Whisky Focus - Douglas Laing Old Particular

You may recall back in May that I told you that brothers Fred and Stewart Laing were parting ways and that Fred Laing was taking total control of Douglas Laing & Co.

Well Fred and his Douglas Laing team which now includes his daughter Cara Laing have been busy behind the scenes; from cask selections to tasting notes and packaging they have been developing an exciting new range of Scotch Single Cask Malt Whiskies which they have named Douglas Laing Old Particular.

Douglas Laing’s Old Particular is a ‘particularly’ unique series of individually hand-selected aged Single Cask Malts from all over Scotland – each bottled according to the founders’ philosophy of topmost quality. Meaning, Old Particular bottlings are from only one cask, without colouring and without chill filtration (just as we like it) – allowing the cask and the naturally present oils, fats and enzymes in the spirit to make their own special contribution to its nose, mouthfeel, palate and finish.

Unlike the Old Malt Cask range previously owned by Douglas Laing which was all bottled at 50% ABV the team at Douglas Laing have chosen to bottle Old Particular at three different alcohol strengths. Some rarities will be bottled at cask or natural strength and thereafter 48.4% for the bottlings aged to 18 years and 51.5% for 19 and over. These strengths have been decided upon after considerable internal discussion, tasting and analysis.

Global Malt Ambassador Jan Beckers comments "I am lucky enough to have been involved in the selection of thousands of casks at Douglas Laing and I am particularly excited about this new range. We believe the lower strength of 48.4% allows the ‘younger’, feistier Whiskies to soften out some of their ‘hotter’ characteristics. The older Malts have already had the effect of the Angel’s Share to mollify some of these hot spots and we believe at 51.5% strength, we achieve exactly the quality we want."

Launching this September and available from specialist Whisky shops, some truly exceptional bottlings feature in this first batch including Malts distilled at Bowmore, and rarely seen Caperdonich and Port Ellen distilleries to name but a few.

No attention to detail has been missed in developing the packaging for Douglas Laing’s Old Particular Single Casks. From the super premium gift tube to the regionally coloured bottle labels, and as you have come to expect from Douglas Laing a good description and tasting note telling you what you can expect to find in the bottle.

Says Douglas Laing’s Managing Director Fred Laing: "After 65 years in the industry, we believe we have created Douglas Laing’s best ever Single Cask range – a natural progression to what has gone before. It has been a real labour of love, enthusiasm and experience – so the team and I are delighted to now be launching our Old Particular selection. We hope this Single Cask range captures the imagination of Whisky enthusiasts globally. It should take you as close as you can get to that rarest of pleasures – sampling a dram straight from its cask in the hallowed surroundings of a distillery warehouse."

Douglas Laing’s Old Particular Single Casks will be available from specialist Whisky shops from September 2013.
 

• UK Shops
   
• USA Shops
   
• European Shops
  

Whisky Focus