Bruichladdich: which heavily peated?

The Scottish Barley is their (current) base Port Charlotte, so that'd be the easy place to start. It's a solid bottle at 50% ABV and all the usual Bruichladdich bonafides (NC, NCF). I thought my bottle got much better as it went, with its minor sour note fading the longer the bottle was open. (What I call a minor sour note is, I think, others' "disgusting baby puke." If you liked the various unpeated Bruichladdichs though, you should have no issue with this aspect of the PCs.)

And given that you prefer Lagavulin 16 over Laphroaigs and Ardbegs, you're probably more into "peaty richness" than "straight-up peat blast." If that's true, I definitely would NOT skip ahead to the PC11, PC12, or the Octomores. Unless maybe you can find one of the finished (x.2) versions.

And NAS seems to be the norm for Port Charlottes these days, with the exception of those limited-release (travel retail?) PCX bottles. The Octomores, at least, proudly state their young age; I wish the Port Charlottes would do the same.

All that said, if you love Lagavulin 16, other good options would be any sherry- or port-aged peated Benriachs, some of the Ballechin releases from Edradour, Ardbeg Uigeadail (assuming that's not already one of the Ardbegs you're lukewarm about), or maybe a finished Kilchoman.

@OlJas That's great info! I find Lagavulin smoother than Uigeadail or Laphroaig QC... I love peat but I'm not a peat monster, so I'd skip the Octomore (well, you never know). I'll give a try to the PCs, otherwise I may get a Caol Illa as the peaty option until it's finished and I move on.

I'm not a big fan of repeating whiskies and I'm always trying new stuff... same with the movies...

I also love caramel/nutty notes like the Ab'unadh, though 60% abv seems like too much. So I guess the sherry-peated Benriach seems like a great option but I don't think I'll be able to find that one or the Ballechin Edradour in the U.S.

By the way, the other day a Benromach 10's cork broke and I replaced it with a Lagavulin cork... after two weeks I got a perfect combination of Speyside & Islay :)

If you can find a bottle of Bruichladdich PEAT, I would recommend it. Quite a nice dram(though it's been a long time since I tasted it.. I have a bottle put away for my next life.

if you like peat and don't care if it's a single malt, the blended (vatted) malt PEAT MONSTER by compass box is a great choice.

If you've got some a'bunadh where the ABV is too much, and you've got some Laphroaig QC that's too sharp, well I'd say you've got the perfect conditions for some home blending.

Caol Ila's peat is the mildest of the ones we've named so far. It's not rich but it's nice.

Can you get booze shipped to your state? If so, you can order from K&L, Binny's, and lots more places. Finished Benriachs and Ballechins are pretty easy to score if that's an option. I've bought both online and had them shipped to Wisconsin. Look for the Benriach Solstice for a well-aged peater that's not STUPID-expensive (though it is a splurge--$90?). It's matured in port of its last couple years.

And I should have also suggested Longrow Red. (That's peated Springbank, just in case you didn't know.) They release a new one every year or so from a different type of red wine or fortified wine cask. The latest is port and quite a hit from what I read.

And just in case any of this stuff gets you looking for other peaters matured or finished in interesting casks, DON'T GET LEVIATHAN.

@OlJas I loved Springbank, very similar experience to HP12, so Longrow Red will be a good one too. Can't get whisky delivered in MA, but Gary's Liquor & Kappy's may be able to find a bottle. That's what I did with Benromach, I called.

@Nozinan, I've tried PEat Monster and didn't think it was "a monster" :)

@goldfilm Agree, not a monster (though the first puff from a freshly opened bottle is like dragon's breath), but it does have significant peat and great flavour.

@Nozinan at least it's a good idea from them to create a peat blend. Black Bottle supposedly is a good affordable version of JW Black (made with lot of Caol Ila I think), but I tried it and I was a bit disappointed, less peaty than Peat Monster.

@goldfilm , Black Bottle used to be peaty but it's not anymore.

I ended up getting the Laphroaig Triple Wood. It was on sale and it is seasonal with a little sweet touch. But the PC Scottish Barley will be my next peaty. They had it at $49.99. Not bad.

All the Port Charlottes are peaty and good. If you can find the PC12, I'd go for that one but be sure to bring a good stack of money

The precursor to the Peat Project and the Scottish Barley was the An Turas Mor. If you happen to stumble across a bottle (retired about two years now), I would really recommend it. Otherwise, BenRiach 10 yo Curiositas (peated) or 12 yo Herodutus Fumosus (peated/sherried) are excellent and affordable alternatives.

@Pudge72 , I thought Peat Project was before An Turas Mor? Not that it matters, I suppose. Except that An Turas Mor seemed to be better received, and I thought it came later and was therefore a sign of things improving. (I had the An Turas Mor, which was indeed good. I never had the Peat Project, though I know of one bottle that's ridiculously ensconced in a local retailer's glass display case.)

Benriach unfinished peat (like Curiositas) is a fine recommendation for anyone looking for straight peat. It is really dry and smoky—like almost literally smoky to the point where it makes you catch your breath and cough—with little else to sweeten the delivery. I can get into that but many folks dislike it. Finished Benriachs are usually a bit hit. (From that camp I've had just the 17 Solstice, which I really liked a lot.)

(Typo: I meant "BIG hit.")

@OlJas...if I remember correctly, An Turas Mor showed up between the PC 8 and PC 10 bottlings. The Bruichladdich site indicates that The Peat Project bottling replaced the ATM and PEAT bottles. The ATM was the first bottle that I bought in multiples...an awesome pour!