Hunter Laing to launch Scarabus at Fèis IÌe

Family-owned Scotch bottler, blender and distiller Hunter Laing & Co has unveiled its 2019 Fèis Ìle whisky – Scarabus Specially Selected.

Scarabus Specially Selected will be available to sample at the company’s recently opened Islay distillery, Ardnahoe, during the festival, which will take place from 24 May to 1 June. The whisky will be available globally from mid-June, priced at RRP £38 (US$48) per 700ml. The name ‘Scarabus’ means ‘rocky place’ in Nordic, and is named after a “mystical” part of Islay. The whisky is said to have aromas of Islay peat smoke and sea salt, with leather notes, stewed rhubarb and vanilla on the palate. Scarabus carries the mantra “only those who seek shall find”, and its design features symbols that are “intentionally ambiguous”. The design was part inspired by Islay-born John Francis Campbell, who created the sunshine recorder, a piece of equipment that keeps track of the number of hours of sunshine in a day. Scott Laing, business development director, said: “Our new release is bottled at 46% [abv] and will be available in 70cl, 75cl and 1l in the UK and international markets, as well as in selected travel retail and duty free stores. “We are very proud of the first release from the Scarabus range and are confident we will receive a positive reaction at the festival.”