Scapa 12 yo 40% ~2000 vs Scapa 8 yo Gordon & Macphail 57% ~ late 80s

Scapa 12 yo 40% ~2000

Fresh and very light, surprisingly really. Cold margarine, malt, green apples and a lemony eau de vie. Not bad whisky just a tad simple and removed from what I imagined older Scapa should be. On the tongue again it’s just light with touches of oil and bean paste. Absolutely drinkable but far from great. 83 pts

Scapa 8 yo Gordon & Macphail 57% ~ late 80s

Hard to believe this is the same distillery. Scapa here is thick, muscular and much more phenolic. We have hardened crystallised sour fruit, white smoke, thick engine oil, a compost made from waste grasses instead of bark or wood, empty cans of resinous polish, lots and lots of industrial greases and solvents, marmalade with lots of rind. Also a burnt roast aspect that says sherry but missing the dry richness. Clove tea. Some batches of these were noticeably darker than others, but this one deserves 91 pts