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Peated Scotch whisky
Spirits & brews· spirit
What it is
Peated Scotch whisky is Scotch made from barley dried over a peat fire during malting, a step that lets peat smoke reach the grain.
What it tastes like
On the nose: smokey, phenolic. Among its measured molecules: 2,3-dimethylphenol, 2,6-xylenol, 4-ethylphenol, orthocresol, p-cresol.
What goes with it
- Bacon fatboth carry orthocresol, phenoliccite
- Lapsang souchongboth carry 4-ethylphenol, smokeycite
- Tequila reposadoboth carry 4-ethylguaiacol, smokeycite
Salt and acid
Salt
Salt not measured yet.
Acid
Acid not measured yet.
Unusual pairings
Pairs the library can cite that almost nobody makes.
- Peated Scotch whisky + Lapsang souchong
both carry 4-ethylphenol, smokey (5 of 338 carry it)
- Peated Scotch whisky + Rice vinegar
both carry 4-ethylphenol, smokey (5 of 338 carry it)
- Peated Scotch whisky + Vanilla
both carry p-cresol, phenolic (13 of 338 carry it)
Every one of its 9 compounds carries a paper the library can cite.
orthocresolaromaphenolreads as phenolic odor (PubChem)Measured in 5 of 338 ingredients.cite
base-peak m/z intensity 1,220,587 in Laphroaig PX — van 't Veer Brian R. et al. 2026, Journal of Separation Science (Table S2, row 'Phenol, 2-methyl-', 'Laphroaig PX' column)guaiacolaromaphenolreads as aromatic odor (PubChem)Measured in 15 of 338 ingredients.cite
base-peak m/z intensity 738,412 in Laphroaig PX; the paper separately notes guaiacol's carryover into blanks was the lowest of the lignin-related compounds, at 0.1% — van 't Veer Brian R. et al. 2026, Journal of Separation Science (Table S2, row 'Phenol, 2-methoxy-', 'Laphroaig PX' column)phenolaromareads as sweet, tarry odor (PubChem)Measured in 8 of 338 ingredients.cite
base-peak m/z intensity 2,142,882 in Laphroaig PX — the largest of the nine phenolic signals measured in that whisky; carryover into the first blank was 0.1% — van 't Veer Brian R. et al. 2026, Journal of Separation Science (Table S2 (Overview of tentatively identified compounds and their base peak m/z intensities monitored for 5 blank measurements following a measurement of the Laphroaig PX whisky), row 'Phenol', 'Laphroaig PX' column)p-cresolaromaphenolreads as phenolic odor (PubChem)Measured in 7 of 338 ingredients.cite
base-peak m/z intensity 1,475,018 in Laphroaig PX — van 't Veer Brian R. et al. 2026, Journal of Separation Science (Table S2, row 'p-Cresol', 'Laphroaig PX' column)creosolaromaphenolMeasured in 7 of 338 ingredients.cite
base-peak m/z intensity 260,727 in Laphroaig PX; the paper writes the compound as 'Creosol', which is 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol — van 't Veer Brian R. et al. 2026, Journal of Separation Science (Table S2, row 'Creosol', 'Laphroaig PX' column)2,3-dimethylphenolaromaphenolreads as sweet tarry odor (PubChem)Measured in 1 of 338 ingredients.cite
base-peak m/z intensity 32,740 in Laphroaig PX — the smallest phenolic signal measured, two orders of magnitude below phenol itself — van 't Veer Brian R. et al. 2026, Journal of Separation Science (Table S2, row 'Phenol, 2,3-dimethyl-', 'Laphroaig PX' column)2,6-xylenolaromaphenolMeasured in 1 of 338 ingredients.cite
base-peak m/z intensity 945,355 in Laphroaig PX — van 't Veer Brian R. et al. 2026, Journal of Separation Science (Table S2, row 'Phenol, 2,6-dimethyl-', 'Laphroaig PX' column)4-ethylphenolaromaphenolreads as sweet smokey (PubChem)Measured in 3 of 338 ingredients.cite
base-peak m/z intensity 1,453,061 in Laphroaig PX; also reachable by lactic-acid-bacteria decarboxylation of p-coumaric acid during fermentation, so not peat-exclusive — van 't Veer Brian R. et al. 2026, Journal of Separation Science (Table S2, row 'Phenol, 4-ethyl-', 'Laphroaig PX' column)4-ethylguaiacolaromaphenolMeasured in 11 of 338 ingredients.cite
base-peak m/z intensity 457,230 in Laphroaig PX; like 4-ethylphenol it is also a fermentation product of ferulic acid, so not peat-exclusive — van 't Veer Brian R. et al. 2026, Journal of Separation Science (Table S2, row 'Phenol, 4-ethyl-2-methoxy-', 'Laphroaig PX' column)
Sources
- van 't Veer Brian R. et al. 2026, Journal of Separation Science