Independent bottler Douglas Laing has been weathering the dry years (decades?) of the single-malt boom by making its name on blended malt whiskies such as Timorous Beastie, Rock Island, and Big Peat. The bottler still puts out excellent casks of single malt under its Old Particular label, and I have been very pleasantly surprised by the value offered by some of them. That said, it's a dry time for independent bottlers because there is so little ?extra? scotch lying around in warehouses for them to snap up, resulting in a corresponding drop in quality (or, more commonly, a drastic rise in price) across the whole independent market. Some bottlers, like Gordon and MacPhail, have decided to stop trying to beat them and joined them via the purchase of a distillery (Benromach), while others such as Douglas's brother Hunter Laing have gone a different route and started building a distillery (Ardnahoe) to stay in the game. In fact, Douglas Laing is also building a distillery in Glasgow called Clutha which should begin distillation this year. Big Peat has been a cult favorite of sorts, with early batches raising acclaim from younger whisky drinkers that associate the brand with a departure from old, staid scotch norms. The brand's mascot is a windblown bearded cartoon Ileach (that's the word for a Scot who lives on Islay) who looks more at home on a cereal box than a whisky bottle and helps to convey this bucking of tradition. The special cask-strength Christmas bottlings that depict Big Peat dressed up as Santa Claus are especially amusing. Nose: Initial aroma is puzzling. Dry white wine, blanco tequila, and a distinct lack of peat. A rest in the glass opens up a little peat in the form of classic ocean-influenced brine and distant campfire smoke. Emphasis on ?little?. Palate: Slightly syrupy body. The peat is more evident here, with a lot of earthy/fungal peat and a touch of smolder. Dry, with only a hint of bland simple-syrup for sweetness. Finish: Medium-long. A swath of menthol and a hint of orange peel. The same peat notes from the palate continue here, but fade without change. A ghost of cherry or tart plum concludes the finish.