Tasting the best of what Scotland's scotch regions had to offer through Douglas Liang & Co. Remarkable Regional Malts collection. Plus, a sip from a Gordon & Macphail's Craigellachie. What a way to travel!
It’s not news that Scotland has many different scotch regions, and it’s not news to say that those regions each have their own unique flavor signature.
What is interesting is when the scotch is blended to represent and highlight the best of what each region has to offer, and we get to taste all those regions in one lineup.
That’s what I got to experience at a tasting event from the North Shore Whisky Club.
Tasting our way around Scotland
Joe Swanson presented the Remarkable Regional Malts collection from Douglas Laing & Co. It was a celebration of the map of Scotland.
Douglas Liang & Co gives a nice definition as to what they’re trying to accomplish:
"Blended Malt Scotch Whisky: “Blended Malt” differs from simply “Blended” Whisky in that it contains no Grain Whisky, and is therefore widely considered a superior category.
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Our Remarkable Regional Malts … are Blended Malt Scotch Whiskies, combining the spirit from some of the regions’ finest Distilleries to produce the ultimate territorial tastes of Scotland. If a Single Malt is a violin, you might consider a Blended Malt an entire orchestra."
Mission accomplished, I would say.
Rather than my usual tasting notes list, let’s look at the individual scotch regions as represented by each expression. Each description (in italics) is from Douglas Liang, but the tasting notes are mine.
As an added bonus, Joe brought us an offering from Gordon & Macphail, and it was a real treat, a cask strength Craigellachie 19yr. Yum!
Buckle up…here goes…
Douglas Liang & Co.'s Remarkable Regional Malts Scotch Whisky Tasting
Presented by the North Shore Whisky Club, hosted by Joe Swanson, March 9, 2018
Douglas Laing & Co. Epicurean
Tasting Notes
- Nose: cotton candy, grassy, peaches, malt grain
- Taste: grass, cardamom, pepper hits, green apple, light body
- Finish: spice fades to herbal, mossy
- Comments: light, bright, spring in a glass, very good
Douglas Laing & Co. Timorous Beastie
Tasting Notes
- Nose: cooked fruit, raisins, toffee brittle, malted grains, lightly grassy
- Taste: malted grain, oak, white pepper rises, coriander, oatmeal, medium body, slightly chewy, walnuts
- Finish: the lemon-influence fades to oatmeal
- Comments: the sweetness is balanced by oatmeal
Douglas Laing & Co. Scallywag
Tasting Notes
- Nose: raisins, prunes, clover honey, vanilla, lightly cereal
- Taste: malted grain, soft entry, buttery, mentholated, thick, pepper goes up the sinuses
- Finish: menthol left after everything fades, a hint of sherry notes
- Comments: misleading...starts cereal ends minty, the sherry is subtle
Douglas Laing & Co. Scallywag 13yr
Tasting Notes
- Nose: vanilla fudge, slight raisin, oaky, pine
- Taste: soft and silky, pine, light butterscotch, the nose stays clear
- Finish: butter, cream, ends on herbs & flowers
- Comments: this one is wonderful, so different than the Scallyway NAS
Douglas Laing & Co. Rock Oyster
Tasting Notes
- Nose: briny, little bit smoky, vanilla, beachy
- Taste: spicy, seaweed, medium body, bonfire smoke in the distance, lemon
- Finish: lemon and bone marrow gelatin quality
- Comments: peat element, a savory gelatin with brine
Douglas Laing & Co. Rock Oyster 18yr
Tasting Notes
- Nose: stronger brine & smoke, white grape, white chocolate
- Taste: striking match, mint, sharp, chewy
- Finish: long finish to brine and mint
- Comments: the nose belies the taste, calls to attention
Douglas Laing & Co. Big Peat
Tasting Notes
- Nose: all briny smoke, beach campfire,
- Taste: strongly ash, eucalyptus, sooty, lime, medium body, oily, coats the mouth
- Finish: ash lasts & lasts
- Comments: all peat, all the time…tastes so good!
And the bonus…
Gordon & Macphail Craigellachie 19yr Cask Strength
Tasting Notes
- Nose: raisins, heather, grass, barley
- Taste: hits hard, clover honey, cut grass, oily, chocolate
- Finish: fades to grass, lingers long and green
- Comments: water mellows the hit and lets the greenness come forward, softly chocolate
Another food pairing opportunity
Another added bonus was that I provided dessert for the group, Chocolate Cake Balls. They paired deliciously with that Craigellachie. The dark chocolate enhanced the yummy chocolate notes of the dram.
I’ve written previously about my pairing adventures. Check it out!
Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed exploring Scotland through its scotch regions in one sitting.
Kudos to Douglas Laing & Co. for their Remarkable Regional Malts collection, and many thanks to North Shore Whisky Club for presenting this lineup to us.
Tasting around Scotland...what a great way to travel!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
Tammy
Related Tasting Notes
Scotland's whisky regions have such a rich and diverse array of flavor profiles and distinct characteristics from which to choose. Here's where you can find a scotch I've reviewed based on its region. Slainté!
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