Leviathan III Single Cask Single Malt Whiskey

Leviathan III Single Cask Single Malt Whiskey

"Leviathan III is one of the most heavily peated whiskeys in the world," says Bryan Davis, resident distiller at Lost Spirits Distillery, as he stares at his handmade, tiny peat kiln. Inspired by the distilleries that dot the southeastern coast of the island of Islay, Davis together with his partner, Joanne Hautra sought to create an incredibly complex, heavily peated American whiskey. Together, they succeeded. Davis begins the process of making Leviathan III Whiskey by first sourcing malted barley harvested in California and coarse-cut Canadian peat harvested just north of Edmonton. "The most interesting thing about our whiskey compared to other whiskies is the source of peat,"explains Davis. "Different peat bogs each have different types of moss and plant debris, which are ultimately preserved in the peat. Islay peat for example is influenced by seaweed that washes into the bogs during storms. Heather peat from the other Scotch isles is influenced by heather bushes preserved in the mix. Since our peat comes from a evergreen forest, it is full of ancient conifer trees, which add unique flavors and textures to Leviathan." The Canadian peat that Davis sources is rich in concentrations of guaiacol and caffeic acid guaiacol gives peat its signature, smokey flavor and caffeic acid adds notes of coffee and chocolate that are generally hidden in whiskies. In addition, "simple phenol which is the sort of band-aid and rubber note that you typically find in smoked whiskies is lower in the Canadian peat,"Davis explains, resulting in a smoother, more refined flavor. After sourcing the ingredients, Davis smokes the barley in his small, hand-made kiln over a peat flame. The kiln can only hold 750 pounds of barley at a time enough to create about half a barrel of whiskey. Peated to over 100 phenol parts per million, Leviathan IIII is one of the most heavily peated whiskies ever made off the island of Islay. After peating the grains, Davis ferments them in a light salt water brine and then distills the wash through his handmade, steam-powered oak still. Following distillation, Davis ages Leviathan III Whiskey exclusively in used California wine casks. "We open the casks, char them and then season them with sherry," says Davis. After aging the whiskey, Leviathan is non-chill filtered and bottled at cask strength it is never diluted by water from a single cask. Leviathan III Single Malt Whiskey has an aroma of ocean water, peat and iodine that gives way to notes of cocoa, cinnamon and vanilla, which are complemented by subtle undertone of strawberries. The finish is bold and complex, and accented by touches of ripe fruits and spices. Leviathan III Whiskey is unlike any other whiskey you've ever tasted before. Pick up a bottle today!