Douglas Laings Miniature Remarkable Regional Malts Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 6x5 cl 46-46,8%

Six small bottles, six Scottish regions. This is about as close to a tour of Scotland as you can get without leaving the kitchen table, and Douglas Laing has packed it into a box worth leaving out on display.

The expert description

Douglas Laing Remarkable Regional Malts is a set of six Blended Malt Scotch Whisky in 5 cl bottles, bottled between 46% and 46.8%.

The range is Douglas Laing’s attempt to translate the geography of Scottish whisky into six bottles. Each release draws malt from a single area, so the difference between a Lowland and an Islay becomes something you taste your way towards rather than read about. All six are bottled at a minimum of 46% and without chill filtration.

The set holds The Epicurean from the Lowlands at 46.2%, Timorous Beastie from the Highlands at 46.8%, Scallywag from Speyside at 46%, The Gauldrons from Campbeltown at 46.2%, Rock Island from the Islands at 46.8% and Big Peat from Islay at 46%.

Tasting notes

Nose

The range is the entire point. From the bright citrus and cut grass of The Epicurean, through the sherry sweetness of Scallywag, to the tar, smoked ham and sea salt of Big Peat.

Palate

Timorous Beastie gives honey and heather, The Gauldrons salted caramel and apple, Rock Island a soft smoke with seaweed underneath. Tasted side by side, regional character stops being an abstraction.

Finish

Short and clean at the pale end, long and sooty at the smoky one. Order matters here. Begin with Big Peat and the rest of the evening tastes of peat.

Specifications

Name: Remarkable Regional Malts
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46-46.8%
Size: 6 x 5 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Edition: Remarkable Regional Malts
EAN no.: 5014218817362

Flavour profile

Smoky · Sherry matured · Fruity · Fresh · Maritime · Soft

Did you know?

Douglas Laing was founded in 1948 and has never owned a distillery in the conventional sense. The firm bought casks from others and grew large by choosing well. Big Peat, named after a fictional Islay fisherman, is now in such demand that the Christmas edition sells out in hours.

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Frequently asked questions about Douglas Laing Remarkable Regional Malts

Which six whiskies are in the set?

The Epicurean from the Lowlands, Timorous Beastie from the Highlands, Scallywag from Speyside, The Gauldrons from Campbeltown, Rock Island from the Islands and Big Peat from Islay, all in 5 cl bottles carrying the same label artwork as the full-size releases.

Does the set work as a gift?

It does, and especially for someone whose taste you do not quite know yet. Instead of gambling on one bottle you hand over six directions and let the recipient find their own. The box is smart enough to stay on the shelf afterwards.

What is a Blended Malt Whisky?

A marriage of single malts from several distilleries with no grain whisky at all. That sets it apart from a standard blend, where grain whisky usually makes up the bulk. Each of the six releases here stays within malt from one region.

In what order should you taste them?

Start pale and end smoky: The Epicurean, Scallywag, Timorous Beastie, The Gauldrons, Rock Island and finally Big Peat. Peat settles into the palate and drowns out everything that follows it.

How smoky is Big Peat?

Very. It gathers malt from the south coast of Islay and brings tar, smoked ham and sea salt at full volume, making it the outer edge of the set. To explore the style further, browse our Islay Whisky.

What does Douglas Laing stand for?

A family-owned Glasgow firm founded in 1948 that buys casks from distilleries across Scotland and bottles them under its own names. They are known for high bottling strength and for refusing to chill filter.

Which glass suits a tasting like this?

Six identical tulip-shaped glasses make comparison far easier, because the aroma gathers the same way every time. See our range of whisky glasses.