Whisky Voices: Fred Laing Jr.

This interview is part of my ongoing Whisky Voices Series, where I sit down with leading voices in the whisky world, from distillers and writers to ambassadors and innovators, to capture their unfiltered thoughts on heroes, villains, surprises, trends, and wishes.

Few names are as deeply woven into the fabric of independent Scotch whisky as Fred Laing Jr. Born in 1950, Fred is the son of Fred Douglas Laing, founder of Douglas Laing & Co., established in 1948. Having apprenticed under several giants of the Scotch whisky industry before joining the family firm in 1972, Fred has spent a lifetime shaping and safeguarding independent whisky. Today, he remains actively involved at board level, helping guide Douglas Laing’s global strategy with the same hands-on passion that has defined his career.

Whisky Hero

Fred didn’t hesitate, though his answer came with layers of reflection.

“My first hero is my father, Fred Douglas Laing,” he said. “He founded our company in 1948 with just three casks of whisky and the King of Scots brand. He was incredibly important to me; not just as a father, but as my introduction to what I call the University of Life.”

That education began early. At sixteen, Fred was taken out of school, much to the displeasure of his headmaster, and sent travelling through South America.

“My father was entrepreneurial, fearless, and curious. He shaped my thinking and ultimately led me into the whisky business.”

Fred’s formative years also included a traditional, almost Victorian-style apprenticeship within the Scotch industry. He worked under several blenders at Whyte & Mackay, most notably Ferrier Gardner, blender at White Horse Distillers, then part of the Distillers Company umbrella.

“These were men from another age, lifelong blenders with extraordinary noses. When I later worked alongside my father, who had a self-educated but formidable palate, it shaped everything I became. When he died in 1984, we lost what I can only describe as a human computer, a nose and memory we could never replace.”

Then, Fred added a second hero closer to home, and very much of the present.

“My other hero is my daughter, Cara. Like me, she was marinated in Scotch whisky from an early age. She built her own career, learned at other companies, and when she joined Douglas Laing in 2013, she brought a level of brand expertise, insight, and modern thinking I could never replicate. What we share is a deep love of Scotch whisky; the spirit, the brands, and the craft.”

Whisky Villain

Fred approached this question cautiously and thoughtfully.

“There have been a few villains over the years,” he said. “Some personal. Customers who didn’t pay, who cheated us, who lied. That still hurts, even decades later. Perhaps because I was too trusting.”

But his real concern runs deeper and broader.

“I first saw whisky casks being sold to unsuspecting investors back in the late 1970s and early 1980s. By the mid-80s, people were coming to us heartbroken. Casks that didn’t exist, or that were worthless. There are still far too many of those [scoundrels] today. They damage not just individuals, but the reputation of Scotch whisky itself. My warning is simple: caveat emptor — but also caveat venditor. Sellers must take responsibility too.”

Whisky Surprise

Fred’s most memorable surprise came not from age, but from quality.

“In 2014, we were tasting some young first-fill sherry casks of Aultmore. One cask stood out. It was extraordinary. It tasted like an old-school sherried GlenDronach or Macallan from decades past. The whisky was just five years old.”

“We bottled it under Old Particular without stating the age, calling it Xtraordinary (XOP). When we eventually revealed it was five years old, and sold it at a five-year-old price, the quality was wildly beyond expectation. That remains one of my greatest surprises.” [This is the bottling.]

Another, of course, was Big Peat.

“It began as a bit of fun. A way to move excess Islay stock. The comic-style label was initially disliked. We practically gave it away to journalists. Today, it’s our best-selling brand. That was a very pleasant surprise indeed.”

Whisky Trend

“I’ve never really followed trends,” Fred admitted. “We’ve always tried to plough our own furrow.”

That said, Douglas Laing has not stood still. He cited the recent launch of Big Peat RTD, a heavily peated whisky highball in a ready-to-drink format.

“Even at 7% ABV, chilled, the bubbles lift the smoke; coal dust, rope, engine room, creosote. It was an experiment, and it worked. That will see a wider launch next year.”

Still, the philosophy remains unchanged.

“We don’t launch based on trends. We launch based on gut feel and love for the spirit.”

Whisky Wish

“I’ve never seen the whisky industry as flat, or as lacking in confidence, as it is now. People are trading down. The global economy is fragile. My wish is for confidence to return, for commerce and optimism to recover.”

And then, characteristically, he added something more personal.

“My wish is that Douglas Laing continues to operate with humanity, humility, and goodwill. That people enjoy our whisky, perhaps curling up with a bottle at Christmas, once the family has gone home.”

He paused, then smiled.

“And that they enjoy it in good spirits.”

Sláinte & Merry Christmas!
- Thomas