Whisky Focus - Big Peat Christmas 2015

Douglas Laing announce the launch of the cask strength Big Peat Christmas 2015

Have you ever heard the expression Christmas gets earlier every year, well this year the first mention of Christmas as far as whisky goes is from Douglas Laing who has announced the launch of their festive cracker (couldn't resist) Big Peat Christmas 2015.

This years limited edition festive offering from Douglas Laing is Big Peat’s 5th Christmas edition, the seasonal limited edition has become a regular in many peaty Islay whisky drinkers Christmas stockings. Those of you not familiar with it, the Christmas edition is a cask strength version of the excellent and very popular standard edition Big Peat. I use the word standard loosely, as any whisky which contains one of Islay's rarest whiskies, Port Ellen, cant  really be referred to as standard, although DL will never reveal how much Port Ellen is in every bottle. I would like to think they threw a little extra into to this one after all its for Christmas.

Presented as always in premium festive packaging, in fact this years release looks more festive than ever if that's possible. It is very much created for the gift-buying market, it shows the feisty Ileach, Big Peat, flying high over Islay on his "turfo"-charged Reindeer sleigh, in what the firm believes is his best packaging yet.

Big Peat Christmas also contains a shovelful of the finest festive Malts from the Whisky island of Islay, including Ardbegg-nog, Coal Ila, Snowmore and as I mentioned Party Ellen. As ever, he is proudly presented to you without chill-filtration or colouring, but for Christmas he’s bottled at cask strength, a punchy 53.8% ABV for the 2015 bottling.

Big Peat’s standard bottling launched in 2009, with his first Christmas edition following in 2011. Since those days, he’s built a loyal crowd of peat-passionate consumers globally, many of whom await his Christmas edition in eager anticipation, and follow his antics on Facebook (Facebook.com/BigPeat).

Fred Laing, Managing Director of Douglas Laing and Big Peat’s best friend, comments: “Big Peat is fully regarded now as a brand, with devotees and consumers in many different markets globally. Some are so enthused by his feisty and slightly rebellious character that they have even tattooed his braw, bearded face on their arms and legs, and of that we’ll forever be in awe. In the months running up to Christmas we see the unique, fun packaging of his Yuletide release attract a new collective of consumers to offer the ideal seasonal gift left at the foot of the chimney, carrying the hallmark Islay character of coal dust, smoky fires and soot.”

Just 3,000 cases of Big Peat Christmas 2015 are available globally from specialist Whisky shops such as The Whisky Exchange. Be aware it can sell out quickly so if you want a bottle in your stocking this year start dropping some hints now.
 

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