On these pages you find many reviews of wines, proseccos and gins for sure so I thought it would be interesting to change the subject to something different for my next review. A Scotch Whisky. Now firstly I should point out that whisky is not my go to drink but as I travel around Britain and the world it is always a pleasure to travel the tastes too so that involves trying lots of whiskies.
And of course the one that got my attention was the Scallywag dog face on this offering by Douglas Laing. The branding and name inspired by the Laing family line of Fox Terriers. Time to get in and try not to woof it down.
A Sweeter Option
Douglas Laing has an earlier whisky called ‘Big Peat’. A deeper, ashy and sootier variety distilled in Islay. Scallywag is marketed as potentially Big Peat’s sweet four legged friend. So Speyside is the region for the malts and creates a fruitier and sweeter option.
A Small Batch Blended Malt
A small batch whisky is produced by mixing a small number of selected barrels with each barrel from a different distillery. Scallywag uses distilleries based in Speyside, north east Scotland.
Over half of Scotland’s distilleries are based in the area so you can imagine how fertile this area is for whisky. In travel terms it is a spectacular area that should be visited most definitely. Glens, wild coast, rivers and an abundance of wildlife.
All the single malts used to blend Scallywag are mainly matured in Spanish Sherry barrels to add more fruitiness and sweetness.
Tasting Review
On the nose
Upon opening and pouring I could smell the sweetness. A hint of vanilla too. It was definitely a sweeter smell than I was used to opening a whisky bottle. But not overpoweringly so. This is a good whisky afterall.
Tasting notes
Now here is where I could sense the character of this whisky. A lot of whiskies for me can be overpowering and the notes do not come through. With Scallywag I could get a feel for some of the flavours involved. The dark fruits, spices and in the aftertaste a slight hint of dark chocolate.
The hint of vanilla is there but I must stress that all this does not create a too sweet for a whisky feeling. I found it a more of a refreshing whisky with all these sweet hints.
Conclusion
I was really pleasantly surprised with Scallywag to be honest. As a casual whisky drinker I find some to be too harsh and overpowering. However this had a pleasant palate and the bottle will be brought out at suitable occasions most definitely. A sweet nightcap or to cap off a lovely meal.
