This weekend is the Rugby World Cup Final and what better way to prepare for South Africa’s part than to taste the Big Peat Cape Town Edition blended malt Scotch whisky. It feels like it was Remarkable Malts’ year on the blog.
I have tasted quite a few of their expressions during this last couple of months. I covered Rock Oyster and Timorous Beastie as well as Big Peat. I covered Big Peat quite a few times.
Even at the whisky shows, I ended up at the Remarkable Malts stand, tasting the various age statement releases available. The Timorous Beastie 18 yo whisky especially stands out. I have captured tasting notes for the Big Peat 10 yo whisky and the Big Peat 26 yo Platinum Edition (Divine) as well.
But what better way to celebrate SA winning the final of the Rugby World Cup than with the Big Peat Cape Town Edition blended malt whisky. In June I tasted this release at The Only Whisky Show and was blown away.
I took a bottle home, and it went with us on our holiday to Mapunbugwe National Park. There we nearly finished the bottle.
As the sun goes down, the elephants come down to the watering hole for a drink. Watching them with a visitor from Islay. #africansunset #remarkablemalts #bigpeat #bigpeatcapetown @HectorMcBeth @valotone @RemarkableMalts pic.twitter.com/5FA99Xg2Av
— WhiskyoftheWeek (@WhiskyoftheWeek) September 26, 2019
Big Peat Cape Town Edition is exclusive to South Africa and part of the Big Peat World Tour City Series. It is a blended malt using Islay whisky and peated to 44ppm.
The label honours South Africa’s Mother City with a braai in front of the famous Devils Peak in Cape Town. As with all Remarkable Malt releases The Big Peat Cape Town Edition whisky is not chill-filtered and bottled at a rather decent ABV.
Big Peat Cape Town Edition Whisky Review
REGION: Islay
ABV: 48%
COLOUR: Lightest gold
NOSE: Peat and ‘braai’ smoke with hints of blueberry sweetness. Bits of spice and earthy notes mixed with oak and red apples.
PALATE: Ash, peat and smoke. Like standing next to a ‘braaivleis vuur’ (BBQ fire). Fresh fruit sweetness with hints of salted caramel and dark chocolate. Bits of crispy bacon and pepper. Adding water brings forward the sweetness. It is big and bold but in a laid-back and unpretentious way. It is just delicious!
FINISH: Peat and smoke that goes on forever with hints of salt and pepper.
RATING: DIVINE
John is originally from Cape Town, and this Big Peat Cape Town Edition made him nostalgic. It brought back many good memories.
The notes I took while in Mapungubwe read: Sometimes you find a whisky that makes you want to sit down and have deep philosophical discussions with a loved one. But once in a while, you find a whisky that makes you forget about everything else and requires you to be present.
Not solve world problems, not deep philosophical discussions. But the quietness of nature, to look into the eyes of the elephant and just be.
I loved Big Peat the first time I tasted it, and I loved it on holiday. And I still loved it when I poured it for my Friday afternoon tasting session. The bottle will not see the end of this year. The next bottle of Big Peat is already ordered. Just don’t tell John. He is getting it for Christmas.
Also Read: Powers John’s Lane 12 yo Irish whiskey
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