, which helps give way to more nuanced flavours and its barley sweetness. If you ever get the chance to find a young expression of it, usually through independent bottlers, I always try to pick a bottle up. Douglas Lang’s Provenance Caol Ila 6yr was the last I had the pleasure of drinking, but I would never turn down a glass of the regular Caol Ila 12.”
– Andrew Kong, Bartender, Suyo (Vancouver, BC)
Lagavulin 16 Year
“Lagavulin 16 is pretty mainstream and it’s a solid one. Beautiful balance of peat and it lingers so well on the palate. The younger ones aren’t quite as good. And the 25 year isn’t as good value as the 16 Year. I also want to note that Lagavulin Distiller’s Edition is also fantastic. I love sherry cask finished peated Scotch so this one is absolutely delicious.”
– Alfred Siu, Owner, Project Gigglewater, Gochu Libre Kantina, DZO Viet Eatery (Toronto, Ontario)
“My classic cult favourite would have to be Lagavulin 16. It’s bold yet smooth – a perfect representation of a peated whisky. I first tried this during a visit to India and what really captured me was that I was in my early 20’s and an occasional whiskey drinker so while it was it was intense for a newer whiskey drinker it was perfectly palatable due to its smoothness subtle sweetness.”
– Kirn Bawa, Owner, Kinu & Sizzling Tandoor (Victoria, BC)
Laphroaig Quarter Cask
“My go to smoky whisky that actually lives up to its cult status is the Laphroaig Quarter Cask! I found this to be beginner friendly when I first tried peated scotches and really loved this one. From there, this is my choice to enjoy neat or add to my Penicillins!”
– Kim Xie, Bartender, Business & Pleasure (Calgary, Alberta)
Octomore 15.3
“My favourite go-to-smoky whisky is Octomore. Literally anything created by them, as they are a brand and distillery deeply associated with being peat monsters. They have time and time again broken the record for most peat ppm in a whisky while making it utterly delicatible. Their 15.3 currently has 309 PPM (phenol parts per million) and is the highest concentration on market. It is like drinking liquid campfire and makes me instantly relax and think of the outdoors.
– Lacey Roberts, Head Bartender, Published on Main (Vancouver, BC)
1992 Black Arts (9.1)
“For unique finds, special occasions, dreams it would definitely be the 1992 Black Arts (9.1) by Bruichladdich. A unique release, with an incredibly sexy occult style bottle. It is like drinking liquid honey and peat that coalesce into the amber blood of a god or their nectar.”
– Lacey Roberts, Head Bartender, Published on Main (Vancouver, BC)
Talisker 10 Year
“Talisker 10 is my go-to when I want something smoky that doesn’t overwhelm the palate. It’s not from Islay, but it hits that same balance of peat, brine, and punchy character. There’s clarity and complexity to it. Peppery, a little sweet, and minerally from that touch of coastal salt. It really expresses the Isle of Skye, where it’s made, and that’s one of the reasons I love it so much. It’s been around forever and doesn’t always get hyped like the big Islay names, but it delivers every time.”
– Lucas Van Es, Bar Manager, Bagheera (Vancouver, BC)
“My pick for this is definitely Talisker 10 year. It has a bit higher proof (46.8% ABV) which shows up exceptionally in a stirred or shaken cocktail, and I love its unique lemon-pepper quality, its distinctive and delicious.”
– Kate Chernoff, Bartender, Keefer Bar & World Class Canada Winner 2025 (Vancouver, BC)
Talisker 11 Year
“I know it may not be a cult classic, but I genuinely love Talisker as a distillery and their 11 Year cask strength absolutely knocked my socks off. Nuanced in it’s peat with such a rich beautiful brininess that can be quite hard to find in a balanced way. The cask strength is a bit more of a splurge price. But their flagship 10 year is everything I love about the 11 but softer and less intense.”
– Calliope Draper, Bartender, Bar Bisou Bisou (Montreal, Quebec)
