Here’s the third in a set of three Old Particular whiskies from one of the great indy distillers, Douglas Laing. Each bottling of the series is from a single cask so number of bottles available are quite limited.

I find Bunnahabhain single casks to be a bit hit and miss. There’s usually some interesting perfumed aromas but they don’t always work for me so I’m hopeful this one’s a hit. Either way, it’ll be interesting!

Nose: Fairy washing up liquid? Quite musky (like a cologne), with a little bit of armpit smell, lemon peel, waxed leather, and coltsfoot rock.

Palate: Sweet, soapy sea-water. Halls Soother throat sweets. Bitter grapefruit and stewed black tea with a dash of muddy peat.

Finish: Salty Marmite and cold ashes.

Really unusual this one. Soapy and perfumed with a little sweet and salt thrown in for flavour. Definitely more a thinker, than a drinker.

Imagine yourself in an airport. You’ve got a cold so you had tea, throat sweets and a citrus-rich breakfast with Marmite on toast. You sneak off to the toilets for a cheeky fag and then wash your hands before checking out the perfume section of duty free.

Wow, you don’t often get whisky like this. I don’t know if I like it, but I like the journey it’s sent my tastebuds on and a good reminder of the adventure of drinking single cask expressions.

Bravo, Douglas Laing.

You can get samples (and bottles) of the Old Particular range from www.MasterOfMalt.com.