Whisky Forum - Douglas Laing Benriach 18 y.o.

Tennessee Dave · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2011 4:42 pm Post subject: Douglas Laing Benriach 18 y.o.

I am new to the forum and just purchased the Douglas Laing Ben Riach bottling of the 18 y.o. Speyside. I can not find any tasting notes on this but I have read good reviews on the Ben Riach malts. Anyone know this malt?

Since my malt supply was getting a little low in addition to the above I also purchased the following:

Balvenie 17 Sherry Oak Cask
Aberlour d'Abunadh batch 32
Highland Park 12 (couldn't find the 18)
Springbank 10

I also have the batch 27 of the Aberlour, Talisker 10 and Macallan 18 in my cabinet along with a few select Van Winkle bourbons. I look forward to learning a lot from you guys here.
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Dave

Kenny M · Master Of Malts Joined: 21 Apr 2007 Posts: 860

Hi Dave and welcome to the forum.

Not sure if you already know, Douglas Laing is an Independent Bottler.
www.scotchmaltwhisky.co.uk/douglaslaing.htm

Would it be the Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Benriach 18 year old Cask No. 4278 that you have

If it is, not many people would have tasted it as it was a limited edition of only 235 bottles. Jim Murray rates it at 83.5/100 in his Whisky Bible.

This is the official tasting note from Douglas Laing:
Nose: Sweet with baked waffles + fruit + cream then herbal.
Palate: Rich, spicy and sweet runs to peppery hint of smoke.
Finish: Tangy with burnt oak and a bitter chocolate quality.

Tennessee Dave · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2011 6:36 pm Post subject:

No it is not that one. This bottling has a Green label that reads Douglas of Drumlanrig. Also has words From One Single Cask

Benriach Distillery Aged 18 years
Distilled February 1990 bottled September 2008
Speyside
Cask type: Refill Hogshead
Cask Reference #-LD 4652
Filled 150 Bottles
46% ABV
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Dave

Kenny M · Master Of Malts Joined: 21 Apr 2007 Posts: 860

Hi Dave and welcome to the SMW forum

That is a nice selection of Scotch malt whisky you have there, the Balvenie 17 Sherry Oak Cask and the Aberlour a'bunadh batch 32 are both excellent IMO. The Highland Park 12 is very good but keep an eye out for the 18 year old as it is superb.

Sorry i am not familiar with the Douglas of Drumlanrig Benriach

Grant M · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2011 10:56 pm Post subject:

Is this the bottle you are looking for info on? It is in a German whisky shop
BenRiach 1990 18 years Douglas of Drumlanrig

Tennessee Dave · Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 12:26 pm Post subject:

Carson · Master Of Malts Joined: 01 Jun 2009 Posts: 468

Keith · Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 3:50 pm Post subject:

I had no idea they done it like this. I assumed that the total number of bottles was the total number they got from the cask. If this is not the case it is a bit misleading Confused

Charlie · Master Of Malts Joined: 23 Sep 2008 Posts: 1411

Tennessee Dave · Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 7:36 pm Post subject:

I didn't know this either.
Here is a copy of the email

Good morning David

I acknowledge your query regarding a bottle of our Douglas of Drumlanrig you recently purchased.

Your bottle is genuine.

When we bottle for the US market we must bottle into 750ml bottles - the rest of the world accepts 700ml capacity.

On this particular bottling we only bottled 150 bottles as requested by the importer for the USA and that would leave us rather a lot in the cask if not then bottled.

The rest of the cask was then bottled for the rest of the world market into 700ml bottles.

I hope this clarifies and when you open the bottle I am confident that you will find the contents to be to your satisfaction.

In good spirits and thanks for your support from our family owned company.

Stewart H Laing
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Dave

Fergie · Master Of Malts Joined: 02 Dec 2006 Posts: 1750

I had no idea that it worked like this, i am surprised that this is the way that they do it.
Dave, I would have assumed the "Filled 150 Bottles" statement on your bottle meant that it was a total of 150 bottles from that cask. Anyway i hope you enjoy the BenRiach.

I have had both the Aberlour a'bunadh batch 27 and 32 and thought the batch 32 was way better IMO.

Samson · Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 2:18 am Post subject:

I also would have assumed "Filled 150 Bottles" meant that was the total from that barrel, it is a little misleading, although i am sure the whisky is very good it is not quite as limited as the description on the box/bottle suggests. I had no idea they done it like this, surely this isnt common practice or someone would have picked up on and mentioned it by now.

Tennessee Dave · Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 11:24 pm Post subject:

Blackadder · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 1:18 am Post subject:

Douglas Laing do some great whiskies, always one my favourites from DL would be their Port Ellen bottlings

Tennessee Dave · Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 9:04 pm Post subject: