Whisky Focus - Douglas Laing Single Cask Whiskies Winter 2016

Douglas Laing unveil 22 single cask whiskies to warm you up this winter.

For those of you looking for a few Christmas whisky gift ideas off the beaten track of original distillery bottling's or perhaps you are looking for something to warm yourself up over the festive season then Glasgow based independent bottler Douglas Laing just may have something to interest you as they have just unveiled their festive line up for 2016.

This winters line up is made up of 22 single cask bottlings from across Speyside, Islay and The Highlands and are aged from 7 years old up to 33 years old. The release includes some heavily sherry malts for the sherry heads amongst you which are sure to be a popular choice over the festive season.

Under the Old Particular label you will find some sherry monsters including a Blair Athol 21 year old which Douglas Laing describe as full of spiced, dark fruits with home-baking. You will also find a Glenrothes 12 year old which DL say has a distinctly tobacco and honeycomb character. A Craigellachie 21 year old completes the Old Particular Sherry trio, bursting with macerated fruits, warming spices and treacle and should be interesting to compare to the superb Craigellachie 17 year old and Craigellachie 23 year old original distillery bottlings.

There is also something from the Island region including an Old Particular Tobermory 21 year old, DL describe as being packed with salted toffee, cut lemons and subtle smoke, an Old Particular Bowmore 17 year old which they say is spicy and sweet with smoke, caramelised oranges and peated malt and a Bruichladdich 25 years old in Xtra Old Particular which DL says displays a fruity, vanilla-rich and a citrus candy character.

Under the Douglas Laing Provenance label you will find a honey and barley-rich Glengoyne 9 years old, a fresh and fruity Benrinnes 8 years old and a Tamdhu 12 year old with orange peel and vanilla cream.

As we expect from Douglas Laing, all 22 releases have been bottled without colouring, at a high strength and non-chill-filtered to preserve the robust and unique character of the Whisky.

The 22 new Single Cask releases will be available worldwide from this month from specialist online whisky retailers such as Master of Malt
 

• Provenance Jura 10 Year Old, 46%
  Citric fruit, a rich maltiness and a gingery “snap”.
   
• Provenance Talisker 7 Year Old, 46%
  Sweet tar, peated barley, sugar and late soot.
   
• Provenance Glentauchers 7 Year Old, 46%
  Gentle citrus, barley and syrup.
   
• Provenance Glengoyne 9 Year Old, 46%
  Honey and warm home-baking.
   
• Provenance Benrinnes 8 Year Old, 46%
  Sweet candy and cracked black pepper.
   
• Provenance Mortlach 10 Year Old, 46%
  Maple syrup, Malt and hint of vanilla.
   
• Provenance Tamdhu 12 Year Old, 46%
  Fruit salad, vanilla cream and sweet leather.
   
• Old Particular Glengoyne 20 Year Old, 51.5%
  Orange infused caramel and chocolate bonbons.
   
• Old Particular Glenturret 28 Year Old, 45.9%
  Spicy and peppery in a Hot Toddy style.
   
• Old Particular Auchentoshan 18 Year Old, 48.4%
  Caramelised pineapple, peaches and sweet spices.
   
• Old Particular Blair Athol 21 Year Old, 51.5%
  Marinated dark fruits.
   
• Old Particular Tobermory 21 Year Old, 51.5%
  Malted toffee and freshly cut lemons.
   
• Old Particular Bowmore 17 Year Old, 48.4%
  Burnt Christmas pudding and caramelised oranges.
   
• Old Particular Glen Spey 18 Year Old, 48.4%
  Nutmeg, vanilla and gingerbread.
   
• Old Particular Linkwood 21 Year Old, 51.5%
  Spiced fruit candied lemon zest.
   
• Old Particular Longmorn 21 Year Old, 51.5%
  Tangerines, cinnamon and coconut cream.
   
• Old Particular Carsebridge (Now closed) 33 Year Old, 44.9%
  Tropical fruits and sticky toffee pudding.
   
• Old Particular Port Dundas 27 Year Old, 51.5%
  Sherbet, fudgy richness and gently burnt sugar.
   
• Old Particular Arran 20 Year Old, 51.5%
  Thick and chewy with coffee and vanilla.
   
• Old Particular Craigellachie 21 Year Old, 51.5%
  Macerated fruit and spiced fruit cake.
   
• Xtra Old Particular Laphroaig 26 Year Old, 52.4%
  Tobacco, liquorice and peat smoke.
   
• Xtra Old Particular Port Ellen 33 Year Old, 55.6%
  Island tendencies, phenolic, leathery, earthy and sweetly barleyed.

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