Cara Laing: ‘We’ve been selecting and blending casks since 1948’

Tuesday, 18 November 2025 at 08:12

At Douglas Laing, whisky is bottled “as the Distiller intended”: no colouring, no chill filtration, and always with an emphasis on integrity, character and quality. Whisky Monkeys had an interview with Cara Laing, who heads up the family business.

First of all, people say the whisky landscape is quite turbulent these days. How are things going for you?

It’s certainly a dynamic time in whisky, but we’re in a good place. As a family business, we’ve always been nimble and able to make quick decisions, which is an advantage when the market shifts. We’re seeing continued enthusiasm for authentic, high-quality Scotch, and that plays to our strengths. While the landscape is competitive, there’s a real appetite for what we do - genuine, small-batch, characterful whiskies with real provenance.

Which countries are showing the strongest growth within your portfolio?

We’re seeing particularly strong growth in Japan, the Netherlands and France at the moment. Each of these markets has a deep appreciation for quality and craftsmanship, and consumers there are really engaging with the stories behind our brands. Japan continues to value authenticity and detail, the Netherlands has a thriving community of curious whisky drinkers who love to explore and France remains one of Europe’s most passionate and knowledgeable whisky markets.

What are the biggest challenges at the moment?

The logistics and costs of doing business globally have become more complex, from packaging supply chains to international shipping. At the same time, competition has intensified, with many new entrants to the category. For us, the challenge is continuing to cut through the noise and ensure our message of quality, honesty, and family craftsmanship is heard. Maintaining consistency in quality as we scale is something we take incredibly seriously, it’s non-negotiable.

How does it feel to be steering the family business?

It’s incredibly rewarding but I would be lying if I didn’t acknowledge it’s incredibly challenging at times as well. You don’t get the opportunity to switch off – I no longer remember how to turn on my email out of office – you live and breathe the business and the industry but thankfully I love Scotch whisky, the business and the industry which helps a lot.

How much room is there for creativity in blending versus staying true to the house style?

There’s a wonderful balance between the two. Our house style is the foundation, it ensures that when someone pours a Douglas Laing whisky, they know what to expect in terms of quality, depth and character. But within that framework, there’s definitely room for creativity. Each cask brings its own quirks and part of the art of blending is knowing how to let those individual characteristics shine without losing the DNA of the brand. We’ll experiment with different cask finishes or proportions from time to time, but never at the expense of authenticity. Innovation should enhance the story, not rewrite it.

When do you know if a cask or blend is truly a “Douglas Laing whisky”?

It’s a combination of instinct, experience and emotion. We’ve been selecting and blending casks since 1948 and over time you develop a deep understanding of what fits our house style. A Douglas Laing whisky has to have personality, it should tell a story in the glass. We take a real quality first approach based more on feeling and taste as opposed to a set “formula” – we look for balance, depth and individuality.

Is there a specific bottling you’re personally most proud of, and why?

Scallywag is very close to my heart and probably also my go-to “daily dram”. It was one of the first Douglas Laing brands I developed alongside Fred – from the packaging to the name and the all-important blend make-up itself, it was a blank canvas and one that I still get a real excitements from seeing on-shelf around the world. Plus I am a real dog lover!

What do you think of the growing interest in single cask releases and transparency about provenance?

We absolutely welcome it - in fact, we’ve been championing that approach for decades. Whisky lovers today want to know where their dram comes from, how it’s matured, and why it tastes the way it does. Transparency builds trust and Single Cask bottlings are the purest expression of that philosophy. Each one is unique, never to be repeated and it allows us to celebrate the individuality of Scotland’s many distilleries.

What is your fondest whisky memory?

So many!! Too many to select just one but I guess one that really stands out and is recent, is putting together batch 1 of Strathearn Single Malt.

Ironically it was a huge exercise in blending… ironic for a Single Malt – but we had some many Single Casks of Strathearn and created so many pilot blends before eventually finding the one which was exactly what we were hoping to achieve. It was a great feeling and to taste it many months later at a bar in Singapore as part of the launch of Strathearn was a really special moment.

What would you say to people who think established brands are better than independents?

I’d say we’re both important parts of the same ecosystem. Established distillery brands do a brilliant job of introducing people to Scotch, but independents like us offer the next step - the opportunity to explore depth, diversity and discovery. As a family-owned company, we have access to incredible stocks from across Scotland and the freedom to bottle them on their own merit. For many drinkers, that journey from big brands to independent bottlers is what keeps their passion for whisky alive.

(…) My main area of focus just now is to dispel the negative view of Blended Malts. I dream of the day when consumers are open to the many, many, many virtues of a great Blended Malt.

Favourite whisky: Got to be Scallywag but that’s probably also because we’re coming into winter!
Number of drams per week: At least 15 but that includes tasting samples!
Most fun bottle in your collection: I have the 3 Paps of Jura bottlings – they were my first bit of Whisky NPD
Most expensive whisky you’ve ever tried: Lucky enough to have tried various Bowmore’s from the early 1960’s
Whisky country to keep an eye on: For us, there’s a big focus on Australia
Whisky you wish you’d created yourself: I love Aberlour A’Bunadh
Least favourite whisky: Too polite to answer that one!