Originally crafted in homage to the Laing family’s Wire Fox Terriers and released in 2013, Scallywag continues to be popular across the globe and is sold in over 40 markets worldwide.

The company themselves have been doing pretty impressively, having been awarded Brand Innovators of the Year in 2016.

Taking a look at the brand, it really is no wonder. Alongside Scallywag, they have a collection of characters to represent their drams, including Big Peat and Timorous Beastie (although inspiration for this last one must of course go to the great Scottish Bard Robbie Burns).

Scallywag is just one of those characters but has proved to be a popular one, and with the release of Scallywag 2, it is set to become even more of a hit.

Bottled at cask strength and hailing from the Speyside region, Scallywag Cask Strength Batch 002 has been matured in Bourbon hogsheads and Spanish Sherry butts to give it a well-rounded and deep character.

It opens with a nose full of rich oaky tones and vanilla sweetness

The oak of the barrels can definitely be tasted and these wooded notes develop into a wonderfully spicy cinnamon and nutmeg combination.

There is a warming sensation before the dram has even been drunk.

These are found alongside a delightful vanilla sweetness that perfectly captures the terrier that emblazons the front of the bottle.

The vanilla and the cinnamon almost become one as they stem from the same oaky tones, but remain apart, complementing each other perfectly.

The palate is where the fullness of the dram’s character can really be tasted. It is big and meaty and allows each flavour to fully mature in the mouth.

The spices become garnishes to a big bowl of stewed fruits, full of apples and pear and brimming with flavour.

The vanilla is always present, giving a smooth, sweet flavour underneath it all.

On top of all this is a rich and mouth water dark chocolate flavour that adds a hint of bitterness to off set the sweet and tangy fruits.

These flavours all work in harmony and are a testament to the art of blending and the skill of the Douglas Laing blenders.

The dram finishes with a great injection of citrus tang, with orange zest especially coming through. This is wrapped up with a hint of dried fruit and a long, chocolaty linger.