Review | Scallywag Global Traveller’s Edition

This bottling is the travel retail exclusive version of the popular Scallywag blended malt from Douglas Laing. The whisky is named in honour of the cheeky fox terrier dogs owned by the Douglas Laing family. The Scallywag is a blended malt created using only single malts from Speyside distilleries matured predominantly in Spanish Sherry cask. It is released in genuinely small batches. Scallywag’s style typifies the rich, dark fruits, chocolate and spices character found in many whiskies from the Speyside region.

Scallywag forms part of Douglas Laing’s Remarkable Regional Malts range of blended malts. All feature only single malts from distilleries located within a certain region. In addition to Scallywag and its Speyside flavours there are Big Peat (Islay), The Epicurean (Lowlands), Rock Island (Islands) and Timorous Beastie (Highlands). Scallywag was first launched in 2013 with this duty free version first made available in 2022.

Douglas Laing was established in 1948. It remains to this day an independent, family owned business in its third generation. They focus on independently bottling Scotch whisky and other spirits. They also own Strathearn Distillery, which they acquired in 2019, and are in the process of building a new distillery in Glasgow. Their ranges include single casks (with the Exceptional Single Cask and Old Particular ranges) and specialist selections (such as a Rangers FC bottling).

Scallywag Global Traveller’s Edition is bottled at 48% and available in a large one litre bottle from selected duty free stores for €65.

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Our Tasting Notes

This is a bright golden coloured whisky. On the nose this whisky has plenty of maltiness and fruitiness. There are apricots, oranges and zesty lemon plus a hint of bright youthful brambles. Sweetness comes in the form of milk chocolate and rich fudge. There is also a sweet nut praline with a bold dash of cinnamon and nutmeg.

To taste this whisky it opens up with dark chocolate and toasted nuts. There is plenty of confected fruit like blackberry jam and red apple baked in red wine. Plus there is a hint of dried apricots and a dash of lime juice. Cereal flavours resemble oat cookies or maybe honeyed cornflakes. The finish maintains the chocolate and fudge sweetness plus adds in plenty of dusty baking spices.

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What’s The Verdict?

Scallywag is a whisky that without doubt offers up the style that is promised on the label. It feels like blending the malts gives reliability and consistency for this whisky. This doesn’t however convert into being the most complex whisky on the market. To buy a one litre bottle for €65 is great value, so if you are a fan of easy drinking Speyside whiskies it would be one to keep an eye open for.