Glen Scotia 12 Years Old Duthies ~ 46% (Cadenhead’s)

• Campbeltown single malt scotch whisky
• 46% ABV, £32.25 for 70cl
• Score: 83/100

What they say:

Distilled at Glen Scotia and matured for 12 years in oak casks (small batch) before producing 786 bottles at 46% ABV, bottled by Wm Cadenhead’s as part of their Duthies range.

What I say:

Dram #4 at the WOLS Return to Drammage tasting on 15th January 2015

This expression was distilled at the Glen Scotia distillery in Campbeltown and matured for 12 years inoak casks before being bottled at 46% for a 786 bottle outturn.

Colour:

Copper/light gold

Nose:

Diesel and engine oil, gristy cereal barley malt, soapy and floral, hints of rose and violet and plenty of earthy geraniums

Taste:

Sweet heather honey, fruity apples and apricots, floral geranium, some sulphur, light vanilla cream and grilled/bbq’d coconut

Finish:

Rubbery sulphur (bicycle tyre inner-tubes), floral and a little herbal, thyme, dusty/dirty and malty peat

Overall:

Intriguing sums this one up. On the nose it is like smelling the flowers beside a motorway, on the palate though a lot of sweet fruitiness comes through and any smoke and oil on the nose doesn’t reappear until the very last notes in the finish. Almost Jekyll and Hyde, this is a dram to chew over and contemplate. Overall the intrusion of the sulphur perhaps took the shine off of this one for me. A good example of how small batch whisky can be pretty complex.