This is the travel retail exclusive version of Douglas Laing’s Timorous Beastie blended Scotch whisky. It comes with a slightly higher 48% ABV compared to 46.8% ABV for the classic version. The whisky is named after the ‘timorous beastie’ in Robert Burns’ famous Scots poem “To a Mouse”. The Timorous Beastie is a blended malt created using only single malts from Highland distilleries. It typifies the sweeter fruit-forward, honeyed and vanilla style of the region.
Timorous Beastie forms part of Douglas Laing’s Remarkable Regional Malts range of blended malts. All feature malts from distilleries located within a certain region of Scotland. In addition to Timorous Beastie and its Highlands flavours there are Big Peat (Islay), The Epicurean (Lowlands), Rock Island (Islands) and Scallywag (Speyside). Timorous Beastie was first launched in 2014.
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).
Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim’rous beastie,
To a Mouse – Robert Burns
O, what a panic’s in thy breastie!
The Timorous Beastie Global Traveller’s Edition is available in a one litre bottle through travel retail in selected countries. It retails for around £43/ €50.
Our Tasting Notes
This is a deep golden coloured whisky. Initially on the nose there is an abundance of caramel, milk chocolate, vanilla custard, and nutty praline. There is also plenty of fresh green apple with lemon zest, plus fresh rhubarb. Orange peel and further lemon zest round out the fruitiness with deeper character. Finally there is a gentle icing sugar sweetness plus a herbal nature, like freshly mown grass that has been left in the sun.
On the palate this whisky has crisp green apples with orange juice from concentrate at the start, along with malty chocolate and fudge. This opens up with sweet vanilla spice as well as dusty spices like clove and nutmeg. The milky chocolate note evolves be become stronger with time. Finally there is some bittersweet plum, like green gage plums or Japanese pickled plums, alongside white pepper.
The mid-length finish is full of oak woodiness, which is drying and almost ashy (despite there being no peat in this whisky). There are also slightly bitter green apple skins with icing sugar and crystalised honey. Finally there is a hint of tobacco and menthol.
What’s The Verdict?
Timorous Beastie certainly carries the character of the Highlands by being robust, malty and chocolate. There was not as much fruit as we expected, delivering bright green apples rather than anticipated juicy tropical flavours. But on the other hand there was loads of delicious honey and malt. If you like the Highland style and are a fan of easy drinking whiskies this one is for you. This bottle gives you a lot of whisky for your money. Grab one on your next trip.
