Broken Barrel Isle of Peat

A unique blend of whiskeys and staves, today’s whiskey review – the Broken Barrel Isle of Peat – is incredibly unique in design and finished product. A melding of wheat whiskey and single malt whiskey with staves from barrels used to age peated Scotch from Islay, it’s something we haven’t yet seen in the market and for that I applaud them.

Though with innovation comes risk, which I also commend them on taking. Because as we all know, risks don’t always pay off… let’s see if this one did.

Broken Barrel Isle of Peat Review: Details and Tasting Notes

In Infuse Spirits’ Words:

“We deliver one-of-a-kind collaborations by maturing American whiskey with rare oak from around the world. We’ve sourced our whiskey for these bottles from Kentucky and Indiana, and married each blend with oak barrel staves from all around the world… Scotland for peated Islay Scotch barrels… Each barrel gives the whiskey a unique, rich, and complex taste and character not commonly found in American whiskey. Additionally, unlike Broken Barrel Whiskey’s core bourbon and rye, the Single Oak Series’ bases are all blend… Isle of Peat is a blend of American wheat and single-malt whiskeys… The result is a synthesis nowhere to be found with traditional whiskey…”

Details (price, mash bill, cask type, ABV, etc.)

Region: USA

Distiller: Undisclosed
Bottler: Infuse Spirits
Blend: 54.5% Wheat Whiskey (at least 51% wheat – KY) and Single Malt (100% Malted Barley – IN)
Cask: New charred oak, ex-Scotch (peated) staves
Age: 1 yo
ABV: 55%

Price: $50*

Tasting Notes

EYE
Chestnut

NOSE
Woody craft essence, apple juice, dried apricot, pear, banana, cocoa powder and ash.

PALATE
Raw wood, tannic, dried fruit, cereal grains, banana chips, stale spice and a tad musty and cocoa powder.

FINISH
Medium -> Woody, spicy, bitter cocoa and a tad sweet.

BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
No balance, medium body and a sharp tannic feel.

Raw and grainy with bits of wood and no real notes of smoke or anything that makes me think of Islay. Interesting, but too youthful and not cohesive.

Broken Barrel Isle of Peat Review: Overall and Score

Meh… Aroma isn’t bad, just boring and comes through like slightly spicy clay; Palate is a touch fruity but mostly young and woody; Finish is the best part and seems to pull out more mature and complex notes than the rest.

Broken Barrel Isle of Peat hits a lot of raw grainy notes along the way and it reminds me, again, of so many craft whiskeys I’ve had. There is a raw woodiness that coats this whiskey and I’m not getting any real depth or complexity out of it.

SCORE: 1.5/5

*Disclosure: The bottle for this whiskey review was graciously sent to me by the company without obligation. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.