Big Peat Christmas Edition (53.1%)

Big Peat Christmas Edition is a blended malt Scotch from Douglas Laing, an all Islay vatting with Caol Ila at its core. Big Peat brings together malts from across Islay, Caol Ila among them, for an unapologetically smoky dram.

Caol Ila's elegant smoke gives the blend its coastal, citrus edge. A tired refill cask added little but time, the make speaking clearly. The tall stills and a high cut give a lighter, cleaner spirit than the southern Islays. Water falls to the distillery from Loch nam Ban in the hills above. The clean, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while holding its citrus and smoke. The lighter style means the cask and the citrus speak alongside the peat. From a small Victorian works it grew into one of Scotland's biggest malt distilleries. A ferry crosses the Sound from Port Askaig to Jura and the mainland. Years in oak round the smoke, the peat mellowing while the brine stays.

At a full 53.1% it is bold and oily. A coastal peat smoke runs through it, with lemon, brine and a soft oil over a sweet fruit. Smoked lemon and sea salt build over an oily body. The finish runs oily, smoky and clean. A characterful smoky blended malt Scotch.