Big Peat The Bulgaria Edition

Big Peat The Bulgaria 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.

Islay malts bring the smoke, the lighter Caol Ila style keeping it clean rather than heavy. A bourbon barrel held it, the oak lending vanilla and a little cream. The clean, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while holding its citrus and smoke. Water falls to the distillery from Loch nam Ban in the hills above. The spirit's high notes of lemon and grass survive even long maturation. Refill oak lets the maritime peat and lemon of the spirit lead the way. The make balances phenolic smoke against a bright, oily citrus. The peat here is medium rather than heavy, so fruit and smoke share the glass. The spirit's lightness lets sherry, wine and bourbon casks all show through.

At 46% it is clean and coastal. A coastal peat smoke runs through it, with lemon, brine and a soft oil over a sweet fruit. The texture is oily, the smoke threaded with citrus. The finish is long, smoky and citrussy. A characterful smoky blended malt Scotch.