Big Peat Christmas Edition 2021 Douglas Laing Blended Malt Whisky 52,8%

The colour is paler than you would guess, and the nose recalls soot on the inside of a wood burner's glass. The eleventh time Douglas Laing sent Big Peat on his Christmas holiday — and still no sign of him settling down.

The expert's description

Big Peat Christmas Edition 2021 is an Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 52.8 % cask strength.

It is the eleventh edition in Douglas Laing's Christmas series, assembled from single malts from Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Bowmore and Port Ellen. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

The Christmas release is bottled every year at cask strength and with its own composition, and the 2021 vintage is among the paler in colour — a sign that bourbon leaning casks dominate the vatting.

Tasting notes

Nose

Soot and stove glass, dried seaweed and a sharp medicinal edge. Under the smoke sit lemon, vanilla and a light sweetness.

Palate

High-octane peat smoke with sea salt, pepper and toasted barley. The 52.8 % gives a firm grip, and a dry, almost chalky minerality runs through the middle.

Finish

Long and dry with ash, salt and a hint of vanilla at the end.

Specifications

Name: Big Peat Christmas Edition 2021 Douglas Laing Blended Malt Whisky 52.8%
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 52.8 %
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Bottled: 2021
Edition: Christmas Edition 2021

Flavour profile

Peated · Ashy · Salt · Mineral · Cask strength

Investment potential

Medium: A vintage release that will not be repeated, in the series with the most collectors among Big Peat's bottlings. Older Christmas editions are steadily harder to find unopened.

Did you know?

The Christmas series began in 2011, which makes the 2021 edition the eleventh in the row. Douglas Laing have continued the tradition every single year without skipping one.

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Frequently asked questions about Big Peat Christmas Edition 2021 Douglas Laing Blended Malt Whisky 52.8%

Why is the colour paler than other Christmas editions?

Because the 2021 vatting leans more towards bourbon casks than sherry. The colour comes from the wood alone, as the whisky is not coloured — it is therefore an honest clue to the cask type.

Where does it sit in the Christmas series?

It is the eleventh edition. The series began in 2011 and has run without interruption since, with a new strength and a new composition every year.

How peated is it?

Very. This is an uncompromising Islay profile with ash, soot and medicinal peat. If you are new to the genre, start somewhere gentler in Islay Whisky.

What is the difference between the Christmas release and standard Big Peat?

Strength above all. The standard version is bottled at 46 %, while the Christmas editions come at cask strength — here 52.8 %. The composition also varies from year to year.

Should it be drunk neat?

Try it neat first. At nearly 53 % a few drops of water can temper the alcohol and draw out citrus and vanilla without touching the smoke.

How is it best stored?

Upright, dark and cool. If you kept the box, hold on to it — Christmas editions are often collected in vintage runs, and the packaging is part of the story.