Speyside & Lowland - Double Barrel (Douglas Laing) (Old Bottling) vs Kakuzo Cherry Bitter

Side-by-side comparison — price, ABV, scores, tasting notes, pros & cons.

Speyside & Lowland - Double Barrel (Douglas Laing) (Old Bottling)Kakuzo Cherry Bitter
DistilleryDouglas LaingKakuzo
Region
CountryScotlandUnited Kingdom
TypeBlended Malt
ABV46%40%
AgeNASNAS
Price£36.52£26.25
Rating5.00/5

Speyside & Lowland - Double Barrel (Douglas Laing) (Old Bottling)

Smoke0/100
Sweetness60/100
Beginner75/100
Value100/100

Kakuzo Cherry Bitter

Smoke72/100
Sweetness40/100
Beginner55/100
Value0/100

Speyside & Lowland - Double Barrel (Douglas Laing) (Old Bottling)

SmokySweetFruitySpicyWoodyFloral

Kakuzo Cherry Bitter

SmokySweetFruitySpicyWoodyFloral

Quick verdict

Speyside & Lowland - Double Barrel (Douglas Laing) (Old Bottling) is rated higher (5.00 vs 0.00).

Kakuzo Cherry Bitter is better value at £26 vs £37.

For beginners: Speyside & Lowland - Double Barrel (Douglas Laing) (Old Bottling) is more approachable (75/100 beginner score).

Speyside & Lowland - Double Barrel (Douglas Laing) (Old Bottling)

Pros

  • +Great entry point for new whisky drinkers
  • +Better value for money
  • +Higher community rating (5.0/5)
  • +More widely reviewed by the community

Cons

  • More expensive (£36.52 vs £26.25)
  • Lacks smoke character compared to the alternative

Kakuzo Cherry Bitter

Pros

  • +Intense, complex peat smoke character
  • +More affordable (£26.25 vs £36.52)
  • +Vibrant, fresh fruit character

Cons

  • Lower community rating (0.0 vs 5.0)

Who should buy Speyside?

Speyside & Lowland - Double Barrel (Douglas Laing) (Old Bottling) is an ideal first whisky — sweet, approachable, and widely available. It's a great gift and a safe choice for anyone new to whisky or who prefers lighter, friendlier drams.

Who should buy Kakuzo?

Kakuzo Cherry Bitter is for peat enthusiasts and experienced whisky lovers who appreciate bold, smoky, medicinal character. If you enjoy Ardbeg or Laphroaig, this is your dram. Not recommended for beginners.

Tasting notes

Both taste of

Fresh Fruit

Only Speyside & Lowland - Double Barrel (Douglas Laing) (Old Bottling)

Malt ExtractVanilla

Only Kakuzo Cherry Bitter

CitricMedicinalSolvent

Explore more