Caol Ila 1979 (Bottled 2019) Douglas Laing's XOP The Black Series / 51.2%/ 0.7l
- The XOP range was introduced in 2014 by Fred Laing, who parted ways with his brother and business partner Stewart the year before, splitting portfolio of Douglas Laing & Co.
Product description
Fred Laing's XOP series debuted in 2014, a dozen or so months after the division of Douglas Laing & Co.'s assets between the two Laing brothers.
XOP stands for Xtra Old Particular and refers to the finest single malt and single grain casks from the family’s stockpile. Summer 2019 brought the XOP Black Series, the Laing family’s “white crows.” This status was given to Caol Ila, distilled in April 1979, aged in a refill hogshead cask no. DL 13576 for four decades and bottled at cask strength (51.2% abv) in October 2019 in an edition of just 160 bottles. Each one is signed by Fred and Cary Laing, son and granddaughter of the founder of Douglas Laing & Co., the current owners of the company. (Producer’s tasting note.)
Aroma : exceptionally herbal yet fresh, with strong marine notes (fishing nets and wet beach sand).
Taste : lots of sea salt heralding a wave of spices, bitterness of oak and traces of ash.
Finish : long and spicy, with notes of cough syrup, a touch of tar and peat smoke in the background.