Big Peat launches ‘first’ all-of-Islay Scotch

Scotch whisky producer Douglas Laing and Co has launched a special-edition Big Peat Scotch using a blend of whiskies from every active distillery on the island of Islay.

Big Peat ‘All Islay’ Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is a blend of single malts from every active distillery on Islay 

The family Scotch Whisky firm’s Big Peat ‘All Islay’ Blended Malt Scotch Whisky marks the sixth Big Peat Christmas Edition and is unlike any bottling ever released by the firm before, Douglas Laing said.

Traditionally a blend of primarily Ardbeg, Bowmore, Caol Ila and Port Ellen single malts, the one-off Big Peat All Islay vatting includes all active distilleries on Islay, plus the long-closed Port Ellen.

Bottled at a natural cask strength of 54.6%, the Christmas release is produced without colouring or chill-filtration.

The label illustration for the whisky shows Big Peat by the fireside, with nine Christmas stockings hanging from his fireplace, representing the nine single malt Scotch whiskies included in this special recipe.

Just 2,500 cases of Big Peat Christmas 2016 will be available globally from September 2016 via specialist whisky retailers.

“Big Peat’s annual Christmas release has become a hotly anticipated bottling by friends of our peaty Ileach fisherman across the globe,” Douglas Laing marketing manager, Jenny Rogerson, said:

“We’re more excited than ever to reveal this year’s limited edition, an undisputedly innovative product in terms of both spirit and packaging.”

Launched in 2009, Big Peat has been created to represent “all that is Islay in a bottle”. With Caol Ila spirit bringing sweetness, Ardbeg a medicinal, earthy quality and Port Ellen, a “degree of elegance”, according to Douglas Laing.

Established almost 70 years ago, Douglas Laing & Co specialises in single cask single malts and small-batch malt scotch whiskies.

The company philosophy is to bottle the way the distiller intended – at a high strength and non-chill-filtered.

The company’s ‘Remarkable Regional Malts’ brand encompasses The Epicurean (Lowlands), Timorous Beastie (Highlands), Scallywag (Speyside), Rock Oyster (Islands), and Big Peat from Islay.

The family firm also bottles and markets an Exceptional Single Casks range, which includes the recently rebranded Provenance, as well as the firm’s flagship Old Particular and Xtra Old Particular, the ‘family jewels’.