Big Peat Edinburgh Edition / 48%/ 0.7l

Big Peat, a blended malt whisky from the Douglas Laing & Company portfolio, debuted in 2009 and within a few years gained a large following.

Its formula lists four key ingredients: Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Bowmore and Port Ellen, offering “the essence of Islay in one bottle”. Fred Laing adds that “Big Peat also contains the secrets of its creator, which he will not reveal even after a few toasts”. In his travels around the world, the bearded brand ambassador has visited dozens of places, which he has commemorated with limited edition whiskies. This time we see him in the capital of Scotland, Edinburgh, playing the bagpipes with emotion, with the city’s biggest tourist attractions depicted in the form of postage stamps in the background – Waverley Station, the Scott Monument and Edinburgh Castle.

Aroma : a wave of peat smoke, seaweed, salty breeze, grilled pork neck, cinnamon buns, walnuts, vanilla, notes of leather, tobacco and oak.

Taste : lots of peat smoke, iodine, sea salt, vanilla, caramel, grilled meat, a touch of nutmeg, tobacco and a drop of tar.

Finish: fairly long, smoky and salty, with notes of burnt sugar, black pepper, burnt toast, cigar ash and charred oak.