28th October 2013, leading independent Scotch Whisky specialist, Douglas Laing & Co announced the release of their brand new Speyside Vatted Malt – Scallywag.
The company was established over 65 years ago, and is a leading independent Scotch whisky blender and bottler specialising in the selection and release of Single Cask and Small Batch Malt Scotch Whiskies.
The company was founded by Fred Douglas Laing in 1948 and is still owned and run by the Laing family – Fred Laing Jr and his daughter Cara Laing.
Scallywag is a small batch bottling created using only the finest Speyside Malts including – amongst others – Mortlach, Macallan and Glenrothes.
Bottled at 46% ABV and non-chill filtered, this Small Batch bottling has a distinct rich, dark colour – extracted from the many fine Spanish Sherry Butts used during maturation. The result is a truly charming Malt with a richly spiced character fused with vanilla (from the bourbon casks used), sweet stewed fruit, Christmas pudding, dark chocolate, zesty orange and sweet tobacco.
The Scallwag packaging is beyond cute, with the inspiration being one of the long line of Douglas Laing family Fox Terriers.
The lovely Cara kindly provided us with a sample pack for tasting, which included a very cute badge and lovely paw print packaging, Stewart and I both reviewed this and here our notes below:
Kirsty
Nose: Typically Speyside, rich, burnt sugar & vanilla initially, tapering off to a big hit of citrus, dates, sultanas & treacle.
Palate: Initial big peppery hit, bitter expresso, good dark chocolate, has to be at least 70% cocoa solids, with hints of cherries, warm milk, cloves & cardamom.
Slight hints of honeyed orange & heather, with a smooth almond silkiness & nutmeg. As the flavours continue to change, the dark spices and fruits start to make an appearance, it’s a real Christmas pudding of a dram.
Finish: Not a long finish, but solid, the sweet flavours still hang about long enough to be enjoyable, in closing, a winter warmer of a dram, very rich, almost chewy, you can really taste the Macallan in my opinion, light finish, big sherry flavours and that wonderful sweetness that the Bourbon Hogsheads bring.
Stewart
Nose: Dark bitter chocolate, raisins covered in blood orange juice, moving onto more citrus notes and that sherry punch.
Palate: Spicy fruit cake with burnt caramel dripping. More Christmas spices and orange mixing with a rich fire pit.
Finish: Warming, feel every last part of the dram, not too long though, just a perfect end to the dram. A very good Whisky.
WhiskyCorner.co.uk 
The Terrier on the label is so cute. I am assuming this is the standard release from the bottlers? Lovely dram this.