The Epicurean (Douglas Laing) 46.2% abv

As I mentioned in my previous post about the Timorous Beastie, I also purchased the rest of the regional malts range from Douglas Laing.
So after my experience with the highland blend I decided to try the brand new lowland blend. The Epicurean is the latest addition to the range from Douglas Laing, with the marketing based on a 1930’s Glaswegian gentleman full of daring do and a passion for the finest things in life.
With the expression just being released this month (April) there is not much information regarding the malts used in the vatting of this blend. All the information released from Douglas Laing let’s you know that they have sourced the best lowland malts from the east to the west of Scotland, all non chill filtered and without colouring with no distilleries being named.

Nose: Floral honey notes, barley, a hint of lime, a fresh cut meadow, some green apples, a faint almond note with a sweet herbal undertone. I suppose the best way to sum up this nose is a refreshing sunny spring day, So light and full of the joys of spring.

Palate: The freshness from the nose carries through to the palate, some zest of lime and a little ginger, then comes the sweetness with candid fruits pears etc and some sweet apples, I get a subtle dark chocolate note with a honey undertone, the wood has a presence towards the end, a very mouth coating feel almost creamy.

Finish: A refreshing spice with some zest that fades to woody finish, medium in length.

I’ve not tried many lowland malts and to be honest, I’ve not been inclined to rush out to try them. A few friends have told me I’m missing something very refreshing compared to most other malts. So when I decided to try the Epicurean rightly or wrongly, I was putting a lot of expectation on it with regards to my opinion on lowland malts.
It most definitely delivered and this is another great expression from Douglas Laing. It was so different but so familiar at the same time, full of complex flavours and refreshing to drink. I could see this being the drink of choice on those sunny days sat chatting with friends and family in the garden, it’s also a great champion for lowland distilleries.
Sláinte.