DOUGLAS LAING REVEALS ROCK ISLAND MEZCAL CASK EDITION
DOUGLAS LAING REVEALS ROCK ISLAND MEZCAL CASK EDITION
蘇格蘭知名的獨立威士忌蒸餾商、調和與裝瓶品牌 Douglas Laing & Co，推出全新限量版作品——Rock Island Mezcal Cask Finished Island Malt Scotch Whisky。
這款作品全球限量不超過 1,500 瓶，以鮮明的綠、藍與橙色包裝搭配溫暖的金色箔印細節，被形容為「完美契合夏季」的風味。瓶身設計中除了經典的洛克島牡蠣圖案，還增添了特製的龍舌蘭植物插畫，象徵文化的融合——「從蘇格蘭西海岸的迷人海岸線，到墨西哥陽光普照的梅斯卡蒸餾廠」。
原版的 Rock Island Malt Scotch Whisky 是由蘇格蘭群島上四個名島——奧克尼（Orkney）、艾倫（Arran）、朱拉（Jura）與艾雷島（Islay）——的單桶單一麥芽威士忌調和而成。這款酒以其「兼具海洋氣息與甜、鹹、煙燻及泥土的複雜層次」聞名，並屢獲國際殊榮，包括舊金山世界烈酒大賽（San Francisco World Spirits Competition）的雙金牌。
為打造 Rock Island Mezcal Cask Finish，品牌團隊將經典配方的酒液置入前Mezcal酒桶中進行二次熟成。所謂「Mezcal」意即「烤熟的龍舌蘭」，是源自墨西哥的一種烈酒。這種酒的製程是先將龍舌蘭心在地窯中烘烤，再使其煙燻汁液自然發酵，接著經雙重蒸餾並在橡木桶中熟成，最終形成具煙燻香氣的獨特梅斯卡酒。
品牌經理 Rebecca Fennell 表示：
「2019 年，蘇格蘭威士忌技術文件修改後，首次允許使用曾盛裝梅斯卡的酒桶進行熟成。Rock Island 原本就帶有自然的煙燻特質，因此我們想嘗試將傳統的美國橡木熟成酒液進行二次熟成，看能否激盪出新的風味。結果遠超預期——酒體依然保有典型的蘇格蘭海鹽與蜂巢蜜香氣，卻也融入了明顯的烤龍舌蘭風味，並收以微微煙燻的尾韻，迷人又平衡。」
秉持 Douglas Laing 家族「自然純淨」 的理念，這款 Rock Island Mezcal Cask Edition 不添加人工色素、不經冷凝過濾，以 46.8% 高酒精濃度裝瓶。
品飲筆記
聞香（Nose）： 以蘇格蘭海鹽與烤龍舌蘭的煙香為主軸，帶出酸甜的醋栗與清新的花香調。
口感（Palate）： 口感柔順、帶有大麥的甜味與淡淡泥土氣息，伴隨燒烤肉類的香氣。
餘韻（Finish）： 優雅且帶海洋風情，夾雜柑橘、水潤的黑莓與蜂巢糖的甜香。
Independent Scotch Whisky distillers, blenders and bottlers, Douglas Laing & Co, today unveil a new Limited Edition: Rock Island Mezcal Cask Finished Island Malt Scotch Whisky.
Strictly limited to no more than 1,500 bottles, the new release is said to be “perfect for summer” and carries vibrant green, blue and orange colourways complemented by warm gold foil detail. Bespoke agave plant illustrations feature alongside the classic Rock Island oyster, symbolising the meeting of contrasting cultures: “From the idyllic shores of Scotland’s west coast” to “the sun-drenched Mezcal distilleries located in the heart of Mexico”.
The original Rock Island Malt Scotch Whisky is a marriage of Single Cask Single Malts distilled only on Scotland’s Whisky islands of Orkney, Arran, Jura and Islay. The resulting spirit is said to “boast a complex balance of maritime flavours, revealing waves of sweet, salty, smoky and earthy notes”, and accordingly has been decorated with a number of high-profile industry awards over the years, including Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
In creating the new Rock Island Mezcal Cask Finish, the family firm subjected the classic Rock Island recipe to a secondary maturation period in ex-Mezcal casks. Meaning “oven-cooked agave”, Mezcal is a Mexican spirit derived from the agave plant. The heart of the plant is first cooked underground, then the smoked juices are left to ferment, before being double distilled and matured in oak casks to create the final, smoky spirit.
Commenting on the new innovation, Brand Manager Rebecca Fennell said:
“In 2019, an amendment to the Scotch Whisky Technical File was published, and for the first time ever, casks which had previously held Mezcal were permitted for the maturation of Scotch Whisky. Rock Island has a naturally smoky character, so for us, it was a fascinating experiment to subject the classic American Oak-aged recipe to a secondary maturation in these exotic casks. The resulting spirit has exceeded all of our expectations – it’s retained that archetypal Scottish sea salt and honeycomb quality, yet taken on an unmistakable roasted agave note, running to a signature lightly smoked finish.”
In line with the Douglas Laing family’s “as natural as it gets” ethos, Rock Island Mezcal Cask Edition is offered without added colouring or chill-filtration, and at a high alcohol strength of 46.8%.
Tasting notes:
Nose: Opens with Scottish sea salt and roasted Mexican agave balanced by tangy gooseberries and fresh floral notes.
Palate: Barley-sweet and super smooth moving to an earthy, light smoked style alongside barbecued meats.
Finish: Oceanic and elegant, with citrus fruits, juicy blackberries and honeycomb.
