Whisky makes up the majority of Scotland’s food and drink exports at 83 per cent of exported goods.
That’s more than £4 billion a year, with the vast majority of Scottish distilleries now owned by massive multi-national companies like London’s Diageo, France’s Pernod Ricard and Japan’s Beam Suntory.
It wasn’t always this way, and it’s certainly very different from the roots of whisky. The truth about the Scots who developed whisky is about as far removed from a businessman in a suit as you can get. It’s more Outlander than The Office.
Back in the 1700s, the secretive renegades who crafted their whiskies did so against Royal Decree, and hidden in Scotland’s secluded woods and hills. Their lives were lived in the dankest, darkest parts of the land, a necessity as a result of their outlaw activities. Their clothes smelled of the peat that they used to make their illegal whisky, which is how they got their name. Peatreekers.
Peatreekers.
Fast forward to the present day, and that independent, ant-establishment do-it-ourselves attitude is being passionately ressurrected. Peatreekers is a new whisky, which, “Inspired by these whisky rebels, Peatreekers is a brand formed to share the same characteristics as the original black trees – distinct, strong, and proud.”
Here are the tasting notes, from Blair Bowman, founder of World Whisky Day.
Colour Antique brass
Nose Fresh wood shavings, honeysuckle and dried apricots with dusty leather bound books. Salty peat smoke lingers in the background with hints of tarmac and spices.
Palate Boiled sweets mingle with peat fires and vanilla pods. Then digestive biscuits and milk chocolate. Spicy, smoky and warming with a creamy mouth-feel.
Finish Long with wisps of sweet smoke.
You could be amongst the very first in the world to taste this brand new, Islay blended malt scotch whisky (40% vol). It promises smokiness and peat, so whisky fans will be looking forward to this traditional Islay style to give their winter evenings a taste of the auld ways. (Pre-order a bottle of Peatreekers here. It would be an incredible Christmas present for any whisky fan!)
Pre-sales are up and running now, with a launch date of 1 December 2017. Full details of the double standard first batch can be found here. I’ll be doing a full review in December when it arrives, and I’m very excited at the prospect.
What collectors item do you own? . . . . none (yet)
I have an original Star Wars Return of the Jedi Speeder Bike in almost mint condition – boxed and everything. I bet it’s worth five whole pounds!!!
I’d pay more than a fiver for it! That’s a cool thing to have.
A 20 pence piece with no date on it
I have a Beatrix potter 50p – does that count????
None as yet – but I am waiting for a Liverpool FC Archives Collection to arrive that I won in competition earlier this month, my very first collectable! Or, more accurately, the other half’s first collectable as he is the Liverpool fan (Burnley are my team) 😀
I don’t think I own any collectiers items, and if I do, I don’t know they are collectors items!
I am not sure that I actually own any collectors’ items at present!
My lovely husband would be delighted to find one of these bottles on Christmas morning
a limited edition bottle of Captain Morgans Spiced Rum. Bottle number 121 of 300
I bought my Hubby a signed Muhammad Ali picture.
“Legend has it that local women, working with the peatreekers, would hang certain items of clothing on their washing line as a warning sign when excisemen (government officials responsible for collecting the tax on whisky) were approaching.
From concealing their product in coffins supplied for staged funerals, or even inside of church organs, various objects were used to smuggle this illicit Scotch”
Great stories – Wasn’t life so much more exciting pre-technology. Imagine hanging your nix on the line now as a signal for something naughty. Beats a boring text any day doesn’t it?
Good story! I guess it shows how good the whisky was 🙂
I possibly have some collectors items in my vinyl record stache from the 60’s. Original Beatles stuff etc. I intend to hang on to it as long as possible.
Nothing as yet
Many moons ago I used to go out with a girl who was a buyer for John Menzies (remember them!), one day she brought home a promo CD album by a group called Oasis. The album was called Definitely Maybe and as we know went on the be a major success, however, the promo copy has a song on it which wasn’t given clearence for the use of a sample on it so it was pulled from the proper release. So somewhere in my attic or garage I have a CD which is probably worth a nice little sum to a collector.
The name ‘Definitely Maybe’ was taken from somewhere else too. Sony (who were involved with Creation records at the time) had a band called Saidflorence who had a single called Definitely Maybe the year before the Oasis album came out.
Your album is probably worth a good few quid!
I have a Vintage Monopoly Board Game.
nothing as far as I know
I collect coins, And I have lovely Cartwheel coin 🙂 Thanks for the chance
I have an original Beatles magazine from 1964!
What a fab prize! Good luck folks!
What a fab prize! Good luck everybody!
I have a rouble
Stamps and coins
A hobby of mine for 40 years!
I don’t think I have anything very collectable, a few limited edition prints and watches, nothing else comes to mind.
I have some pieces of Caithness Glass
I have a vase, the only one that’s known outside of a museum of the pottery firm that made it
I own a load of Oor Wullie and The Broons books, they are comic strips in the scottish newspaper.
Braw!
I’ve got quite a lot of collectible ornaments!
i do not own any collectors’ items yet
Not that I know of.
I have a punk rock lp that is signed by the artist. But I don’t like punk rock!
I collect Hard Rock Café pin badges from everywhere we go on holiday!
Don’t own any collectors alcohol, this too would be sampled if won!
I have lots of handmade one off teddy bears.
Nothing
Sounds amazing – I’d love to try it
I have a limited edition Furby that is still in the box because it frightened me as a child.
I don’t think I do, my son collects Pop Vinyls though if that counts
I do not own any collectibles
I collect Wade Whimsies which i started collecting as a child.
Sounds like excellent whiskey
Slàinte! ????????
Nothing, yet!
Great prize, would love to try this
Yes please 🙂
i have a large collection of disney and marvel goodies from plates to figurines
one very very old HUBBY
I don’t know if it really counts as a collectors item but I have loads of old vintage tat, sorry treasure.
I also have a bottle of posh champagne that I haven’t opened coz no occasion has quite seemed momentous enough (yet).
I can guarantee that no bottle of whisky has remained unopened in our house for long though.
A first edition copy of Bread of Heaven by Blulu – which also happens to be me 🙂
I haven’t got any. Am I odd not to have any?
Do NatWest piggies count? ????
I don’t generally collect things, but – being a pharmacist – I own some old pharmacy tools which surely count as collectors’ items – for instance a wooden pill-board, old scales and glass bottles.
I own a few rare lp’s including a very old first edition beatles one
Some vinyl records in my loft !
I don’t think I have any
I have framed picture of Steven Gerrard lifting the 2004-2005 champions league trophy signed by the man himself
I own a rare queen vinyl that has all band member’s autographs etched into it. It’s pretty cool!
agillespie@ntlworld.com good
A Guinness ash tray and a Cornetto mug
I dont have any collectors items yet, sad really!
I have an Ice Age Watch from the first film. Will be worth thousands I’m sure
A signed book by David Gemmel
Would love to win! I love this whiskey, had a sample of it!
I own a number of Antique Chinese Porcelain items
00 guage railway, does it count if I use it? 😀
Corgi Superhaulers,
I have a large stamp collection
i dont think i own any!!
I don’t own any
I dont have any,maybe if i win this i could start one!! x
I have some artwork that I picked up at a craft sale but who knows if it is a collector’s item
My husband has very rare Star Trek cards including signed ones. They count as mine too right?
I have not own any collectors item.
My old stamp collection
Not a single item, sat thinking for a while and I don’t think I’ve ever had anything that would be considered a collectors item, feel like I should get looking for something now
I’ve got a teeny weeny bit of Morriseys shirt!!!-not sure anyone else would want it though :-)))
I don’t have any yet – but a girl can dream can’t she?
Stamps! (quite a few years ago mind!)
I don’t own any collector’s items yet.
I don’t pick up any collectors items intentionally but I do have some old Corgi toys my Grandad used to have which I used to love playing with!
I’ve got 4 signed Terry Pratchett’s first editions.
We have some very old coins dating back from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s
Over 200 vintage My Little Pony!
A signed football shirt 🙂
I collect Pelham Puppets, just a reminder of my long vanished childhood .
some Folio Society books
princess die and charles tea cup set kate middleton royal bride ornament and some coins
I have some Funko Pops!
Nothing as far as i know.
I do have some film props. So probably them.
Can’t think of anything nicer on a cold winters night than a wee dram of peat reekers! Too good to be a collectors item!
Only thing I collect is empty bottles…. ahem..
I have a limited edition Winnie the Pooh steiff bear
Signed Picture from Daughtry
a small stamp collection left by my great great nan
Erm…i don’t think I’ve anything interesting lol. Can’t think of a thing. Fab giveaway though would love to be your lucky winner
I don’t think I have any collectors items I am afraid.
Lots of David Bowie stuff ????????
i have one of the very first golums from lord of the rings
Jd collection x
I have a penny black stamp
I dont have anything as yet
Some books