Rock Island Introduces Rum Cask Edition: A Collaboration with Caribbean’s Plantation Rum
Douglas Laing & Co, an autonomous Scotch whisky business, has introduced a rum cask-finished variant to its Rock Island line.
The latest Rock Island Rum Cask Edition is crafted using rum casks obtained from Caribbean’s Plantation Rum, a brand under the French spirits conglomerate Maison Ferrand. These casks originate from Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad, and the whisky is a fusion of single cask single malts from the islands of Orkney, Arran, Jura, and Islay. The blend is presented at 46.8% ABV without any additional color or chill filtering.
The blended malt Rock Island was added to Douglas Laing’s Remarkable Regional Malts series in 2015 to honor Scotland’s island whiskies. Past variants have featured sherry cask editions, cask-strength bottlings, and a Mezcal cask-finished whisky in 2022.
Emma Reid, the Rock Island brand manager, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “Rock Island holds a special place at Douglas Laing, symbolizing the excellence of Scotland’s whisky-making islands. Collaborating with Plantation Rum, whose casks have been used to finish our island malt, is thrilling.”
She further highlighted the blend’s unique flavor profile, uniting the smoky essence of Scotland with the tropical warmth of the Caribbean, merging two legendary spirits.
Jonas Indesteege, Plantation Rum’s brand manager, added, “Alexandre Gabriel, the mind behind Plantation Rum, seizes every opportunity to explore the craft of fellow distillers, brewers, or zealous winemakers around the globe. These interactions cultivate genuine friendships and lead to creative collaborations, giving rise to distinct rums filled with innovation. While at Douglas Laing & Co, he discovered a genuine bond that sparked an extraordinary alliance.”
The Rock Island Rum Cask Edition is anticipated to sell for £65 and will be accessible worldwide.
