PEATED SINGLE FARM ORIGINS: LACKEN & WOODBROOK

Our great discovery from distilling those first Peated Single Farm Origins was that, far from being overwhelmed by the flavours of peat, the nuances of terroir in each farm remained dominant over those of turf. Ballybannon and Fenniscourt were still unmistakeable in their terroir thumbprint. Encouraged, we resolved to take our peat levels a step further.

This vintage’s peat source remains the same: the sphagnum-rich, ultra-deep inland raised bog of Ballyteige, Co. Kildare.

But, having gained confidence from our first experiments, we dug deeper, cutting peat for our second vintage from further down in the bog. Here, where the turf is darker, richer, and — crucially — moister, we find peat that burns slower in the malting process; imparts more flavour, a higher ppm.

Once again, we chose two farms. Lacken, which some of our friends in France will have previously tried in its unpeated form, peated to 57ppm — higher than famous Islay whiskies such as Port Charlotte or Laphroaig — and Woodbrook, peated to a mighty 74ppm — the most heavily peated Irish whisky of all time.

… yet terroir still trumps peat

Despite increasing the ppm of our Peated Single Farm Origins, we’re delighted to find that the distinct organoleptic thumbprints of our terroirs remain the primary influence on each whisky’s flavour. Indeed those lucky enough to still have the original Single Farm Origin: Lacken will have the fun of confirming this for themselves, as Head Brewer Neil recently did with Lacken’s own Philip Kehoe.

Sadly there will be no more barley from Woodbrook. Since the 2019 harvest that gave us this whisky, these fields have vanished from the map. A housing estate stands where there was once barley. We’ll never get whisky from here again — this is a lost Single Farm Origin.

In the meantime, curious tasters, particularly those peat fanatics affectionately known as Peat Freaks, can explore the dovetailing of its lost stamp of place with the deepest inflections of Irish peat ever distilled. That most evocative of rural evening aromas, the signature of old hearths and ancient crofts, the lost flavour of Irish whisky brought to its apogee.

Peated Single Farm Origins of Lacken and Woodbrook will be available to curious Peat Freaks this Autumn across Europe and elsewhere in the world. Hearthside whiskies for hearthside season…

The Story of Irish Peated Single Malt Whisky: