The distinctive character of Orkney peat is at the heart of a new limited whisky released today as Aceo Spirits takes its Smoky Scot range beyond its traditional Islay home.

Smoky Scot Island Peat Edition Orkney Release went on sale on 15 September, becoming the first expression in a new series exploring how peat differs across Scotland’s whisky producing islands.

The original Smoky Scot is a heavily peated Islay single malt built around the powerful smoke and maritime character for which the island’s whiskies have become famous.

The new Orkney release takes that idea north and explores a rather different kind of smoke.

Produced using Orcadian single malt Scotch whisky, the limited edition draws its character from the heather rich peat associated with the islands.

Aceo Spirits describes the resulting smoke as fragrant, floral and gently earthy, with honeyed sweetness, fruit and delicate spice allowed to emerge alongside it.

That provides a deliberate contrast with the heavier peat character of the established Islay expression.

Rather than simply producing another smoky whisky, the new series is intended to explore how the landscape and peat of Scotland’s different islands can influence what eventually reaches the glass.

Orkney provides an interesting starting point because its peat has developed in a landscape with relatively few trees but an abundance of heather and other vegetation.

The result gives the new release its own identity while retaining the smoke which sits at the heart of the Smoky Scot range.

For Aceo Spirits, the launch also provides an opportunity to expand a brand which has already established a following among drinkers who favour heavily peated Scotch.

The company says the Island Peat Edition will sit alongside the original Smoky Scot rather than replace it.

That leaves whisky drinkers with two distinctly different interpretations of island peat under the same label.

The Orkney Release is bottled at 46% ABV, presented at natural colour and produced without chill filtration.

It is available through specialist drinks retailers from today.

Scotland’s islands have long demonstrated that peat does not produce a single flavour or style of whisky.

With Orkney now joining Islay under the Smoky Scot name, Aceo Spirits is putting those differences at the centre of a new series and giving the northern islands their turn in the glass.

The Aceo Spirits Smoky Scot Island Peat Edition: Orkney Release will be available from 15 September 2026 in specialist drinks retailers.