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Review of the recently released
Scallywag Winter Edition 2026 Cognac
Cask Finish.
Douglas Laing has announced the return
of Scallywag Winter Edition, with the
2026 release bringing a Cognac cask
finish to the Speyside blended malt
Scotch whisky.
Created as a seasonal expression of the
Scallywag brand, the Scallywag Winter
Edition 2026 Cognac Cask Finish has been
bottled at a natural cask strength of
54.2% ABV. As with previous limited
releases from Douglas Laing, the whisky
is presented without added colouring or
chill-filtration, allowing its natural
character and full flavour profile to
shine through.
The 2026 edition has been finished in
Cognac casks sourced from the French
region renowned for producing the
spirit. The additional maturation has
added layers of ripe and dried fruit,
chocolate, spice and sweetness to the
underlying Speyside malt character,
creating a rich and indulgent winter
whisky.
Scallywag is one of Douglas Laing's
Remarkable Regional Malts, a range
created to showcase the distinctive
character associated with Scotland's
whisky-producing regions. The Scallywag
name represents Speyside, with the blend
bringing together selected Speyside
single malts to create its
characteristically rich and
fruit-forward style.
Scott Morrison, Senior Brand Manager at
Douglas Laing, said: "Scallywag’s Winter
Edition is all about indulgence and
warmth. This Cognac cask finish brings
an elegant depth to the spirit, layering
rich fruit, chocolate and spice in a way
that feels perfectly at home during the
colder months.”
Scallywag Winter Edition 2026: natural
cask strength
At 54.2% ABV, the 2026 Scallywag Winter
Edition is bottled at natural cask
strength, giving whisky drinkers the
option of enjoying the full-strength
expression or adding a little water to
explore how its fruit, chocolate and
spice characteristics develop.
The absence of chill-filtration and
added colouring also means the whisky is
presented in its natural form, with the
Cognac cask influence complementing
rather than masking the Speyside malt
character.
The result is a seasonal Scallywag that
combines Speyside single malt whisky
with Cognac cask influence, delivering a
profile centred around rich fruit,
chocolate, vanilla, oak and warming
spice.
Scallywag Winter Edition 2026 and Big
Peat Winter Edition
Scallywag is not the only Douglas Laing
regional malt returning for winter 2026.
The company has also released the
Big Peat Winter Edition 2026 10 Year Old
Finished In French Red Wine Casks, an Islay
blended malt bottled at 48% ABV.
Where Scallywag's seasonal expression
focuses on the rich, sweet and
fruit-driven character of Speyside
alongside its Cognac cask finish, Big
Peat takes a markedly smokier direction.
The 10-year-old Islay whisky has been
finished for 16 months in French red
wine casks, adding fruit sweetness to
its characteristic peated profile.
The Scallywag Winter Edition 2026 Cognac
Cask Finish has a
suggested retail price of £60.00 /
€69.00.
You can read my thoughts on the Scallywag Winter Edition 2026
Cognac Cask Finish below and you will
find it available from specialist online whisky
shops such as
The Whisky Exchange
and
Master of Malt
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