Whisky Focus - Douglas Laing Three 2019 Chinese Year Of The Pig Single Cask Whiskies

Douglas Laing has announced the release of three new single cask whiskies to mark one of the most celebrated Chinese traditions the Lunar New Year, which for 2019 is the Year of the Pig.

The three new whiskies which were all distilled in previous Years of the Pig within the  Chinese Zodiac calendar consist of a single sherry cask matured XOP Craigellachie 1995 Vintage, a single cask Old Particular Bunnahabhain 2007 and a single cask Old Particular Glengoyne 2007.

The XOP Craigellachie 1995 is a limited release of 640 bottles, bottled at a cask strength of 52.3% ABV, naturally coloured and non chill-filtered its is described as having "a rich mocha, cocoa character with candied peels, allspice and stewed red fruits – the result of more than 2 decades resting in a Sherry butt". Presented in a wooden gift box, each and every individually numbered bottle of XOP carries a hand-signed certificate with a New Year message from father and daughter duo, Fred and Cara Laing, Chairman and Director of Whisky at Douglas Laing respectively.

The Old Particular Bunnahabhain is a limited release of 305 bottles, bottled at a cask strength of 54.4% ABV, naturally coloured and non chill-filtered, it is said to reveal an "archetypical Islay style of sweet peat alongside honeycomb, a coastal influence and citrus fruits".

The Old Particular Glengoyne is a limited release of 316 bottles, bottled at a cask strength of 52.5% ABV, naturally coloured and non chill-filtered, it is said to offer "milk chocolate and honeyed barley with a spiced warmth at its core".

The packaging for each of these commemorative bottlings depicts a decorative golden pig bringing good fortune and celebrating the arrival of the New Year.

Fred Laing comments: "Despite numerous visits to the Far East since the early 1970’s, I have never been there during Chinese New Year, so to participate in this fashion with these rare bottlings, each so full of Eastern promise, is wonderful and we’re thrilled to commemorate this iconic cultural moment. We hope our friends in Asia enjoy celebrating New Year with these Whiskies."

All three of the Year of the Pig bottlings will be exclusively available in the Asian market where the bottling's will being sold as a set of 3 as well as individually in Taiwan with a retail price of NT$19,999 for the set. The XOP Craigellachie will also be available individually in China and Hong Kong.
 

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