Drookit Dug 9 Year Old Little Brown Dog Cask Strength Blended Scotch Whisky 70 cl 45.2%

Second round for the little brown dog. Same idea, a cask strength that lands low all by itself, but nine years on a different combination of wood, and the result has a firmer edge than its predecessor.

The expert description

Drookit Dug 9 Years Old is a Blended Scotch Whisky matured in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks and bottled at cask strength 45.2%.

Little Brown Dog has assembled it from malt and grain whisky, with a smaller share of older grain pulling the balance in a softer direction. The wood covers both 1st fill and refill bourbon and sherry casks, and nine years have given the whisky more depth than the original Drookit Dug without shifting its underlying character.

Like the rest of the range it is bottled at cask strength with no dilution, no chill filtration and no added colour. The 45.2% is simply where the casks themselves ended up.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla and pale caramel from the bourbon wood, with dried apricot and a thread of cinnamon coming off the sherry side.

Palate

Rounder and more settled than its predecessor. Honey and coconut first, then raisin and dark chocolate, with a grain sweetness holding it together.

Finish

Medium length and dry with oak, black pepper and a last nutty note.

Specifications

Name: Drookit Dug 9 Years Old
Bottler: Little Brown Dog
Region/Country: Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: 9 years
ABV: 45.2%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon and sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes

Flavour profile

Fruity · Soft · Creamy · Spiced · Malty

Did you know?

Grain whisky has long carried a reputation as the anonymous filler in a blend, yet it is precisely older grain that gives bottles like this their creamy texture. Little Brown Dog uses it deliberately as an ingredient rather than as padding, and says so on the label.

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Frequently asked questions about Drookit Dug 9 Years Old

How does this differ from the original Drookit Dug?

The wood. The original sat only in refill sherry butts, while this one combines bourbon and sherry casks. Nine years also give it a firmer, spicier profile, where the earlier release is softer and more pastry-led.

What does cask strength mean here?

That the whisky was bottled straight from the cask with no water added. The 45.2% is not a chosen level but where the casks themselves arrived after nine years in a damp Scottish warehouse.

What does it taste like?

Vanilla, honey and coconut up front from the bourbon wood, with raisin and dark chocolate from the sherry side. The finish is dry with oak and black pepper, and it drinks rounder than the strength implies.

Why is there grain whisky in it?

Because it brings creamy texture and a light cereal sweetness that malt alone does not deliver. Little Brown Dog has deliberately chosen an older grain, where most blends settle for the youngest available.

Should you add water?

Not necessarily. At 45.2% it is already balanced, though a few drops open the vanilla and take the edge off the pepper in the finish. Try it neat first and adjust from there.

Who is behind Little Brown Dog?

An independent bottler from Aberdeenshire buying single casks from distilleries across Scotland. They began with crowdfunded casks and are known for bottling without chill filtration or colouring.

Will it suit a single malt drinker?

Yes. The malt content is high, the cask strength is intact and there is no chill filtration, which are the three things most often missing from an ordinary blend. For comparison, see our Blended Scotch Whisky.