UP Smoked Whisky Essence 20 ml

UP Smoked Whisky Essence 20 ml

Smoky whisky splits the world into two camps. One wrinkles its nose and mutters about fire brigades and harbour warehouses. The other closes its eyes, breathes in the aroma and smiles. UP Smoked is made for the second camp – for the smoke lover who wants peat, tar and sea spray in the glass and makes no apology for it.

The style belongs to windswept coasts, where burning peat gives the malt its unmistakable character and the sea air seems to have crept into the drink itself. Here you get the whole drama: the campfire on the beach, the seaweed at the water’s edge, tarred boats, and in the middle of it all a sweet, malty core that holds the experience together.

Colour & Appearance

The colour is pale gold, like bleached straw or white wine – far lighter than the flavour suggests. That contrast is typical of the style: the appearance whispers, the nose shouts.

Nose

The aroma hits you as soon as the glass comes near. Dense peat smoke and a glowing campfire dominate, with wood tar, soot and freshly tarred rope close behind. Then comes the sea: salt spray, seaweed and that iodine-like, almost medicinal note that smoke lovers go looking for. A grating of lemon zest and a little sweet malt lighten the whole.

Palate

The palate is big and oily. The smoke fills the entire mouth – first as burning peat, then as ash, tar and smoked bacon. The sea salt comes through clearly, followed by iodine and a mineral note of wet stone. Amid all this lies an unexpectedly sweet maltiness, with barley, a little vanilla and candied lemon that bring a glow to the darkness. Towards the end it heats up with black pepper and chilli, and the smoke shifts from rich to dry and ashy. It is intense but never muddled – every flavour has its place.

Finish

The finish is very long. Peat smoke, salt and pepper stay for minutes, and long after the last sip a scent of dying embers remains on the breath and in the empty glass.

How to Use

The essence is mixed with vodka or neutral spirit. 20 ml makes 750 ml of finished spirit. The whisky can be drunk at once, but the smoke rounds out nicely if the bottle stands for a week. Instructions are on the label.

Serving Suggestions

• Neat, with a few drops of water to release the lemon and malt behind the smoke.
• With oysters, cured or smoked fish and shellfish – the salt in the whisky meets the sea on the plate.
• With a strong blue cheese or dark chocolate with sea salt.
• As a smoky float: pour a teaspoon on top of a Whisky Sour made with honey and ginger.
• In a highball with soda and lemon peel – surprisingly fresh and thirst-quenching.

About the Essence

UP means Ultra Premium, the highest quality level in the range, and in Smoked it shows in the way the smoke is built up in several layers – peat, fire, tar and ash – instead of a single flat smoky note. Beneath the smoke there is a proper whisky with malt, sweetness and citrus.

The essence is also a practical tool: mix a little Smoked into a milder whisky and you set the smokiness of your own blend. For larger needs there is PR Smoked Blend in 280 ml, 1000 ml and 25 litres.