Peat is an organic fuel that is commonly found in bogs across Islay and many of the other islands around Scotland. It is formed from dead, partially decayed organic plant matter thats often built up in peatlands over millennia. Peat is cut in small slices and piled up into small pyramids for drying. The water drains off the peat very fast and turns the soft slices into hard briquettes. Peat is used in the production of Scotch whisky to dry the malted barley, which gives the whisky a distinctive smoky, earthy flavor. The smoke flavor of some whiskies is so strong that they bring a significantly smoky note to blended Scotch, even when diluted with water and grain whiskies at a ratio of 1:20. The mass production of Scotch during the last 200 years has boosted the demand for peated whisky. The peat flavor in varying degrees is considered essential in Scotch whisky, particularly those produced in Islay, such as Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Ardbeg, Bowmore, Port Charlotte, and Caol Ila.