Big Peat Christmas Edition 2017 Douglas Laing Islay Blended Malt Whisky 54,1%

Big Peat Christmas Edition 2017 from Douglas Laing is an Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 54.1%, created as the powerful and festive annual release of the iconic Big Peat. As always, the blend consists exclusively of single malts from Islay, and the Christmas edition is known for being even more intense, smoky and characterful than the standard bottling – a true winter dram with full strength and plenty of edge.

The aroma is filled with classic Islay smoke: dried seaweed, bonfire smoke, ash and a pronounced medicinal note, balanced by sweet malt, vanilla and a hint of spice. There is also a freshness of citrus and pepper that adds energy and lifts the heavy smoke.

The palate is bold and warming with pronounced peat smoke, salty sea air and a strong ashy profile. Notes of black pepper, liquorice, roasted barley and a touch of caramel emerge, while the 54.1% ABV provides an intense yet well‑integrated heat. The maritime character is present from start to finish.

The finish is long, dry and smoky with lingering ash, pepper and a salty minerality that stays on the palate. A classic Big Peat ending, but with extra Christmas strength and depth.

Big Peat Christmas Edition 2017 is made for those who love Islay smoke in its rawest and most uncompromising form. A festive, powerful and bold release that delivers everything Big Peat fans expect – and a little more.

Distillery: Big Peat
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Age: NA
Type: Blended Islay Malt Whisky
ABV: 54.1%
70 cl
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Big Peat Winter Edition Madeira Cask Douglas Laing Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 53.6%

Big Peat Winter Edition Madeira Cask 53.6% is a powerful and characterful Islay blended malt, crafted by Douglas Laing as a seasonal release with a vinous twist.

This winter edition is composed exclusively of single malts from Islay – including Caol Ila, Bowmore, Ardbeg, and rare drops from Port Ellen – and is finished in casks that previously held sweet Madeira wine. The combination of maritime Islay notes and fruity wine maturation creates a complex and warming whisky, ideal for colder months.

The nose opens with sweet malt and salty sea air, followed by notes of salted caramel, vanilla, and dense peat smoke. The palate is robust and full-bodied with molasses, crème brûlée, bitter orange peel, and a distinct phenolic depth. The Madeira cask adds a subtle fruity sweetness that balances the intense smoke. The finish is long, intense, and smoky with citrus and spicy oak.

The whisky is bottled at natural cask strength of 53.6%, non-chill filtered and with no added colour. Big Peat Winter Edition Madeira Cask is an expressive dram with both edge and finesse – a perfect choice for collectors and peat lovers seeking something special for the winter season.

Distillery: Douglas Laing
Age: NA
Type: Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Cask type: Madeira Cask Finish
ABV: 53.6%
Un-chillfiltered
Natural Colour
70 cl
Other: New release replacing the Christmas Edition – Limited Edition – Read more in our blog

Some whiskies tell the story of a single cask. Apogee XII tells the story of a distillery unafraid to blend its own craft with the best of Scotland.

Expert's Description

Bimber Apogee XII is a 12 Year Old Pure Malt Whisky, composed of selected single malts from the Highlands and Speyside and finished in ex-bourbon casks that had previously matured Bimber's own spirit, bottled at 46.3% ABV.

Bimber Distillery sits in the heart of London and was founded in 2015 by whisky enthusiasts with Polish roots – the name "bimber" is Polish slang for homemade moonshine, a nod to the founders' own journey from home experiments to an acclaimed distillery. With the Apogee series, they step outside their own distillate and show a deep understanding of vatting and cask management in the more classic Scottish tradition.

The name Apogee means "highest point," a tribute to the oldest and most developed malts used in the blend. It's a whisky that bridges two whisky cultures: Scottish heritage and Bimber's own London craft.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Nutmeg and honeycomb meet brown sugar and soft oak, while cooked orchard fruit and a touch of orange blossom honey give the nose a warm, baked character.

Palate

Syrupy pears and stewed peaches roll into crushed pepper and menthol, while caramel settles beneath a cool, gentle cedar note.

Finish

White pepper and lightly charred oak provide contrast to the sweet fruit, which slowly fades into mint and a hint of peach candy.

Specifications

Name: Bimber Apogee XII
Distillery: Bimber Distillery
Region: Scotland/England (blend)
Type: Pure Malt Whisky
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 46.3%
Size: 70cl
Cask Type: Ex-bourbon (previously used for Bimber's own spirit)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Bottled: 2021
EAN no.: 5060444431322

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Honeyed · Spicy · Round

Investment Potential

Medium. The Apogee series is among the more sought-after corners of Bimber's output among collectors, combining mature Scottish malts with the distillery's own casks in a way not replicated elsewhere in the range.

Did You Know?

The ex-bourbon casks used to finish Apogee XII previously matured Bimber's own London spirit, meaning this bottle literally carries a piece of the distillery's own history into a Scottish composition.

See our full range of Bimber Distillery

Some bottles never get sent out into the world. They get made for one place only. This one was made for Denmark.

Expert's Description

Bimber Denmark Edition Ex-Bourbon Cask is a Single Malt London Whisky from a single American ex-bourbon cask, cask no. 169, bottled at full strength at 58.7% ABV.

The bottle comes from Bimber's Country Collection, a series of twenty single casks the distillery selected in 2020 for twenty different countries, Denmark among them. Cask no. 169 was filled in May 2016, among the very first casks Bimber ever laid down, and was bottled in October 2020 in a limited run of 263 individually numbered bottles exclusively for the Danish market.

That makes this a genuine rarity: a single cask whisky never available anywhere outside Denmark, drawn from one of the casks that laid the foundation for Bimber's reputation.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sweet red fruits and creamy vanilla meet soft oak spice, green apples and a touch of caramel, giving the nose a fresh, slightly tart edge.

Palate

Full-bodied and oily with ripe apple and baked pear, where caramel and warm vanilla tie the sharp bourbon spice together with a hint of honey.

Finish

Long and spiced with lasting oak structure, where the sweet fruit notes gradually give way to a dry, faintly peppery close.

Specifications

Name: Denmark Edition
Distillery: Bimber Distillery
Country: England
Type: Single Malt London Whisky
Age: Min. 3 Years
ABV: 58.7%
Size: 70cl
Cask Type: Ex-bourbon cask no. 169 (single cask)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: Cask filled May 2016
Bottled: October 2020
Number of bottles: 263

Flavour Profile

Full-bodied · Spiced · Caramel · Oaky

Investment Potential

High. As part of Bimber's sold-out Country Collection, an exclusive country edition made specifically for Denmark and drawn from one of the distillery's earliest casks, this is one of the rarest Bimber bottles ever to circulate here.

Did You Know?

Cask no. 169 was filled in May 2016, only months after Bimber began laying down its very first casks, making this bottle a piece of the distillery's earliest history.

See our full range of Bimber Distillery

Rye rarely makes a whisky gentle. In this cask, it instead gave Bimber's spirit an entirely different, spiced direction – made exclusively for Denmark.

Expert's Description

Bimber Denmark Edition Ex-Rye Oak Cask is a Single Malt London Whisky from a single American oak cask, cask no. 254, previously used to mature American rye whiskey, bottled at full strength at 58.5% ABV.

The bottle is another piece of Bimber's 2020 Country Collection, twenty single casks selected for twenty different countries, with Denmark receiving its very own rye cask. The combination of Bimber's fruit-forward spirit and the spiced rye cask has produced a whisky that stands clearly apart from the distillery's ex-bourbon and sherry expressions.

Only 257 bottles were drawn from this single cask, and they have never been sold outside Denmark.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Spiced rye bread and dark pepper mix with ripe plums and a touch of clove, while sweet cask wood provides a warm base beneath the sharp spice.

Palate

Full-bodied and spice-driven with overripe plums and raisins, where the rye's characteristic bite cuts through the sweetness and leaves a trace of gingerbread.

Finish

Long and warming, with persistent spice and a dry, faintly bitter close, the fruit sweetness lingering quietly right to the end.

Specifications

Name: Denmark Edition
Distillery: Bimber Distillery
Country: England
Type: Single Malt London Whisky
ABV: 58.5%
Size: 70cl
Cask Type: Ex-rye oak cask no. 254 (single cask)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 257
EAN no.: 5060444431483

Flavour Profile

Spiced · Fruity · Full-bodied · Peppery

Investment Potential

High. As an exclusive Country Collection bottling made specifically for Denmark, with only 257 bottles from a single rye cask, this is one of the rarest variants of Bimber's single malt available here.

Did You Know?

Cask no. 254 previously matured American rye whiskey before Bimber filled it with its own spirit, which is exactly why the rye spice comes through so clearly in this expression.

See our full range of Bimber Distillery

A bourbon cask at full strength gives a spirit nowhere to hide. Batch 3 shows exactly why Bimber's London malt can handle that kind of exposure.

Expert's Description

Bimber Ex-Bourbon Oak Casks Batch 3 is a Single Malt London Whisky, vatted from selected ex-bourbon oak casks and bottled at cask strength at 51.6% ABV.

The batch was assembled and bottled in June 2021 and represents Bimber's house style stripped back to essentials: no sherry, no additional cask finish, just the spirit as it develops in American oak ex-bourbon casks. It offers an honest look at what makes Bimber's own distillate distinctive without letting the cask steal the show.

Because Batch 3 is one of the larger releases in the series, it also happens to be one of the most accessible ways to meet Bimber's pure ex-bourbon character.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Green apple peel and dried stone fruit sit alongside milk-soaked cereal, while vanilla sponge cake and desiccated coconut mix with toasted bread.

Palate

Crisp orchard fruit and baked apricot meet sprightly pepper and lightly charred oak, while chewy caramel and a touch of dark chocolate keep the palate broad and full.

Finish

Lasting sweetness is balanced by peppery spice, with hints of anise gradually unfolding into layers of vanilla.

Specifications

Name: Ex-Bourbon Oak Cask Batch 3
Distillery: Bimber Distillery
Country: England
Type: Single Malt London Whisky
ABV: 51.6%
Size: 70cl
Cask Type: Ex-bourbon oak casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Bottled: June 2021
Number of bottles: 5,000
Edition/Batch: Batch 3

Flavour Profile

Fruity · Vanilla · Spiced · Creamy

Did You Know?

Batch 3 is one of the largest releases in Bimber's Ex-Bourbon series, making it the most accessible entry point into the distillery's pure, unfinished house style.

See our full range of Bimber Distillery

There is something about a sherry cask that makes a whisky sing a little louder. Batch 3 of Bimbers Oloroso series is one of the clearest examples of why this London distillery has become a talking point among sherry-cask lovers.

Expert's Description

Bimber Oloroso Cask Batch 3 is a Single Malt London Whisky, matured in first-fill ex-bourbon casks and finished in Spanish oloroso sherry casks, bottled at 51.4% ABV.

The batch consists of 980 individually numbered bottles, assembled from selected oloroso-finished casks from Bimber's own warehouse in west London. The distillery grows much of its own barley and floor malts it using traditional methods, giving the long sherry finish a rich foundation to build on.

Where earlier batches in the series have varied in intensity, Batch 3 stands out for its particularly silky texture and a focused, fruit-driven character that lets the oloroso casks shine without overpowering the spirit's own sweetness.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Cinnamon rolls and freshly baked waffles sit with fresh and dried red berries, while ground ginger is tempered by creamy vanilla and a touch of lemon posset.

Palate

A silky texture carries generous sherried notes of red berries, chopped banana and chocolate-dipped walnuts, while golden syrup and pineapple chunks meet cinnamon dusting and lightly scorched orange peel.

Finish

The sherried sweetness lingers, supported by warm spice and a dry, lightly toasted finish where the scorched citrus notes return at the very end.

Specifications

Name: Oloroso Cask Batch 3
Distillery: Bimber Distillery
Country: England
Type: Single Malt London Whisky
ABV: 51.4%
Size: 70cl
Cask Type: First-fill ex-bourbon, finished in oloroso sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 980
Edition/Batch: Batch 3

Flavour Profile

Sherried · Fruity · Creamy · Spicy

Investment Potential

Medium. Bimber's sherry-cask series has built a loyal following, and with just 980 bottles, Batch 3 has already become hard to find at most specialist retailers, pointing to growing collector interest.

Did You Know?

Bimber lets its oloroso casks rest far longer than many distilleries dare to, precisely so the sherry character fully integrates into the spirit rather than simply sitting on top of it.

See our full range of Bimber Distillery

A classic in a new disguise – now aged for at least 10 years!

Black Bottle 10 Years Old is a limited edtion of the classic Black Bottle, now with added depth and complexity after a minimum of 10 years of maturation. This blended scotch whisky combines fruity grain whisky with both peated and unpeated single malts – with Islay whisky at the heart of the blend, giving it a remarkable character.

The result is a whisky with pleasant smoky notes, deep sweetness, and an elegantly spiced finish – perfect as a daily dram for peat lovers, without being overpowering.

Distillery: Black Bottle
Age: 10 years
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Volume: 70 cl
Other: Limited Edition