Us Dutchies love to cycle, something Douglas Laing has taken note of as well. Just last month they launched the Scallywag Dutch Bicycle Edition, part of the brand’s Adventure Series.
Scallywag has similar issues as sister-brand Big Peat. The branding is world-class, the liquid is generally good, but the releases all sort of start to blend together. (No pun intended.) According to the label, the Scallywag Dutch Bicycle Edition has a “big sherry influence”, but otherwise there’s no discerning detail on the contents of this bottle.
I’m trying to think of what excites me about this release. It’s not much. The label is cool-ish, but not so eye-catching that it would convince me to buy a bottle. (To be fair, no label is.) Then again, I might not be the brand’s target audience. The branding could very well resonate with whisky drinkers who religiously follow the Tour de France or professional cycling in general.
What I wonder is how the Scallywag Dutch Bicycle Edition differs from this Scallywag The Chocolate Edition, for example. They’re both bottled at the same strength without an age statement and a sherry-forward profile. If branding is the only way to hook consumers, then I’m not so sure.
Scallywag Dutch Bicycle Edition (48%, Douglas Laing, 480 bts.)
Nose: A young-ish, prickly, almost fizzy sherry profile. Some fresh red berries, and maybe even some rhubarb, alongside sweeter notes like fudge and toffee. Gentle spices linger in the background, mainly white pepper, but also cloves.
Taste: Moderately creamy mouthfeel. Quite a bit of oak spices (ginger) upon arrival, but also buttery notes of Werther’s Original, followed by meringues and almond oil. Finally a few candied red fruits.
Finish: Medium length. Lingering spices, crème caramel and buttercream icing.
Sample provided by De Monnik Dranken
