52,8°
Distillery : Ardbeg, Bowmore, Caol Ila, Port Ellen amongst others - Islay
Bourbon Barrels
Independent Bottling
By Douglas Laing & Co.
Limited Edition
Blended Malt
Bottled in 2021
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength
Peated around 40 ppm
As they have every year since 2011, Douglas Laing & Co. are helping us to get through the harsh winter weather with this Cask Strength version of Big Peat, part of the Remarkable Regional Malts range. This year, no fewer than 7 distilleries have been involved, all from Islay of course, including Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Bowmore and Port Ellen. I'm willing to bet that the other three are Bunnahabhain, Laphroaig and Lagavulin, but I can't be absolutely certain. No comment on the label, which shows Pete sledging in a kilt. Not sure all Scots appreciate that.
Let's Taste It :
A very chalky nose at first, with a certain minerality reminiscent of Caol Ila or Bunnahabhain, granite, salt shards, gypsum, rocky mud. It goes quite well with a good big vanilla flavour set with icing sugar and yellow plums, white grapes and mirabelles. Fresh iodine. On the palate, you can feel the influence of Bourbon, it's oily, slightly cereal-like and earthy. The finish is pleasant and fairly long, but lacks explosiveness for my taste. Coal, fuel oil, motor oil (perhaps Laphroaig, or Ardbeg?)
In Short,
There's not much difference between the Batches, but I thought this one was a bit wiser than the last one, which may have something to do with the time and circumstances. Apart from that, it's still the same, very Bourbon-influenced, well peated and iodised, with quite a bit of punch. The price hasn't changed, and I think that if you look hard enough, it's possible to avoid being ripped off.
Score : 88
To Be Listened While Sipping :
WASP - The Great Misconceptions of Me
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