Peat and Whisky

As well as being a whisky connoisseur, Mike Billett is a highly regarded peatland scientist with a background in geology, soil and water science. During his 40-year career in research and education – at the Universities of Edinburgh and Stirling and at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology – he researched and wrote extensively on the peatlands of the British Isles, Scandinavia and the Arctic, focusing on water quality, carbon, peatland management and environmental change, writing many research papers, book chapters, reports, and articles. In recent years he has immersed himself in the landscapes, taste and qualities of Scotland’s single malt whiskies and has applied his deep understanding of the science of peatlands to this passion. Peat and Whisky is his first non-academic book. Dave Broom is a world-renowned whisky expert who has written thirteen books, including The World Atlas of Whisky, now in its second edition. He has won many awards, including two Glenfiddich prizes and the prestigious IWSC Communicator of the Year Award. He has been a contributing editor to Whisky Magazine, scotchwhisky.com and Malt Advocate. His film The Amber Light, an examination of whisky and Scottish culture, won Best Programme at the 2020 Fortnum & Mason awards. He is actively involved in whisky education and also acts as a consultant to major distillers on tasting techniques as well as training professionals and the public.