Douglas Laing & Co. has introduced a brand new limited-edition launch that extends the maturation interval of its in style island mix by two further years, creating deeper complexity by prolonged sherry cask getting old.
Prolonged Sherry Maturation Defines New Island Whisky Launch
The Rock Island 16-12 months-Outdated Sherry Version combines single malts from 4 Scottish whisky-producing islands: Orkney, Arran, Jura, and Islay. This follows the profitable launch of the 14-12 months-Outdated Sherry Version in 2023, with the extra getting old time permitting for enhanced taste improvement.
The official tasting notes describe layers of dried fruits, walnut, and vanilla, complemented by honeycomb and toasted almonds. These flavors construct upon Rock Island’s attribute candy peat and maritime affect. The whisky maintains the identical 46.8% ABV as its youthful sibling, enabling direct comparability between the 2 expressions.
Douglas Laing, based in 1948 and nonetheless family-owned, continues its custom of non-chill filtered releases with out synthetic coloring. The corporate’s “Exceptional Regional Malts” portfolio represents totally different Scottish whisky areas, with Rock Island showcasing the island class.
Premium Positioning Displays Rising Whisky Market Demand
The brand new launch carries a retail value of $75.00 (€90.00), positioning it within the premium phase of the blended malt class. Distribution will span specialist retailers and on-line channels throughout Europe, the Americas, and Asia Pacific markets.
“Rock Island 16-12 months-Outdated is a launch we’re all extremely enthusiastic about at Douglas Laing,” mentioned Chloe Wooden, Rock Island’s Model Supervisor. “The model itself showcases a very distinctive composition, containing Single Malts from a few of Scotland’s most acclaimed Whisky-making islands.”
This marks the primary 16-year-old expression beneath the Rock Island model, representing a big milestone for the product line. The prolonged maturation in predominantly sherry casks differentiates this launch from normal Rock Island choices.
The Scottish whisky trade continues to see robust demand for aged statements and sherry cask expressions. In accordance with the Scotch Whisky Affiliation, exports reached £6.2 billion in 2023, with premium aged whiskies driving a lot of the expansion.
The discharge comes packaged in premium foiled cartons with up to date labeling that displays what the corporate describes as “trendy and highly effective” branding whereas sustaining maritime heritage connections. As with all Douglas Laing releases, the whisky undergoes no chill filtration, preserving pure oils and compounds that may improve mouthfeel and taste.
