Douglas Laing & Co has today released both a Ruby Port Finished and Tawny Port Finished Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky as part of The Epicurean Wood Series.
The Epicurean’s fourth and fifth specialist Single Cask releases are bottled at a high alcohol strength of 48% and are proudly offered without chill-filtration. The 100% natural, rich colour of the spirit in each edition has been imparted by the Ruby Port or Tawny Port seasoned Single Cask used for maturing the award-winning Lowland Malt. With this innovative series, The Epicurean seeks to demonstrate that flavour is created throughout the Whisky-making process but most significantly during the interaction between the spirit and the wood when it is in the oak cask.
For both bottlings, The Epicurean Malt was first matured in premium American Oak before being re-racked into a hand-selected Ruby Port Single Cask or Tawny Port Single Cask for a second maturation period of more than twelve months. The result is a full-bodied Malt with layers of complexity and character.
Both the Ruby Port cask and Tawny Port cask originate from the Douro Valley in northern Portugal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest demarcated wine regions in the world.
Cara Laing, Director of Whisky, who hand-selected the casks commented: “The Epicurean is a master of versatility, his wonderfully fresh and vibrant Lowland character lends itself beautifully to experimentation with different wood finishes. The deep colour presented in each of these releases speaks for the intense flavour of the spirit. The Ruby Port Finish boasts an explosion of flavours including spices, milk chocolate and tangy raspberries; and The Tawny Port Finish embodies the vibrant taste of juicy pears, red wine and sweet almonds. We are delighted with the result of these bottlings and can’t wait to innovate with the next release in The Epicurean Wood Series.”