This Douglas Laing whisky has a sweet link with a famous poet (Review)

Independent bottler Douglas Laing has every region of Scotland covered with its Remarkable Regional Malts. Timorous Beastie Highland Blended Malt is their ode to the Highlands. In this Timorous Beastie Review we find out whether this little mouse is anything to be afraid of.

Independent bottler Douglas Laing represents the Highlands with the blended malt Timorous Beastie by marrying a range of Highland whiskies. This whisky is a blend of well-known, carefully selected malts from, among others, Glen Garioch, Blair Athol, Dalmore and Glengoyne.

The story behind Timorous Beastie comes from the 1785 poem ‘To a Mouse, on turning Her Up in Her Nest with the Plough’ by the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns. Legend has it that Burns was ploughing his field when he accidentally destroyed a field mouse’s nest. The poor mouse was, of course, terrified after being so abruptly rendered homeless by the poet.

Burns then wrote the poem, in which he has the mouse offer its apologies and immortalizes exactly what happened. The poem and its backstory were enough for Douglas Laing to build a whisky brand around, taking its name from the poem’s opening words: ‘tim’rous beastie’

A classic Highland whisky is marked by gentle sweetness and floral, heathery aromas. With Timorous Beastie, Douglas Laing has created a whisky that captures both. Like all Douglas Laing releases, it is non-chill filtered and bottled without added color or flavoring. Its very pale hue suggests a very young bottling, which makes the nose and palate all the more surprising.

Timorous Beastie greets the nose as a very sweet Highland whisky with notes of ripe fruit and a touch of malt. The longer you nose it, the more a subtle spicy undertone emerges. A few drops of water help it open up, bringing the floral notes into sharper focus.

On the palate, Timorous Beastie is anything but a timid little mouse. You’ll find bold flavors of fruit like apricot, malt, and some floral influences. As on the nose, there’s a hint of spice and herbs. That spice quickly melts into a soft, sweet malt character, with raisin-like notes and fruit that grow progressively sweeter until you reach a fudge-like finish.

The peppery kick has long faded by the time you reach the short, very gentle finish, so fleeting you almost wonder if it was ever there. Timorous Beastie isn’t exactly shy on the palate, but it doesn’t dig very deep either. It glides over your tongue, delivers fruit, malt, and a tiny prickle of spice, and then merrily moves on.

Douglas Laing’s Timorous Beastie is a whisky whose floral, lightly spiced, and fruity tones do indeed evoke the Highlands. It’s predominantly gentle on the palate, offering a good snapshot of what to expect from whiskies in this region. While a sip will transport you to the Highlands, this little mouse won’t leave a lasting impression.

It’s gone as quickly as it arrives and that’s not a bad thing. It’s simply a fine whisky for everyday sipping.

+ A solid daily dram

+ Gentle on the palate

+ A touch of spice

- Doesn’t say goodbye

Image: Douglas Laing.