A Whisky Tasting with Mike Billett

Join us this St Andrew's Day and celebrate the water of life with Peatland Scientist, Mike Billett. Mike joins us to talk about his book Peat and Whisky: The Unbreakable Bond detailing the inextricable ties between the Scottish landscape and the whisky it is used to produced. The evening will also include a dram or two to warm up the wind-racked and sodden amongst us.

Peat and Whisky: The Unbreakable Bond

Bringing together landscapes, geology, history, people and their whisky, and addressing the key role of peatlands in mitigating climate change, Peat and Whisky: The Unbreakable Bond is a love letter to Scotland and the unique substance that forms part of the DNA of Scotch whisky.

Through epic journeys around Scotland and back in time, Mike Billett dives deep into the science and stories of ancient peatlands and bogs, capturing the spirit of places where whisky has been distilled for centuries. He sheds light on how peat imparts its distinctive aroma and flavour to the world’s finest single malts. He looks back to tradition and heritage, as well as forward to a future in which the dark matter will remain part of the recipe for liquid gold, while at the same time becoming an increasingly precious living sponge for atmospheric carbon. He takes us to places where the bond between peat and whisky is growing around the world.

Whether you’re a whisky connoisseur, a lover of Scotland’s environment and beautiful landscapes, an armchair traveller or a history buff, this unforgettable book will deepen your appreciation for the land itself and help you to understand the profound connection between peat and the unmistakable character of uisge beatha, the water of life.