Glen Scotia 16 yo
Talk about being in the shadows, Glen Scotia knows the feeling all too well.
1 of the 3 remaining Campbeltown distilleries, its operates in the shadow of its neighbour Springbank. In fact it was silent between 1994 and 1999 then for a short while run intermittently by the Springbank employees, to restart the stills, but it was then sold to Loch Lomond Distillers (itself recently sold) who also ran it at very low levels.
So Glen Scotia’s recent history is pockmarked with inactivity and uncertainty and that remains the case today. With 1 spirit and 1 wash still, it is capable of 750,000 litres a year but makes something above 100,000 litres currently.
Glen Scotia has shown itself a survivor, it should not be counted out of the reckoning just yet.
Glen Scotia 16 yo OB
Fancy bottle… but… Northern lights and a Highland cow?
Nose: It says bourbon matured? Rather sweet nose though with a cooked oranges in syrup nose, also a certain weightiness like a heavy nut oil. Macadamia? Like its neighbour it also shows a coastal aspect, soft touch though, salt air, light peatsmoke. Ok apricot stones.
Palette: Nice weight on the tongue but also peppery with hot spices. I want to say chilli but not quite. Almond oil and chamomile tea brings a roundness to the profile. The active new wood shows though, classic woodiness, and that sweet cooked oranges come back again.
Finish: Medium, drying, bit of leafiness bit of smoke.
Not bad at all! Pleasing profile, and with this expression, nicely balanced. All round sipping malt.
Whiskyrific RSS
- Rosebank 14 yo 1966 / 1980 Cadenhead 46% vs Rosebank 26 yo 1967 / 1994 Scotch Single Malt Circle (Japan) #4398 51.7%
- Springbank 23 yo bottled Dec 1991 James MacArthur’s 53.7% vs Ardbeg 17 yo 1976 / 1993 Cadenhead 54.6%
- Glenfarclas over 12 years old F.W Hempel Metallurgical GmbH 45% vs Glenfarclas 25 yo 43%
- Craigellachie 12 yo 2007 / 2019 SMWS 44.113 59.9% vs Talisker 15 yo Special Release 2019 57.3%
- Glen Grant 23 yo 1992 / 2016 Cadenhead 53.1% vs Glentauchers-Glenlivet 26 yo 1990 / 2017 Cadenhead 52.6% vs Fettercairn 28 yo 1988 / 2017 Cadenhead 55.4%
- Old Pulteney 13yo 1990 /2003 Cadenhead 61.1% vs Old Pulteney 18 yo 1974 The Whisky Connoisseur #1132 57.8%
- Glen Moray 24 yo 1992 /2017 Cadenhead 50.9% vs Linkwood 24 yo 1992 / 2017 Cadenhead 50.9%
- Glen Garioch 21 yo 1992 / 2014 Liquid Library 51.6% vs Glen Garioch 21 yo 1991 / 2012 Liquid Library 52.5%
- Teaninich 11 yo 2006 / 2018 Cadenhead 55.2% vs Teaninich 10 yo 2009 / 2019 Cadenhead 55.1%
- Springbank 34 1964 / 1998 Cadenhead 52.2% vs Springbank 30 1972 / 2002 Chieftain’s #410 57.8%
