Peated Whisky and Scotch Culture

[ChrisL]

Scotch whisky culture, that is:

I'm pretty new to Scotch whisky. It's generally accepted that peated whisky is an acquired taste. Smoked meats, smoked fish...smoked whisky.

Being fairly new to this, in Scotch whisky "culture" it seems that peated single malts from the islands such as Islay are regarded as a pinnacle of sorts. If that's the case, that implies that non-peated whisky is to a degree, inferior.

Maybe my perception is not correct?

ChrisL