Douglas Laing is one of Scotland's foremost independent whisky bottlers. The company was founded at the end of the 1940s by Fred Douglas Laing, who established a widespread cask filling programme, securing deals with many distilleries to provide ongoing stock for his blend recipes. One of the key malts for King of Scots was Port Ellen, and before the distillery was closed in 1983 Laing purchased a very large number of casks to safeguard supply for his recipe. This turned out to be a highly providential move.

In the late 1990s the company, now run by Laing's sons Stewart and Fred Jr., decided to expand their portfolio with a range of single malts. The Old Malt Cask range was launched in 1998 and was an immediate hit. The range utilised the star casks from the extensive stocks built up by Fred Laing Sr’s filling programme, with some early handshake deals from the 1950s and ‘60s still in place. 

In 2009 Douglas Laing introduced Big Peat, a blended Islay malt that famously includes some Port Ellen in the mix. In 2013, however, Fred and Stewart Laing divided Douglas Laing’s assets and parted company. Following the split, Fred Laing retained the Douglas Laing company and the Directors Cut, McGibbon’s, King of Scots, Big Peat, Double Barrel, Premier Barrel and Clan Denny brands. At the same time Fred Laing's daughter Cara Laing joined the business and is now the company's Managing Director, with Fred Laing as Chairman.