Douglas Laing Big Peat 10-Year
46% ABV - Islay, Scotland
Nose: Up front there is light peat smoke atop diesel, wet root (earthy), slightly vegetal, and marine aromas.
Taste: Ash and smoke are layered in with tropical fruits, white fruits, and spices. There is background smokehouse, vegetal characteristics, and a salt note that leads into the finish.
Finish: Sweet smoke, hickory, some nondescript fruits, and white pepper round this one out before you reach for another sip.
Big Peat is part of Douglas Laing’s Remarkable Regional Malts collection – a series of blended whiskies each designed to showcase a collection of Scotch distilleries. This particularly delicious blended malt is comprised of many, if not all, of the Islay distilleries. Advertised on the bottle is Ardbeg, Bowmore, Caol Ila, and the infamous Port Ellen! The rest of the blend is undisclosed, as is the amount of each – leaving the imbiber to guess. (It’s probably one of the best kept secrets too… I haven’t come across any credible material that divulges the recipe!)
While I enjoy the standard Big Peat offering, the only bottles I usually pick up for home tastings are the Christmas Editions – which are annual limited releases, all bottled at cask strength. Those versions of Big Peat are oily, vegetal, diesel peat bombs. And that is one reason that contributed to my curiosity for how this 10-Year would taste!
On Twitter I was asked, "Does it stand up to others?" Although I’ve had a couple more sessions with it, my initial answer stands up: "This 10 is way less of an earthy, diesel tar monster by comparison and there are some fruits to tease out. Notably it’s a modest 46ABV. So does it stand up to the name? It does with its own elegance."
I do encourage any peat (or Big Peat) fan to seek this one out. It’s not just a great version of Big Peat, it’s also just a great blended malt!
Tasting Notes (Official): Nose: Detect bonfire ashes on the nose, alongside Malt and a hint of sea air. Palate: A hit of Peat, with dried seaweed, streaky bacon and light honey. Finish: Long, now developing to burnt toast, rich mocha and sea salt.
Tasted 12 Nov 2019. (Posted 19 Nov 2019.)
