Independent Scotch Whisky specialist, Douglas Laing & Co., recently launched the Big Peat Highball, the first ever ready-to-drink (RTD) serve from its Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky brand, Big Peat.
Crafted in collaboration with Japan Import System (JIS), the limited release rolled out nationwide across 15,000 stores in Japan.
Big Peat, renowned globally as the “ultimate taste of Islay”, is a marriage of Single Malts distilled only on the island, including those from Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Bowmore and even the long-lost Port Ellen. Big Peat is celebrated for “his” unmistakably maritime and smoky style.
That same flavour DNA was brought to life in the Big Peat Highball RTD: a perfectly balanced serve combining smoky sweetness, warming peat smoke, and a briny coastal tang with a refreshing effervescence. The intense smokiness is immediately evident on opening the can at 7%ABV.
“Big Peat has built his reputation as a seriously smoky Islay Malt, adored by Whisky fans around the world.” Cara Laing, Managing Director at Douglas Laing & Co.
“To see “him” take this bold new step into RTD, in a market as important and pioneering as Japan, is incredibly exciting. The collaboration with JIS has allowed us to stay true to the DNA of Big Peat while making him more accessible than ever before.”
Also coming from Islay in Scotland to Japan is Bruichladdich’s first RTD, a collaboration initiated by Remy Cointreau. The Laddie Highball RTD 8% ABV is exclusive to Lawson stores across Japan and was launched in September 2025. The base whisky is the unpeated Bruichladdich Classic Laddie, making this release mild with a fragrant barley/ cereal and citrus aroma.
Earlier in 2025, Suntory Global Spirits launched not one, but two new highball products: the Suntory Premium Highball Hakushu RTD 9% ABV in June and the Suntory World Whisky Ao Highball RTD 9% ABV in August.
The Suntory Premium Highball Hakushu RTD is a new flavour (“refreshing and light”) made with whisky aged in American white oak, and it folows the limited editions of this RTD back in 2023 (“fragrant smokey”) and 2024 (“sherry cask matured”).
The packaging is based on a refreshing green that evokes the image of early summer, and features the Hakushu Distillery, surrounded by lush nature, with the word “Hakushu” prominently displayed to convey a sense of authenticity.
The Suntory World Whisky Ao Highball RTD has been created from a blend of whiskies produced in five countries: Ireland, Scotland, USA, Canada, and Japan. The packaging is based on the brand colour of “Ao” and features an illustration of a highball with ice and the brand logo for “Ao” in large letters, clearly highlighting the characteristics of the contents.
Although the canned pre-mixed RTD format is popular in Japan, some producers are targetting a different approach, such as independent bottler Saltire Rare Malt. They have released the Saltire Single Malt for Premium Highball product in a 70cl bottle at 45% ABV.
This is a blend of five types of sherry cask-aged whiskies from the same distillery in the Speyside region of Scotland, with the recipe perfected after repeated tastings and experiments with soda by their team, lead by the whisky curators for the brand, the Whisky Couple: Hans and Becky Offringa.
The sherry cask influenced whisky creates a rich and mellow flavour when mixed with soda, bringing its character to the full.
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