Big Peat 26 years old Vintage 1992 Series No 2 Platinum Edition DL Blended Islay Malt Whisky 70 cl 51.5%

The second chapter. Same 1992 vintage, one year longer in wood and a touch less strength. The Platinum Edition is the middle of the three — and the one where the balance between smoke and maturity sits closest.

The expert's description

Big Peat 26 years Vintage 1992 Platinum Edition is an Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 51.5 % cask strength.

The whiskies were distilled in 1992 and bottled in 2018 in an outturn of 3,000 bottles. The release is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

The Platinum Edition is the second in Douglas Laing's Vintage Series, between the Gold Edition at 25 years and The Black Edition at 27 years. All three are assembled from Islay's most sought after single malts of the same vintage.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dry ash, seaweed and salted liquorice. Beneath the smoke hide dried apricots, honey and a warm nuttiness.

Palate

Rich and broad with peat smoke, dark caramel and roasted malt. There is a mineral salt edge and a hint of leather that only comes with age.

Finish

Very long with dry smoke, cocoa and a sweet note that holds on for some time.

Specifications

Name: Big Peat 26 years old Vintage 1992 Series No 2 Platinum Edition DL Blended Islay Malt Whisky 70 cl 51.5%
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 26 years
ABV: 51.5 %
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 1992
Bottled: 2018
Number of bottles: 3,000
Edition: Vintage Series No 2 The Platinum Edition

Flavour profile

Peated · Maritime · Mature · Nutty · Cask strength

Investment potential

High: The middle release in a completed trilogy of 3,000 bottles from the 1992 vintage. Complete sets of all three editions are difficult to assemble, and demand for mature Islay whisky has been rising for years.

Did you know?

All three editions in the trilogy were bottled in exactly 3,000 bottles, regardless of age. Douglas Laing had the cask volumes planned from the moment the series was decided.

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Frequently asked questions about Big Peat 26 years old Vintage 1992 Series No 2 Platinum Edition DL Blended Islay Malt Whisky 70 cl 51.5%

How does the Platinum Edition differ from the Gold Edition?

One more year in wood and a slightly lower strength. Platinum is drier and more mineral with clearer salt and ash, where Gold carries more caramel and sweetness. They come from the same vintage, but the casks pulled them in different directions.

Is 26 years a lot for a peated whisky?

Yes. Peat smoke fades slowly over the years, and after a quarter of a century it has turned from sharp medicine into ash, leather and dry minerality. It is an entirely different experience from young Islay.

How many bottles were made?

3,000, the same as the other two editions in the series. The outturn is printed on the label.

Is it worth the money?

Mature Islay whisky is becoming steadily scarcer, and a 26 year old at cask strength from a numbered and completed series is not something that will come round again. The quality and the rarity speak for themselves.

Can I still get the other editions in the trilogy?

They surface from time to time, but all three are discontinued at the producer. See what is on the shelf right now under Islay Whisky.

How should a bottle like this be stored?

Upright, dark and at an even temperature. Avoid direct sunlight, which fades both label and contents. If the box came with it, keep it — it protects the bottle and matters to the whole.