Recently, when learning Peated Malt (I didn't know the flavour before and still have never tasted peated whiskies), I thought that combining Saison yeast phenolic with Peat phenolics might actually produce a very pleasant mix. For long, I've been perceiving Saisony phenolic flavours as somewhat smokey, so I decided to marry it with some actual smoke. The first attempt turned out underwhelming, as reported above.
Maybe I'm just not sensitive enough to Peat phenols, IDK. Almost every posting I read in dedicated threads on various brewing forums were preaching as an absolute certainity that I would cry uncle if I dare to use more than 4% of Peat in any brew. I made a 12% 45ppm Peat Porter, and barely tasted the flavour. 40% 5ppm Peat in Saison had no smokey impact at all, whether on flavour or aroma.
So, I'm still to complete my experiment on mixing different kinds of phenolic smokiness.
My "house Saison" is as simple as a Saison should be: 70% Belgian Pilsner, 15% Belgian Munich, 15% Belgian Rye, 25 IBU from Fuggle or its derivatives (Magnum, Steirischer Golding, Northern Brewer, Brewers Gold etc.) in single addition, M29 yeast fermented as hot as possible, 1.060 SG, 7% ABV. That's all, I love that beer a lot and brew it often. Maybe, because of the Rye, it's not as thin as many would prefer, but it's what I prefer, and I value Saisons not as much for their dryness as for their unique phenolic yeast profile.