Big Peat RAF Edition raises funds for charity

by Melita Kiely

Family-owned whisky bottler Douglas Laing has released a limited edition Big Peat blended malt to raise money for the RAF Benevolent Fund charity, called Big Peat The RAF Edition.

Bottled at 46% abv without caramel colouring or chill-filtration, Big Peat The RAF Edition comprises a blend of Islay malt whiskies, including liquid from Caol Ila, Bowmore, Ardbeg and Port Ellen. Douglas Laing will donate £5 (US$6.50) from each bottle of the blended malt sold to the RAF Benevolent Fund, which is celebrating 100 years of offering financial, practical and emotional support to serving and former members of the RAF and their families. Only 1,919 bottles have been created, priced at RRP of £48.99 (US$64). The bottle design features Big Peat in the original RAF uniform, wearing a leather flying helmet, shearling jacket with commemorative pin badge and a white silk scarf. A Sopwith Camel plane carries a banner that reads “1919-2019” to mark the charity’s existence. Fred Laing, Douglas Laing chairman, said: “My father’s service in the RAF will long be a source of great pride for our family, and our unwavering desire is to honour his legacy, both in our charitable efforts and our commitment to building the Scotch whisky business he founded. “With £5 per bottle of this new release being channelled directly to the charity, we look forward to presenting our friends at the RAF with a cheque in the near future.” This release follows Douglas Laing’s Clan Denny Braeval Spitfire whisky, which launched in 2013, and the donation of an XOP Port Ellen single malt, which raised thousands of pounds for the RAF Benevolent Fund.