Origin: Campbeltown (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 52.8%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Bourbon First Fill finished in ex-Port Tawny
Chillfiltered: No
Added coloring: Yes
Owner: Loch Lomond Group
Average price: € 95.00
Official website: www.glenscotia.com
Vote: 89/100
As is well known, since late Spring of this year, all whisky events have been cancelled for obvious reasons, moving to virtual platforms whenever possible.
This was also the case for the Campbeltown Whisky Festival, organised by Glen Scotia, which from 18 to 24 May had organised a series of meetings, tastings and virtual tours to make whisky lovers feel part of the community and close to the distillery.
And, as always on these occasions, there’s also a special cask strength bottling of a 2006 distillate that, after maturing in ex-Bourbon, spent the last six months in ex-Port Tawny hogshead.
A limited-edition peated malt that has me very excited.
Tasting notes
Rosé in the glass.
Fleshy and a little dirty peat on the nose, with a distinct maritime soul, goes with berries, dried figs, marzipan, blood orange, honey and a hint of lemon. Note of leather in the background. It’s not a particularly incisive profile, it takes time for it to open up and it remains quite calm.
Oily and full, it fills the palate with spices (lots of ginger with cardamom and cinnamon) that tickle berries (blueberries, currants), citrus fruits (orange and chinotto), liquorice root, dark chocolate, coffee powder. Caribbean cigar and leather. All bathed in seawater and with a wisp of smoke from the toasted wood that follows along the length, where it expresses itself best with flavours that intertwine and chase each other.
Long finish of ash, citrus, ginger, sea salt and toasted wood.
An aroma that is hard to pin down conceals a rich and complex dram that balances notes that aren’t exactly delicate in a long persistent whole that works and amuses and promises hours of great entertainment.
Reviews of Glen Scotia whisky in the blog:
Cadenhead’s Glen Scotia 27yo
Glen Scotia 10yo Campbeltown Malts Festival 2021
Glen Scotia 15yo
Glen Scotia 1991 The First Editions
Glen Scotia Double Cask