I did the whiskey trail some 25 years ago she n Scotland. Rented a car in Glasgow, then first did island hopping. And then went to the Glen Valley. My favorite place of all was the island of Islay And my favorite single malt there still is Laphroig which then it was a small distillery. I remember looking at the visitors log they had, the one before me signing was a fellow from Japan and the one before was prince Charles. And they were separated by months. apparently that's Charles favorite too.
There is a lot of folklore around peat. On how it used to be their only combustible. And how it's the peat that gives Scottish whiskey its color too. Laphroig is very very peaty. But it's an aquired taste.