Favorite peated whisky outside of Islay?

My peaty zeal has dragged me pretty far afield from Islay over the past year or two. I've found a lot of disappointments, actually. At this point, I'm ready to return to the Islay classics and just hunker down. (A bunch of my recent acquisitions have been Ardbeg (2), Laphroaig (2), and Lagavulin (2)—and my next one will probably be an Octomore.)

Here's my non-Islay peat & smoke report from the past year or so:

Good:

•Benriach Solstice (17 YO, 50%, port finished). This is VERY good.

•Connemara Cask Strength

•English Whisky Co peated CS stuff (My particular bottle didn't have a clear name, but it was a dual cask for Binny's.)

Decent:

•Benriach Curiositas

•Longrow 10

•Big Peat Christmas Edition 2011: A bit of a sour note mars what would otherwise be pretty good. (And OK, Big Peat actually is an Islay blend, but it's pretty peripheral.)

Bad:

•Lost Spirits Leviathan III: Very nasty

•McCarthy's peated single malt from Oregon: Somewhat nasty

•Balcones Brimstone: Somewhat nasty (though much to the liking of some folks)

•Hakushu 12: Weak

•Jura Superstition: Weak and unfresh

•Corsair Triple Smoke: Weak

•Del Maguey Chichicapa Single Village Mezcal: A little gross. Despite many claims to the contrary, this flavor was NOT appealing to this fan, at least, of Islay smoke.

Not yet tried, but in the vault:

•Edradour Ballechin #3 (port finish)

•Connemara Turf Mor

@OlJas How do you compare Benriach Solstice to the Heredotus Fumosus? Or to the 17 yo Septendecim?

BTW the Arumaticus Fumosus is way better than the Curiositas.

I have to admit that I do like some of the peated Islays quite a lot. Particularly Octomore and Caol ila cask strength, and not to forget Laphroaig quarter cask.

But there are other food choices if you are willing to cross an ocean or two. The Amrut peated single malt is good the peated CS is phenomenal!

Anyone tried the Peated single malt from Hellyers Road Distillery? Saw a couple of bottles here yesterday, and I was tempted to buy one, but it's too expensive to be bought on impulse. First Australian whisky I've seen.

Benriach and Springbank/Longrow come to mind.

@Robert99, the only peated Benriachs I've had are the Curiositas, the Solstice, and an IB. So I can't compare to those others you asked about--sorry.

Yeah, the Amrut stuff seems to be pretty well regarded--by @Nozinan not the least! I've only had the Fusion and I neglected to put it on my list above. It should have been on the "Decent" list.

Another one accidentally left off my "Decent" list: Connemara NAS.

Springbank. Less peaty than Ardbeg, Laga or Laphr, more like the Bowmores (only much better), but the peat is beautifully interwoven with the salty or sherries overtones, depending on which year/finish you go for.

I'm an Islay fan!

These peaty whiskies from outside Islay are really something of interest. The most obvious being (for me) the Talisker range, Ardmore Traditional Cask, Amrut Fusion and BenRiach Dark Rum Finish15 yr.

Tomintoul Peaty Tang is not too bad, it's rather "Earthy".

I'm curious about Hellyers Road Peated & experiencing a broader range of Campbelltown expressions.

We enjoyed a wonderful Highland Park 18yo. with a neighbour. A truly magnificent example of classy non-Islay Malt with lots of herbal peat, shallow cut and floral and, I might add, from a bottle that had been open for, "...about a year or so". and about 3/4 full. At 43% ABV. this was a big surprise for me and much better than the last taste of H/P we had, with the same generous fellow; an old ex. Duty Free 21yo. H/P which I thought, at the time, to be a honeyed masterpiece: This was better!

Slainte!

@PeatyZealot...I'm a big fan of BenRiach Curiositas and the Herodutus Fumousus. The HF is a great value alternative to Lagavulin 16. I would also add a vote for Connemara Cask Strength and for a 'different' peated experience (that I personally found to be very enjoyable), the McCarthy's Oregon Single Malt.

@Pudge72...sorry, one other addition would be Ledaig 10. I opened my bottle of it recently with several friends and acquaintances and six out of six looooved it! I was pleasantly surprised as a couple are just getting into Scotch, and I thought the peat may have been a bit off-putting for them. Two of the people have now purchased bottles. The peat blends nicely with a light citrus note, and a black licorice finishing note works really well with this particular profile. Thank you again to my wonderful wife for a great Christmas bottle selection...she sure knows how to pick them! :)

Something different that isn't quite Peat but still smoke is Balcones Brimstone. It is a blue corn whisky that has been smoked after distilling with Texas oak. Note that the malt/corn itself is not smoked, but the actual whisky is in a secret process. The result is a rather sweet and smokey whisky with a slight burn from the 100+ proof that can be tempered with water. The whisky tastes like a campfire in the late fall. Roasted marshmallows, oak smoke, sweet BBQ, roasted corn, banana bread, spice, autumn leaves.

@newreverie is obviously one of the folks the Brimstone appeals to as I mentioned up-thread. Brimstone is very polarizing. I'm a peat freak and I hated it. If anyone's considering it who would feel bad about the cost of a bottle if it's not to their liking, I highly suggest getting a taste first if possible. Or maybe a bottle split with a buddy.

To read the amusing exploits of someone who REALLY hated it, check out the MyAnnoyingOpinions blog.

I think that Santis Swiss Malt Edition Dreifaltigkeit is a very good one. It is like tasting makrel in a glass. Very fishy indeed and no ocean to be found around the distillery. My favorite peated islay whisky is Amrut peated Cask Strength .It is astonishly well made and it leaves me speechless. ...