Douglas Laing has unveiled a special bottling of its Big Peat Scotch whisky brand for Fèis Ìle 2022, Big Peat Beach BBQ. Bottled at a natural cask strength of 54.2% ABV, the release is limited to just 3,000 bottles.
“An authentic Scottish summer doesn’t always bring blue skies and golden rays, but come rain or shine, our feisty Ileach fisherman is ready to embrace a smoke-filled beach barbecue in celebration of Fèis Ìle,” said marketing director Cara Laing. “Hand-selected for their charred meat, salty sea-air flavour profile, this remarkable limited edition is a marriage of Single Cask Single Malts, only from Islay. Big Peat looks forward to headlining the Islay Festival with a series of tasting events, both in person and online, bringing the true taste of Islay to whisky enthusiasts the world over. After all, he is Seriously Committed to SMOKE!”
The tasting notes suggest that imbibers should “anticipate salty sea spray, beach bonfire smoke and a punch of sweet peat.” The brand recommends pairing the Scotch with well-charred meat, “the juicy flavours of the sizzling meat enhance the spirit’s sweeter side, before packing a satisfyingly long and peaty finish.”
The limited edition whisky comes packaged in a gift tube, with the brand’s “signature” yellow colourways complemented by deep navy. Big Peat himself is shown at the helm of the barbeque, grilling smoky meats to pair with his Islay Malt, amidst a tempestuous Hebridean rainstorm.
In support of the launch, Big Peat partnered with Peatzeria, a pizza joint in Islay’s capital of Bowmore. Together, they’ll host two exclusive, now sold-out tasting sessions during Fèis Ìle, where ticket holders will get the chance to sample different Big Peat expressions and even an extremely old and rare Port Ellen Malt, paired with fresh local delicacies.
Big Peat Beach BBQ Edition is priced at £55 ($69 USD) and available via Douglas Laing’s official website as well as specialist whisky retailers in the UK, Europe, and Asia.
This year’s Fèis Ìle runs May 27 through June 4, and will be held in person for the first time since 2020.
Ardbeg unveiled a special, limited-edition for this year’s Fèis Ìle 2022 called Ardcore. Kilchoman also launched a special-edition for the festival, its first ever 16-year-old whisky.