2002 Balvenie 14 Year Old "Peat Week" Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

I couldn't love this special limited edition Balvenie ANY more than I do. It strikes a chord with me on so many levels. Balvenie is a stupendously high quality operation, but there are a few things about their standard bottlings that trouble the nit picky nerd in me. They're bottled at lower proof with chill filteration, this whisky is not. They utilize both industrial and floor malted barley, this whisky does not. They represent a relatively modern style of Highland Whisky, where the complete lack of peat has meant ultimately less complexity even if you create a whisky that might appeal to more people. Before the industrialization of the maltings pretty much everyone was drying barely in house using some mixture of fuels to do it. But the Highland peat gives you very different flavors than those Islay bogs and the result should not be considered off limits for non-peat lovers. The Highland peat adds some smokiness, but also a bouquet of intense floral, herbal and fruity aromas. Right out of the bottle you'll notice the distinction and with a bit of air that first wave of intensity settles into one of the most pleasurable and complex $100 you could spend in Scotch today.