Big Peat 25 years old Vintage 1992 Series No 1 Gold Edition Douglas Laing Blended Islay Malt Whisky 70 cl 52,1%

The first chapter of a trilogy that began with a question: what happens to Islay smoke when it is left for a quarter of a century? The answer is not less smoke — it is smoke with manners.

The expert's description

Big Peat 25 years Vintage 1992 Gold Edition is an Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 52.1 % cask strength.

The whiskies were distilled in 1992 and bottled in 2017 in an outturn of 3,000 bottles. The release is neither chill filtered nor coloured and is the first of three in Douglas Laing's Vintage Series.

The Gold Edition opened a trilogy that continued with the Platinum Edition at 26 years and The Black Edition at 27 years. All three come from the same 1992 vintage and are built from some of Islay's most sought after single malts.

Tasting notes

Nose

Complex and nuanced. Smoke meets caramel and vanilla, with dried fruit, sea salt and a light medicinal tone behind.

Palate

Full and oily. Powerful peat smoke up front, balanced by honey and burnt sugar, followed by dark chocolate, leather and spice.

Finish

Long and warm, with peat and sweetness fading slowly. An elegant dryness of oak and nuts closes it.

Specifications

Name: Big Peat 25 years old Vintage 1992 Series No 1 Gold Edition Douglas Laing Blended Islay Malt Whisky 70 cl 52.1%
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 25 years
ABV: 52.1 %
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 1992
Bottled: 2017
Number of bottles: 3,000
Edition: Vintage Series No 1 The Gold Edition

Flavour profile

Peated · Mature · Smoky · Sweet · Cask strength

Investment potential

High: The first release in a completed trilogy from the 1992 vintage, in an outturn of 3,000 bottles that will not be made again. Complete sets of the three editions are sought after by collectors, and the Gold Edition is the hardest of them to track down.

Did you know?

Cara Laing, whisky director at Douglas Laing, explained at the launch that the casks had been tasted year after year until the team felt the vatting was finally ready. The trilogy was not planned from the outset — it was decided along the way.

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Frequently asked questions about Big Peat 25 years old Vintage 1992 Series No 1 Gold Edition Douglas Laing Blended Islay Malt Whisky 70 cl 52.1%

What is the Vintage Series trilogy?

Three limited Big Peat releases, all distilled in 1992: the Gold Edition at 25 years from 2017, the Platinum Edition at 26 years from 2018 and The Black Edition at 27 years from 2019. The series is complete and will not be repeated.

Is it worth the money?

It is quarter-century old Islay whisky at cask strength from a completed, numbered series of 3,000 bottles. Mature Islay is becoming steadily scarcer, and peat notes of this kind cannot be produced any faster. For a collector it makes sense, and it is excellent drinking at the same time.

How does smoke change with age?

It grows softer and more layered. Young peat smoke is sharp and medicinal, while 25 years in wood pull it towards leather, tobacco and ash. The sweetness from the cask meanwhile gets room to balance it.

How many bottles exist?

3,000. Douglas Laing state the outturn on the label, and no more of this vintage will be made.

Should it be drunk or kept?

Both are defensible. If in doubt, remember that whisky does not develop in the bottle — it gets neither better nor worse from standing. The only party that gains from the wait is the market.

How is a 25 year old Islay best served?

Neat, at room temperature, in a Glencairn whisky glass. Give it ten minutes in the glass before tasting — mature notes need air.