Douglas Laing & Co. Return with Winter Favourites: Scallywag and Big Peat Limited Editions

As the colder months draw in and Whisky lovers seek something rich and warming, Douglas Laing & Co. proudly introduce two much-anticipated seasonal releases: Scallywag Winter Edition and Big Peat Winter Edition. These annual expressions of two of the company’s flagship brands invite consumers to embrace winter in all its bold, indulgent and flavourful glory.

Scallywag Winter Edition: A Luxurious Seasonal Indulgence

Returning for its annual appearance, Scallywag Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky Winter Edition showcases a rich and decadent profile, this year finished in exceptional Cognac Casks sourced from the famed French region. Bottled at Natural Cask Strength (54.2% ABV), this limited release delivers a deeply layered and indulgent dram, perfectly suited to the season.

Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich waves of stewed orchard fruits, honey’d Malt and soft vanilla, wrapped in gentle spice.
Palate: Decadently layered – caramelised sugars, dark chocolate and ripe berries glide into warming oak and festive spice.
Finish: Long and luxurious, with a soft, spiced sweetness that lingers beautifully.

Scott Morrison, Senior Brand Manager, comments:
“Scallywag’s Winter Edition is all about indulgence and warmth. This Cognac cask finish brings an elegant depth to the spirit, layering rich fruit, chocolate and spice in a way that feels perfectly at home during the colder months.”

Big Peat Winter Edition: Smoke Meets Sun-Kissed Sweetness

Meanwhile, Big Peat Islay Malt Scotch Whisky returns with a bold winter expression, this year finished in Red Wine Casks sourced from sunnier climates. Aged for 10 years, including the final 16 months in hand-selected French red wine casks, and bottled at 48% ABV, this limited-edition balances Big Peat’s unmistakable Islay smokiness with a warming, fruit-forward sweetness.

Tasting Notes:
Nose: Warming, earthy and smoke-led, with black forest fruits, vanilla and butterscotch.
Palate: Fruit-driven with layers of toffee, dark chocolate and a subtle nuttiness.
Finish: Long, with home-baking spice and lingering dry peat smoke.

Cara Laing, Managing Director adds:
“Big Peat’s Winter Edition continues to explore the harmony between smoke and sweetness. The Red Wine cask finish enhances his rich, earthy character with a vibrant fruitiness – creating a dram that feels both powerful and perfectly suited to winter.”

Both limited editions are crafted without colouring or chill-filtration, ensuring the Whiskies are presented as naturally as possible. Designed to appeal to Whisky connoisseurs, collectors and seasonal gift buyers alike, these releases capture the spirit of winter – whether through Scallywag’s luxurious sweetness or Big Peat’s smoky intensity.

With winter approaching, Douglas Laing invites Whisky lovers to embrace the season boldly – discovering two distinctive drams that offer warmth, character and a true sense of occasion.

Now available at select retailers and online with a suggested RRP of:

Scallywag Winter Edition: £60.00 / €69.00

Big Peat Winter Edition: £65.00 / €74.00

Website: www.douglaslaing.com

By this point in the proceedings many of you will have already pored over the offerings in the auction and started to build your watchlist, but fear not if you haven’t for the auction still has plenty life in it yet and won’t close until Sunday night.  With that in mind here are a few more highlights this month that you might have missed.

There aren’t many bigger names in American distilling than Julian P. “ Pappy” Van Winkle Sr, and the celebrated range of ‘Pappy’ bourbons to which he lends his name.  This particular bottling is the Van Winkle 1970 Family reserve 75cl, and a very fine dram it is too.  Distilled in February 1970 this exclusive release is a rare vintage and would be a fine addition to any serious bourbon collection.

The Pulteney distillery was founded in 1826 by James Henderson in the historic Caithness fishing port of Wick and has garnered a formidable reputation for producing quality whisky.  This Old Pulteney 1961 Gordon & MacPhail 75cl is part of celebrated independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail’s ‘Distillery Labels’ series and showcases individual producers with whom they have been working with, sometimes for over a century.

Released annually in vanishingly small quantities between 2001 and 2014 by Japanese distilling behemoth Suntory, this is the Hibiki 21 Year Old Kutani Ceramic Decanter 60cl.  The malt and grain comes from Suntory’s three distilleries and has gained the status of the ultimate Japanese blend also receiving a Gold Editor’s Choice award from Whisky Magazine and winning the top prize in its category at the World Whisky Awards 2010.  Bottled in a striking hand painted Kutani porcelain decanter.

Our final highlight is a tremendous release from the distillery that arguably started the popularistaion of single malts as opposed to blends, this is the Glenfiddich 1964 53 Year Old Angel’s Share.  Glenfiddich were also the first distillery to open their doors to the public, sparking a trend that has undoubtedly benefited the Scottish tourism industry greatly.  This decidedly decadent dram has spent an incredible 53 years ageing in a single 1st fill sherry hogshead and is one of only 100 bottles released by indie bottler Angel’s Share.As always we have an enormous selection of drams to suit every budget on offer this month, and there is still ample time to bid with the auction not closing until Sunday night, so better start building that watchlist!

Thinking of selling your bottles? 

We still offer 0% commission to all sellers making Scotch Whisky Auctions the best place to sell bottles.

For all relevant information just click here.

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Our final drop for 2026 is here, and this is like all our Christmases have come at once. In this batch of fine drams, you are guaranteed to find a great dram to share with family and friends – the whole reason we started this business. You might even find your perfect dram. After all, our 100th ever release is here for you. You’d hope we’ve learnt a thing or two by now.

Now, our new releases always move fast, so as much as we don’t like to push you, if you want to get a bottle, you’d be wise to get it ordered fairly sharp-ish, as some are extremely limited. We hope you enjoy these incredible drams as much as we are already. Below is a run-through of the details of (and the reason for) each bottle, but if it’s easier, you can shop all of them right here:

SHOP NOW

We’re all incredibly excited (as we hope you’ll be) to announce the launch of our brand new merch store featuring t-shirts, hoodies, jackets and more. This collection of cask strength clobber is inspired by whisky, flavour and Society spirit and is ready to order from today.

We’ve worked with a fabulous local partner here in Scotland to design this new collection. They’ll make each item to order and ship it directly to you – wherever you and your whisky pals are in the world. The merch store is separate from smws.com, so orders, delivery and returns are handled by them rather than the Society.

The range has been created using sustainable materials including organic cotton and recycled fabrics. There are also options to customise some of the new gear with your favourite flavour profile.

Take a look and see what you think!

SHOP NEW SOCIETY MERCH

One of our new Society shirts, as seen on Richard Goslan in our latest documentary, Scotch & Smoke – now screening. Watch it below.

WATCH IT HERE

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

ralfy review 1152 Extras – It’s November and Whisky season.

Maker’s Mark Goes Further for Flavor With its First-Ever Whisky Finished with Japanese Mizunara Oak Staves

Building on the brand’s pioneering wood finishing legacy, Maker’s Mark’s World Wood Collection launches ahead of Holiday 2026 exclusively in airports around the globe  

LORETTO, Ky., Maker’s Mark, the iconic handmade Kentucky bourbon, today announced the World Wood Collection, a new Global Travel Retail-exclusive series celebrating the influence of exceptional oak from around the world. The inaugural release, Expedition 01, marks the first Maker’s Mark whisky to feature three oak finishes across three continents: Japanese Mizunara, French and American white oak staves.

The World Wood Collection represents the evolution of Maker’s Mark’s wood finishing philosophy, first introduced with Maker’s Mark 46, which demonstrated how oak staves could unlock new dimensions of flavor in bourbon while remaining true to the brand’s handmade heritage.  Maker’s Mark has long treated oak as a key ingredient—not simply a container for its whisky, and has invested in advancing both the art of wood finishing and the stewardship of American white oak at Star Hill Farm.

“At Maker’s Mark, we celebrate bourbon as an agricultural product and the universe of flavor that can be unlocked through nature—water, wheat, oak and time,” said Rob Samuels, managing director and eighth-generation whisky maker. “That belief has long guided our commitment to sustainable forestry and to protecting the future of American white oak. Through intentional wood finishing, The World Wood Collection explores exceptional oak from around the world to create a whisky that expands the boundaries of flavor while staying true to our craft.”

Expedition 01 brings together Japanese Mizunara, French and American white oak, with each whisky individually finished before being expertly blended into a single expression. The result is a complex, balanced whisky in which every oak contributes its own distinctive character.

• Japanese Mizunara oak contributes delicate floral notes and subtle umami complexity.

• American white oak delivers sweet vanilla notes, brightness and a rounded character.

• French oak introduces warm baking spice, caramel richness and an elegant, lingering finish.

“Expedition 01 represents the kind of premium, story-driven whisky experience that resonates with today’s global travelers,” said Vanessa Widmann, managing director for Global Travel Retail at Suntory Global Spirits. “With its exclusive availability in Global Travel Retail, distinctive oak-forward story and premium presentation, it offers travelers a rare opportunity to discover a truly unique expression from Maker’s Mark — one that celebrates craftsmanship, exploration and the influence of exceptional oak.”

Available exclusively through Global Travel Retail ahead of Holiday 2026, Expedition 01 is bottled at 1L and 47.5% ABV and presented in premium packaging inspired by the distinctive grain of each oak species, reinforcing the collection’s focus on craftsmanship and discovery.

The limited-edition expression will be available beginning today in New York (JFK), London (LHR), Istanbul (SAW), Perth (PER), and Bengaluru (BLR) through Avolta retail outlets for the suggested retail price of $84.99.

For more information, visit www.makersmark.com.

ABOUT MAKER’S MARK

Maker’s Mark® is the iconic handmade Kentucky bourbon driven by a vision for better flavor and a better world. In 1953, founders Margie and Bill Samuels, Sr. broke from tradition—burning the family’s 170-year-old recipe to create a bold, balanced bourbon made with soft red winter wheat for signature sweetness and creaminess. From the start, the Samuels went to remarkable lengths to craft uncompromisingly delicious bourbon—a perfectly unreasonable spirit that endures today. Every bottle is still hand-dipped in red wax, every barrel rotated by hand and every decision guided by the brand’s higher purpose.

Staying true to its founders’ vision, Maker’s Mark has expanded its portfolio with award-winning, super-premium expressions, including Maker’s Mark 46, Cask Strength, and Cellar Aged, as well as Private Selection, the brand’s custom barrel program. In 2025, the distillery debuted Star Hill Farm Whisky. Named World’s Best Wheat Whisky and the first to earn Estate Whiskey certification, Star Hill Farm Whisky inspired the Maker’s Mark Regenerative Alliance, a bold commitment to advance regenerative farming beyond its business.

Maker’s Mark is proud to be both B Corp and Regenified Certified – milestones driven by the sustainability leadership at Star Hill Farm, home of the Maker’s Mark Distillery, which strives to be the most endearing, culturally rich and environmentally responsible homeplace in the world.

A Good Old-Fashioned Christmas Whisky 200916 Year Old 2026 Edition

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

The Whisky Exchange

70cl / 55%

£79.95

The 2026 edition of our highly anticipated exclusive Christmas whisky is here! Selected with great care, this 16-year-old Highland single malt was distilled at Linkwood and aged in American oak oloroso sherry hogsheads, for a dram that’s deeply evocative of all those rich festive flavours we love. You can look forward to ample notes of dried fruit, jam, gingerbread, fruitcake, baked apples and Christmas pudding – just the thing to sip and savour with friends and family.

Billy Abbott, The Whisky Exchange

Nose

Raisin Danish pastries, sultanas, rich fruit cake and spiced sponge, with building jammy notes: cherry, blackcurrant and apricot. Gingerbread spiciness develops along with clove, brown sugar and cinnamon. Mixed peel fruitiness hides at the back on top of a pool of rich and sticky black treacle.

Palate

Bright and fruity, with layers of underlying spice. We start with baked apples with cinnamon and cloves, stewed raisins and sultanas, and sticky dates. Hints of savoury damp oak are balanced by dark sugar sweetness and fruit-forward dark chocolate. Chewy spiced oatmeal and raisin cookie batter hide at the core, surrounded by Christmas pudding and more berry jam.

Finish

Rich fruit cake lingers, fading to leave baked apples, blackcurrant jam and dark oaky spice.

The Homecoming Collection fuses whisky and creativity, celebrating the liquid art of whisky-making with the illustrations of Leith-based artist, Shona Hardie. This ultimate whisky flight will take you on a journey to reconnect with the heritage of Leith and our spiritual home, The Vaults. The full four-bottle Homecoming Collection is now available online.

TAKE A LOOK

CASK NO. 28.119

Spice it up after dark

We combined selected casks of eight-year-old single malt from this distillery and put the spirit into various other casks to marry and mature – this is one of those. The nose indicated caramel and dark chocolate, cheroots, leather, nutmeg and a spicy, citrus, earthy aftershave. The palate’s deep sweetness of marmalade, manuka, currants, raisins and chocolate mousse preceded a finish of dry oak, black coffee, goatskin wine, cinnamon and ginger. The reduced nose offered black tea, roasted beetroot, sawdust, rancio and humidors. Continued sweetness on the palate, now in the form of sugared almonds, honey and pastel de nata, balanced the liquorice, anise and clove that tingled in the finish.

Please note that these bottles are 35cl in size, making them perfect for exploring and enjoying a wider variety of whiskies. They are smaller than our standard 70cl bottles. £39.00

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

SAMPLE IMAGE!

Pursuit United 10 Year 4 Months “Double Oaked” K&L Exclusive Toasted American Oak Finished Single Barrel Cask Strength Rye Whiskey

(700ml)
$69.99

View

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

A Weller Vertical

THE VIDEO

Time to put the wheaters against each-other!

I’ve always loved Weller, and I was so sad when it turned into this secondary market trading bottle. Luckily, it’s now back on shop shelves with nearly the entire rainbow available for purchase.

In this video we’ll go through the Weller Special Reserve, Weller 12 Year Old, Weller 107 Antique and the Weller Full Proof.

Some surprising reactions and pricing listed throughout the video of exactly what I paid for these bottles. What’s your favourite Weller release? Is there a retailer who always nails the best store picks? Or is it best to just go for the normal releases?

Whisky Reviews every Wednesday
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