Scarabus, meaning ‘rocky place’ in Old Norse, is named after a mystical area of Islay and is described as a whisky for those with a curious mind and an eye for detail. The Scarabus Specially Selected tasting notes read: “Aromas of Islay peat smoke and sea salt, followed by warming leather notes, stewed rhubarb and a wonderful vanilla sweetness on the palate, leading to a rich lingering finish.”

The whisky creates a sense of mystery and discovery through the mantra “Only those who seek shall find”, with the symbols found on the bottle being intentionally ambiguous. The look and feel drew inspiration from the work of Islay born John Francis Campbell, who created the sunshine recorder, a device that tallies the hours of sunshine in a day, as well as creating a vast collection of Celtic folklore tales.

Commenting on the release of the new expression, Stewart Laing, Managing Director, said: “We’re extremely proud of the Scarabus whisky and the Feis Ile Festival is the perfect place to release the first bottling. We aimed to produce an expression that showcases a traditional Islay whisky style, and the unmistakable Islay smoke matches wonderfully with the rich, sweeter notes that linger on the finish.”

Adding to his father’s comments, Andrew Laing, Export Director said: “Our new brand is mysterious, which we know will create intrigue with the ever-loyal following of Islay whisky fans. Our family has such a strong connection with the island and we can’t wait for people to discover Scarabus at Feis Ile.”