Douglas Laing created the Timorous Beastie Cheese Cellar Collection as a trilogy of Highland blended malt whiskies crafted specifically to pair with artisan cheeses. This limited-edition series forms part of the Remarkable Regional Malts range and highlights Highland single malts including Dalmore, Glengoyne, Glen Garioch, and Strathearn. Between 2024 and 2025, the company developed the collection to celebrate the link between whisky and cheese, finishing each expression in a different style of wine cask chosen to complement distinctive cheese types.
Timorous Beastie The Cheese Cellar Collection N° 1 Douglas Laing (2024) Review
Douglas Laing matured the first edition of the Timorous Beastie Cheese Cellar Collection in Port casks, and wanted it to be the ideal partner for a rich blue cheese such as Stilton. This Highland blended malt comes bottled at 48% ABV, natural in colour and free from chill filtration. This inaugural release is still available in the UK and across Europe, priced from £56/€56 for one of the 4,200 bottles produced.
Colour:
Jonquille.
Nose:
Neat: The nose shows a slight sharpness at first. Though the colour does not hint at the port cask influence, the nose confirms it with a vinous layer. Aromas of grapes combine with red and dark fruits such as blackcurrants, raspberries, blueberries, red apples, and plums. Dark forest and buckwheat honeys mingle with subtle spices and spicy wood notes.
Palate:
Neat: The palate opens with sweetness before the port wine character emerges. Flavours of chocolate-covered raisins and orangettes lead into a vibrant spice mix featuring pepper, Tabasco, chilli, and nutmeg, alongside a woody bitterness. After some time in the glass, apples and pears develop, joined by ginger and liquorice root. The mouthfeel carries a lightly syrupy texture.
Finish:
PThe finish delivers pepper, apples, pears, spices, and raisins, lasting medium to long in length.
Comments:
This blended malt has a pleasant, easy-going character with a noticeable port cask influence. The nose carries a bit of sharpness, but the winey notes from the port finish show up clearly both on the nose and the palate. Despite this, it remains a very enjoyable whisky you can sip without effort.
Rating: 6/10
Timorous Beastie The Cheese Cellar Collection N°2 Douglas Laing (2024) Review
The second release was finished in Madeira casks before also being bottled at 48%, without chill filtration nor added colour. This second edition, also released in 2024, is said to pair well with semi-hard cheeses like Comté or Gouda. This Cheese Cellar Collection No. 2 is also available, from £54 in the UK and around €60 in Europe.
Colour:
Amontillado.
Nose:
Neat: The nose feels more restrained than the first edition, shedding the initial sharpness and presenting a softer, less winey profile. Malt and apricot notes take centre stage, layered with a darker sweetness. Red fruit jam emerges alongside gentle touches of wood, caramel, and black fruit tea.
Palate:
Neat: The palate delivers a thick mouthfeel with a sweet and spicy arrival. Flavours of peppered sultanas and cooked apples mingle with caramel, slightly tart cherries, dark chocolate, and a hint of sour cream. Wood spices and dried herbs are present as well.
Finish:
The finish runs long and warm, with lingering pepper, apples, pears, and a good balance of maltiness and grist sweetness.
Comments:
I prefer this edition over the first because the Madeira finish offers a more subtle wine influence that feels better integrated. The nose is a bit more reserved and less sharp, with reduced woodiness, making it feel like a clear step up in the collection. Now, I’m curious to see if the third edition will keep up with this trend.
Rating: 6.5/10
Timorous Beastie The Cheese Cellar Collection N°3 Douglas Laing (2025) Review
The final edition, limited to 4,200 bottles, brings together, this time, white and purple Moscatel casks, and is supposed to pair with goat cheese. Like its two older siblings, it is bottled at 48% ABV, without chill filtration nor colouring, and is also still available, from £55/€60 in the UK and Europe, respectively.
Colour:
Burnished.
Nose:
Neat: The third edition shows a touch of sharpness returning, but it remains refined. Aromas of apricots, apples, and mangoes mingle with hints of plum and a faint suggestion of overripe banana peel. Rich notes of vanilla and white chocolate bring sweetness, while hazelnut nuances add a delicate nuttiness.
Palate:
Neat: The palate offers a soft, fruity arrival with peaches, apricots, pears, and apples dusted lightly with pepper. Milk chocolate sweetness balances a gentle chilli warmth, while brown sugar, leather, vanilla, and a slightly rough woodiness provide some complexity.
Finish:
The finish is warm and long, combining chocolate and peach flavours with sultanas, leather, vanilla, and a pinch of pepper spice.
Comments:
Another solid release in the Timorous Beastie Cheese Cellar series. The third edition holds its own against the second, offering a slightly different perspective. The muscatel finish doesn’t overwhelm, making this 2025 edition both enjoyable and easy to sip.